Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Guitar Master, Master Mwana Congo

Master Mwana Congo is, without doubt, one the greats of Congolese guitar. His work is included on songs by any number of albums by artists from Congo-Brazza. Here is a song from an LP that you may not have heard.

The lineup here includes Tadi-Zeze and Fidele Zizi on vocals, Jimmy & Fredo with their fantastic horns, but it is the wizardry of Ignace Kounkou that makes the song.

Here's "OU-ES-TU-SOLEIL?"


http://media.putfile.com/Tadi-Zeze-Ou-Es-Tu-Soleil

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Ambiance Congo for Sunday April 13, 2008

This edition, the SHOW will go on, starting with showband music, a new movement in music that came into being about the time that showman James Brown slayed them live on stage in Kinshasa in 1972.
About this time, the Congolese rumba was in a golden age with Franco, Tabu Ley and Docteur Nico established as the Three Kings. If you are old enough to have been around in the late 60s and early 70s, you KNOW that the music scene was becoming more and more of an international phenomenon than it had been before. Youth bands were rising everywhere in the world, but in the Congos times had changed radically with Independance about 10 years prior. Freedom of speech, for example, was something that had only been a dream when many of the artists you'll hear on this program were children.
For Tabu Ley, an established and highly respected professional, the idea of having a showband like James Brown's was a goal that he actively pursued. He really realized this dream in his organization of his 1970 performance at the prestigious Olympia in Paris. This concert was an epoch event in Congolese music. As such, it could be said to be a defining moment for things to come including today's music. The choreographed dancing, large orchestras, atalaku calls and vocal artistry we hear in the music of that day up to today's Congo can arguably be traced to the basic desire to have a showband and, again, back to Tabu Ley.
But that's not all there was to it. Young people and younger musicians saw their world expanded with their freedom. Fashion and style flourished and hundreds of youth bands arose.
On this program, you'll hear some killer music by Tabu Ley, The Stukas Boys, Trio Majesi, Thu Zaina, Empire Bakuba and more more more. This is hot hot music! Feast your ears on African show music from the best of the best.You'll hear from Thu Zaina, Bobongo Stars, Bavon Marie Marie & L'Orchestre Negro Succes, Wenge Musica B.C.B.G. and more more more.
Try to stand still!

Download and listen here for a limited time:
http://download.yousendit.com/E3280AC210287132


Here's the tracklist:

PART 1
1) King Kester Emeneya
sebene from DORIS ILOKO (this program's theme song)
from the CD: PAS DE CONTACT
Black Music

2)Le Siegneur Rochereau & L'Afrisa International
ASAMBEL
Afrom the CD: A L'OLYMPIA (PARIS) - 1970
African/Sonodisc

3) King Kester Emeneya & Victoria Eleison Dream Team Dream Band
ASSAMBA
from the CD: RENDRE A CESAR...
AFM Production

4)Les Noirs
INSTRUMENTAL
from the LP: LES NOIRS
EMI/Pathe Marconi

5)Stino Mube & Viva la Musica
ROMEO ET JULIETTE
from the CD: ROMEO ET JULIETTE
Ets. Kaluila

6)Wenge BCBG *
CHAMPION KAPANGALA
from the CD: TITANIC
Simon Music

7)Lita Bembo & Stukas Boys
BEBE INGENDE 1 & 2
from the CD: LES PLUS GRANDS SUCCES DE L'ORCHESTRE STUKAS BOYS VOLUME 1: EKONDA SACCADE
Ngoyarto

8)Orchestre Negro Succes
LIBANGA NA LIBUMU 1 & 2
from the CD: SIONGO BAVON MARIE MARIE & L'ORCHESTRE NEGRO SUCCES 1967,1968, 1969
Ngoyarto

PART 2
9)Orchestre Cavacha
BAKOTA 1 & 2
from the CD: COMPILATION MUSIQUE CONGOLO ZARIOISE 1970 1976
Sonodisc

10)Thu Zaina
LOKOKO
from the CD: COUP DE CHAPEAU
RetroAfrique

11)Empire Bakuba
AMUNDULA
from the 45 RPM single
Ets. Bakuba

12)Diana & Les Bobongo Stars
MARGUERIDA
from the LP: MARGUERIDA
Ets. Man-Im

13)Minzoto Wela-Wela
YOKE
from the LP: LASSISSI PRESENTE AMBELE-MONDO & MINZONTO-WELA-WELA
Sacodis

14)Verkys & Le Veve
BANKOKO BABOYI
from the CD: BANKOKO BABOYI
African/Sonodisc

15)Trio Madjesi
SEX MADJESI
from the CD: SOSOLISO
Glenn Music

*=by request