The Koka Koka Sex Battalion – Music from Tanzania 1975-1980

It's gratifying to know that some record labels are still able to recognise the value of compilations of vintage, previously unavailable African music. The Tanzanian Vijana Jazz Band has had neither CDs nor LPs released outside of their East African homelands. I've already enjoyed some of their recordings from the mid-80s, making it all the more thrilling to be able to hear them in the earliest phase of their career (1975-80). Vijana play a predominantly Swahili-language version of the mighty rumba sound popular primarily in the two Congos, Kenya and Tanzania.

Whilst their guitar-led, horn-embellished rumba bears similarities to the Congolese template, there are differences – mainly in the vocals – that demonstrate that Vijana were not slavish copyists. There is a vocal earthiness, even a lack of polish, that is really quite appealing. Likewise instrumentally, there's an unsophisticated quality to the recording that actually lends itself to the musical enjoyment – it's rough and raunchy. There is a clear Tanzanian slant to Vijana's style, though the liner notes point out that there is also an influence of benga music (a lively fast Kenyan style), and frequent lyrical references that suggest that Vijana were aiming for popularity as much in Kenya as Tanzania. The liner notes also relate a fascinating tale of how some of the tracks here were issued by the group when they were moonlighting under the name Koka Koka Sex Battalion (hence the title). This is another musical revelation from the ongoing Sterns reissue series.