One of three labels brought into being by producer Akie Deen, from Sierra Leone, to promote West African music in London. The other two were Sebanoh Sounds and Afrodisc. Rokel seems to have dealt mainly in 12" singles, of which there were fourteen or so issued from 1977 into the early '80s, but the first three releases were 7"s and there were several others in the '80s. Numbering of the 7" records was initially in the RKL-5000s and latterly in the ROK-0s, but the Bunny Mack single shown shared an SD-RK-00 series with the 12" singles. There is some doubt as to the year when that single appeared: the label says 1979, Music Master says April 1980 - the 12" version had 1980 on the label, so make of that what you may. Injection-moulded items (2) were reportedly pressed by Phonogram; distribution was by Jama in the '70s. In or around 1979 RCA had taken over manufacturing and distribution, resulting in a return to the more attractive, paper, label; albeit with different colouring (3). The discography below only covers the 1970s. Thanks to Robert Bowes for the first scan.
(Recordiversity - Vintage African Music; http://members.lycos.co.uk/dubcitizen)
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.