I began collecting Syliphone vinyl recordings in 1994 when I first travelled to Guinea. In the early 1990s, finding information on Syliphone or on other West African recording labels of the era was near impossible. The few available discographies were and inaccurate and incomplete, and this led me to create a discography of Syliphone and then of discographies of other West African recording labels.

The story of Syliphone is a fascinating one. It was the official recording label of the Guinea government, and was announced to the public via the Guinean press in August 1967. The date is odd as the first series of seven Syliphone LPs (SLP 1 to SLP 7) had been available to the (French) public in Paris from April of that year. Prior to the advent of Syliphone, the Guinean government had released several 33.3rpm and 45rpm recordings through the USA-based “Tempo International” label. These are well-known and were recorded by Leo Sarkisian, an employee of the company prior to his Voice of America roles. Guinea's early recordings were also featured on the Eastern bloc label "Electrola Auslands Sonderdienst". It is also apparent that the Guinean government created several small recording labels before launching Syliphone, with recordings issued in the mid 1960s by "Editions InfoGuinee", "Editions de la République de Guinée", the “Ministère de l'Information et du Tourisme”, and some issued with no recording label at all. The launch of Syliphone, however, heralded a new era whereby it became the focal point of the Guinean music industry until its demise in 1984 after the death of President Sékou Touré.

In 1999 I published on the Radio Africa web site an initial discography of Syliphone recordings. Over the years the discography grew as obscure releases came to light. The addition of a four track EP, released under the label "Silly Phone" (perhaps it was the first "Syliphone" release? You can listen to it here and read more here) was, I thought, the final entry of the Syliphone catalogue.

I was thus very pleased and surprised when a previously uncatalogued release was unearthed: a 45 rpm disc by Franklin Boukaka performing "Unité Africaine" and "Kitoko mingi" and backed by the orchestra Keletigui et ses Tambourinis.

Franklin Boukaka was a Congolese singer, guitarist and member of many formative orchestras in the early 1960s, notably Cercul Jazz. In 1969 he performed at the Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algiers. This is where, perhaps, he commenced his association with Guinean musicians, as the Republic of Guinea had sent an entourage of over 100 artists to the festival. In 1970 he toured Guinea and performed at the Quinzaine Artistique et Culturelle Nationale festival, backed by the Keletigui et ses Tambourinis. He recorded three 45 rpm singles for Syliphone with Keletigui’s orchestra. Syliphone released these recordings with a unique catalogue series of SYL 251, SYL 252 and SYL 253. These "SYL 200s" signified a new venture for Syliphone: a series of recordings which featured Guinean musicians in collaboration with African artists. It was short-lived, however, as the "SYL 200s" petered out with the release of SYL 253.

Boukaka's recording of "Unité Africain" is unique on vinyl. The song encourages Africa's independence movements and features a roll call of African nations who were committed to ending colonial rule. (An alternate version was archived during the Radio Télévision Guinée sound archive project. It is a live version, very likely recorded at the Quinzaine Artistique festival in 1970). The B side, "Kitoko mingi", was initially featured on SYL 251 as an apparent live recording, but is presented on SYL 253 as a studio instrumental. It's a bit of an odd release as it is appears to be a backing track, waiting perhaps for the vocals of Boukaka to be added.

SYL 253 is likely the final chapter of the Syliphone catalogue. If you know of any vinyl releases that are not listed in the Syliphone discography, please let me know. My email address is in the "About" link at the top of this page.

Click on the image below to listen to "Unité Africain" and "Kitoko mingi".