Catalogue       Group                                                 A side/B side                                                                  Year

Number

RS 001        Francis Rugwiti                         Tigwo Na Wega/Mitugo Iitu

                  and Banana Hill Band

RS 006        Banana Hill Band                      Matatu/Ni Wanjika Thoni

RS 7-011     Banana Hill Band                      Marigiti/Tiga Kuherithia

RS 7-014     Banana Hill Band                      Mr Kiomboyo/Wiku Wiku

RS 016        Francis Rugwiti                         Karia Mburu/Maitu Ni Mutongu

                  and Banana Hill Band

RS 017        Francis Rugwiti                         Murata/Wendo

                  and Banana Hill Band

RS 018        Mondoko Banana Hill Band        Situka/Mihango Ya Mbeca

RS 019        Banana Hill Band                      Njeri Mami Pts 1 & 2

RS 020        Banana Hill Band Mondoko        Ni Tiguthii/Kwaga Muka

RS 021        Banana Hill Band                      Gagura Mwana/Wanyina

RS 022        Banana Hill Band                      Uhiki Wa Riu/Sibola

RS 023        Banana Hill Band                      Riua Rioita Uhoro/Munyendi

RS 024        Banana Hill Band                      Weru Wa Rukenya/Nougakua

RS 028        Rugwiti Sister                          Njira Nyinuke/Athuri

                  with Banana Hill Band

RS 101        Banana Hill Band                     Tufunge Ndoa/Dada Zulula

RS 103        Banana Hill Band                     Kwaheri Mama/Kilimanjaro

RS 7-104     Banana Hill Band                     Rose Mary/Boy Shuffle

RS 107        Banana Hill Band                     Wasio Jiweza/Emma

RS 108        Banana Hill Band                     Susana/America

RS 018 is a Kikuyu record that turned up in London’s Revival Records store in March 2009; RS 016 surfaced on Ebay in November 2009 and Sofiane of Groovy Record in Paris supplied details of RS 7-011 in April 2011. A few days later in the same month RS 024 popped up on Ebay from another seller. Information about RS 001 was kindly supplied by Elbert of the Netherlands in October 2012.

I guess it was inevitable that Francis Rugwiti’s Banana Hill Band would have their own label given how prolifically they recorded elsewhere, cutting sides for Kirinyaga, Sawa Sawa Sound, Sokota,  Njogu, Sibuor, Sululu and Wahome Super Sounds and no doubt a few others.

Details of RS 103 came, again courtesy of Sofiane at Groovy Record, in June 2013. The change of catalogue number may be because this single is in Kiswahili and all the others are in Kikuyu, a theory that gained further credence when Per Leuf from Sweden sent in details of RS 7-104 in July 2013 as it is also in Kiswahilii.