Maloko

Maloko was an African soukous band that came together in 1988 under the direction of Ibrahim Kanja Bah, a US-based music producer originally hailing from Sierra Leone. To lead the group he recruited Cameroonian guitarist and arranger Vincent Nguini, who grew up with the sounds of Zairean pop and soukous that were popular across West Africa. The group was only a one off project and made one album Soul On Fire. After the group disbanded, Nguini went on to become guitarist in Paul Simon’s bands and appeared on four albums including Rhythm Of The Saints, the follow-up to Graceland. Other band members included Syran Mbenza best known for his involvement with Quatre Etoiles and Kekele and widely acknowledged as one of Africa’s best guitarists. The Soul On Fire album consisted of covers of classic American soul tracks that were soukous-ified so to speak.

Links To Peel
Peel seemed to discover the group through their single In The Midnight Hour, which was released on London Records in 1989. Peel's enthusiasm for the band's cover of Wilson Pickett's In The Midnight Hour with the soukous influence prompted him to nominate the song as his Peelenium for 1989. 

Peelenium

 * Peelenium 1989: In The Midnight Hour

Other Shows Played
1989 1991
 * Peel 105 (BFBS): 'In The Midnight Hour (12")' (London) (JP: 'If I could play guitar like that, I should just quit work and play guitar for the rest of my life until I drop down dead. I wouldn't even stop for eating or going to the lavvy.')
 * 06 July 1991: Words Of Love (album – Soul On Fire) The African Music Gallery

1993
 * 07 July 1991: In The Midnight Hour (LP – Soul On Fire) African Music Gallery
 * 13 July 1991: Soul Man (LP – Soul On Fire) African Music Gallery
 * 11 September 1993: 'In The Midnight Hour' (JP: 'That's pressed slightly off centre.I hope that didn't spoil your enjoyment of it.')

1998 1999 2000 2001
 * 17 September 1993 (BFBS): In The Midnight Hour (LP - Soul On Fire) African Music Gallery
 * Peel Out In The States: In The Midnight Hour (LP - Soul On Fire) African Music Gallery
 * 03 March 1998: In The Midnight Hour (LP - Soul On Fire) African Music Gallery
 * 24 June 1999: In The Midnight Hour (12") London
 * 23 December 1999: 'In The Midnight Hour (12")' (London) Peelenium 1989
 * 30 March 2000: In The Midnight Hour (12" Promo) London
 * 23 May 2000: (JP: "When the John Peel Roadshow goes out and about - which it very seldom does these days - the highlight of the set as I see it anyway is when I follow Wilson Pickett's version of 'Midnight Hour' with one by Maloko, which I've featured on this programme on numerous occasions, fantastic sort-of soukous version of the old favourite.")
 * 05 April 2001: In The Midnight Hour (London Records)
 * 07 June 2001: Midnight Hour (12") London Records

2002 2004
 * 20 December 2001: In the Midnight Hour (12" single) London
 * 05 September 2002: 'In The Midnight Hour' (London Recordings)
 * 27 October 2004: 'In The Midnight Hour (12") (London)