Catalogue       Group                                                 A side/B side                                                                      Language

Number

PEA 19        Orch Lunna-Kidi                       Furaha Kwetu Kenya/Dada Pili                                Swahili

PEA 30        Les Foudres                             Naboi Bombanda/Duma-Koko                                 Lingala

PEA 34        Franco & TPOK Jazz                  Mercelina/Mado                                                     Lingala

PEA 63       Verckys & Son Ensemble            Anna/Mosika Zonga                                               Lingala

PEA 80       Todi National 72                        A: Rahel Ruth Adega No 2                                      Luo

                                                                B: Jemina Akinyi

PEA 81       Todi National 72                        Patrick Gundo/Dalawa Ramba                                 Luo

PEA 82       Todi National 72                        A: Ibrahim Malomba                                              Luo

                                                                B: Duond Jo Todi National

PEA 84        The Loi Toki-Tok                      Leta Ngoma/Jennie                                                Swahili

PEA 89        Santa Loi-Toki-Tok Jasta           A: Wakati Nilikuwa Na Baba                                   Swahili

                                                                B: Siwezi Kulala

PEA 92        Somo-Somo                            Polele/Pole-Pole-Confiance                                      Lingala

PEA 108      Les Bantous De La Capitale       Isabelle Mwana Ya Kin/Macaro                                Lingala

PEA 112      Franco & OK Jazz                     Azda Pts 1 & 2                                                       Lingala

PEA 118      OK Jazz                                  Lukika/Sukola Motema Olinga                                  Lingala

PEA 120      Franco & OK Jazz                     Ye No 1/Ye No 2                                                     Lingala

PEA 121      Fela Ransome Kuti                   Lady Pts 1 & 2                                                       English

                  & His Africa 70

PEA 148      La Creche Dyala                      Uganda/Nzambe Batela Idi Amin

PEA 149      Djilba et La Creche Dyala         Omanga/Kuratex

PEA 152      Defoma Kintueni Sukisa           Kabu-Kabu/Makubu-Sana                                        Kikongo

PEA 164      La Creche Dyala                      Abarugira Pts 1 & 2

PEA 183      Dijiba et La Creche                  President Kenyatta/Kavira

PEA 184      Dijiba et La Creche                  Nalembi Ba Temion Pts 1 & 2

PEA 188      Dijiba et La Creche                  Kuraze Ya Mpasi  Pts 1 & 2                                     Lingala

PEA 192     The Hi-Fives                             Azalaki Mwasi Ya Libala/Makosa

PEA 195     Voice of Africa                          Bomba Bomba/Bolingo Ya Anna                              Lingala

PEA 196     Voice of Africa                          Sukuma Wiki/Mtoto Wa Mama                         Lingala/Swahili

PEA 199     Voice of Africa                          Mokili/Tobina                                                         Lingala

PEA 200     Voice of Africa                          Angola Uhuru/Africa Uhuru                                     Lingala

PEA 206     Voice of Africa                          Hapara/Aburu Ya Waza                                          Lingala

PEA 209      Les Machi                                Ekoko/Mayuna                                                      Lingala

PEA 217      Mundemba & His Underground  Café Con Leche/Nirvana                                         Lingala

PEA 224     Voice of Africa                          Alima/Medico Analia                                       Swahili/Lingala

PEA 225      Rossisendi and His Group         A: Confessin' Love (I Swear Baby)           English/Kinyarwanda

                                                               B: Confessin' Love (Nina Kuomba)

PEA 226      Rossisendi and His Group         Sometimes Love is Funny/Ururabo          English/Kinyarwanda

PEA 227      Rossisendi and His Group         Urukundo Ngufitiye/Usa Na Bike                         Kinyarwanda

PEA 235      Orch Bakuba-Mayopi                Zunguluke Pts 1 & 2                                               Lingala

PEA 254      Trio Tumba                             Dix Commandments/Pasi Ya Bolingo                        Lingala

PEA 275      Auguila Gaston Demaye           Soul Soukous/Lelo Ngai Ma Bini                               Lingala

PEA 276      Fela Ransome Kuti                   Black Man's Cry Pts 1 & 2

                  & His Afro 70 Band

OP 1007     Papa Noel                                Lili Mambeta/Club 113                                            Lingala

OP 1019     Rochereau & African Fiesta        Rendez-Vous Chez Labas/L'Age et L'Amour      French/Lingala

G 20026     Orch Bantou                            Makambo Mibale/Damba

G 20065     Orch Negro Band                      Sapato/Journal Dipanda

PF 11.561   Orch OK Jazz                           Omona Wapi/Nakoluka Ye Banzela

Pathe 110  Take-Take de Medico                Medico Bwala Pts 1 & 2                                 Lingala/Kiswahili

EMI’s archive in Hayes, West London, contains no catalogues from its East African subsidiary, of which Pathe was the most visible label. This is a shame as some documentary evidence might have offered a clue as to the thinking behind its eclectic releases from the early 1970s to early 1980s, ranging from Luo bands such as Juma Toto’s Todi National 72 to familiar Congolese acts such as Verckys; Nigerian legend Fela Ransome Kuti to the forgotten Les Foudres. And who exactly were La Creche Dyala and Voice of Africa? Both had multiple releases but I can find no information about either.

Flemming Harrev sent in the scans of the dark blue variant on the logo as well as the red one of Pathe 110, a PO Kanindo production dating from 1976. This bears a close resemblance to the label found on discs released by the French Pathe-Marconi label. As Flemming notes, “EMI in France released a great number of 45 singles and several compilation albums with Kenyan bands in the 1970s. Playa Sound, a different company in France, released around 10 compilation albums with Kenyan bands in the 1980s.

I haven’t included the French releases in this discography so far (February 2010) but am beginning to think I should.

Just to make life a little more complicated, it should be noted that Medico Bwala, the featured artist on Pathe 110, was also the chief songwriter of Voice of Africa who feature often in the PEA prefix listings.