Equator Sound Studios, under direction from Worrod at that point, marketed and produced Fadhili's Swahili love-ballad, Malaika, after Worrod realised that the original poorly recorded Malaika could have international appeal.
Malaika had initially been recorded by Jambo Boys, with Konde serving as the studio engineer.
Worrod, who created the "African Twist," left Kenya in 1974 because the law barred him from engaging in the recording business unless he was a citizen. Fadhili later also left, for the US, where he lived for 15 years.
New Equator records
In 2006 a new record label was founded by members of the band Islands, which is also called Equator Records. There is no connection between the two labels.
The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by their vocal harmonies, adolescent-oriented themes, and musical ingenuity, they became one of the most influential acts of the rock era. They drew on the music of older pop vocal groups, 1950s rock and roll, and black R&B to create their unique sound, and under Brian's direction, often incorporated classical or jazz elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways.
The music of Kenya is very diverse, with multiple types of folk music based on the variety over 50 regional languages.
Wizzard were an English glam rock band formed by Roy Wood, former member of the Move and co-founder of the Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings was Paul McCartney." They are most famous for their 1973 Christmas single "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", which has been played during every Christmas season in the UK since its release.
Malaika is a Swahili song written by Tanzanian musician Adam Salim in 1945. This song is possibly the most famous of all Swahili love songs in Tanzania, Kenya and the entire East Africa, as well as being one of the most widely known of all Swahili songs in the world. Malaika in this context means "angel" in Swahili, and this word has always been used by the Swahili speakers to refer to a beautiful girl.
Charles Worrod was the proprietor of the Equator Sound Studios record label in Nairobi, Kenya, during the 1950s and 1960s, having left post-war England to relocate to South Africa, and later, Nairobi with his wife Wynne. Worrod keenly provided a fruitful atmosphere where his salaried staff could experiment, learn, and develop. In the late 1960s, he enrolled six of his core musicians including legendary Kenyan musician, Daudi Kabaka, in a two-year course at the Conservatory of Music in Nairobi to learn music notation and theory. Worrod was never to reap great financial benefits from the recording industry in East Africa, although he went on to be well known in musical circles both locally and abroad.
Inner Circle, also known as The Inner Circle Band or The Bad Boys of Reggae, are a Jamaican reggae band formed in Kingston in 1968. The band first backed The Chosen Few in the early 1970s before joining with successful solo artist Jacob Miller and releasing a string of records. This era of the band ended with Miller's death in a car crash in 1980.
Fadhili William Mdawida, often referred to simply as Fadhili William, was a Kenyan recording artist and composer who is most famous as the first person to record Adam Salim's song "Malaika" which he recorded with his band The Jambo Boys around 1963.
Terence William "Blondie" Chaplin is a South African singer and guitarist from Durban, where he played in the band the Flames in the mid to late 1960s. From 1972 to 1973, he was a member of the Beach Boys and contributed to their albums Carl and the Passions – "So Tough" (1972) and Holland (1973). He is a long-term backing vocalist, percussionist, and acoustic rhythm guitarist for the Rolling Stones on their recordings and tours over a 15-year period, starting in 1997. Chaplin has released two solo albums, Blondie Chaplin (1977) and Between Us (2008).
Swabri Mohammed, better known by his stage name Redsan, is a Kenyan reggae and ragga musician. He is one of the most well renowned ragga and dancehall artists in East Africa. His popularity has extended to the rest of Africa, and parts of Europe, United States, and the Middle East.
Peter Tsotsi is a Zimbabweann musician. He was one of the founders of the Equator Sound Band, along with Adolf Banyora, Nashil Pichen, Charles Ssonko, Gabriel Omolo, Daudi Kabaka, and Fadhili Williams Mdawida. The group had many Swahili language hits in the 1960s in Africa, including "Mulofa moja, "Usiniringiei", "Super girl", "Kondakta", "Pole Musa", "Veronica", and "e".
Them Mushrooms is a musical band from Kenya, playing mostly Chakacha, some Benga and also some reggae. They are most famous for the Swahili 1982 song Jambo Bwana. The band is composed of Teddy Kalanda, Henry Ndenge Saha and Ben Mutwiwa. They mainly do covers of previously written hit songs.
Tim Rimbui, better known as "Ennovator" is a Kenyan record producer, sound engineer and songwriter who has worked with many prominent Kenyan and East African artists. He is generally thought of as one of the leading music producers in Kenya. With the foresight of being creative, innovative and unique he chose the name Ennovator, which would best describe his sound and approach to music production.
"Jambo Bwana" is a Kenyan pop song also popular in Tanzania. It was first released in 1982 by Kenyan band Them Mushrooms, and later covered by a number of other groups and artists, including Mombasa Roots, Safari Sound Band, Khadja Nin, Adam Solomon, Mani Kollengode, and the German group Boney M.. Some versions come under different titles, such as "Jambo Jambo" and "Hakuna Matata".
John Nzenze was a musician from Kenya. He had performed the twist dance style. Some of his most popular songs were "Angelike", "Julieta Rudi Tuone" and "Habari za Nairobi ".
The Kenyan Boys Choir is an African traditional and contemporary male voice choir based in the city of Nairobi, Kenya.
Spirit of Africa is the first studio album by African traditional and contemporary male voice choir Kenyan Boys Choir. As of July 2009, one single has been released: "Homeless". All tracks were recorded in the city of Nairobi, Kenya.
Mombasa Roots are a Kenyan afropop/hotel pop musical group. They have recorded some of the most successful hit singles in Kenyan pop music, such as Disco Chakacha and Kata. Their most famous album is Lele Mama.
Safari Sound Band is a Kenyan hotel pop band. In over twenty years of activity, they were certified platinum four times, and their recordings of Swahili classics such as "Jambo Bwana" and "Malaika" are well-known. They have published a number of CDs, featuring cover versions of African evergreens as well as other easy listening Swahili pop tracks. The band consists of six elements. All the band members also sing.
Sauti Sol are a Kenyan afro-pop band formed in Nairobi, Kenya by vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano and Savara Mudigi in 2005. Initially an a cappella group, guitarist Polycarp Otieno joined before they named themselves Sauti Sol.
Nashil Pichen Kazembe (1932–1991) was a Zambian singer from Kaputa District in the Luapula Valley, who gained prominence in the 1970s. He spent a large part of his life in Nairobi, Kenya, where he collaborated with fellow Zambia emigre Peter Tsotsi and Benson Simbeye. As members of Eagles Lupopo Band they sang 'patriotic songs' praising President Kenneth Kaunda and commenting on various social issues.
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