Why these Sonodisc Catalogue pages?

Why have I made these pages? I will tell you the story of how I found my way to the popular music of Africa and then I think you will understand. My name is Anders Hällgren. I was born 1957 in a small village in the far north of Sweden. The name of the village is Långträsk (marked on the map with a red x) and it's 60 km:s from the nearest town Piteå.

When I was 21 years old, 1978, I heard a show on the radio, "Tusen och en låt" by "Lennart Wretlind". He played music from all over the world. He played a 20 minute song with a sound I had never heard before. I was really amazed, what was this? Guitars and bass and drums and guitars; moving, moving and making patterns. Wow, I had never heard anything like it and I really liked it. Today I know that it was "Orchestre Sinza Kotoko", the A-side of "10 Ans d'Animation" (Sonafric SAF 50037). Then I didn't know this so I sent a letter to the Swedish Public Radio and asked what it was and if they knew where I could get it. They replied and told me that it was Orchestre Sinza Kotoko and that the record and other records with the same kind of music where distributed by the distributor Amigo.

I wrote Amigo a letter and asked them if they could tell me how I could get the record with Sinza Kotoko. They sent me a whole lot of catalogues with text (Arhoolie, Folkways, Folklyric, some Jazz-catalogue etc) and a catalogue with a lot of pictures of LP:s in it, the Sonodisc catalogue. This was the start of a journey in the world of music. The pictures fueled my fantasy and me and some friends ordered from the picture catalogue just by the look of the sleeve-pictures. I ordered records from Africa, Latin-America, Brazil, Haiti, Lebanon, Morocco and so forth but it didn't take long before I understood that what I really liked most was the music from Africa and then especially the Congo/Zaïre music. This music has been a companion ever since, 90 % of what I listen to is Congolaise music.

It's now more than 25 years ago since the Sonodisc Picture Catalogue got into my hands. I am very thankful for the fact that this catalogue came to me and this is the reason why I have made these pages. It's a tribute. So now I think you understand.

Anders