Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Ambiance Congo for Sunday October 25, 2009

Welcome to Ambiance Congo!
This Sunday, I was spinning a bunch of older music again, the music that intices you to move, the stuff that dance is made of. On this program, we hear from Joly Mubiala, Pepe Kalle, Choc Stars, Afrizam and more.
Here are the covers of a few of the LPs and CDs sampled this afternoon.

For the next two weeks, you may download a copy of the program here:
After two weeks, you may find this program along with previous editions in the Ambiance Congo Audio Archives.
Here is today's track list:
1)King Kester Emeneya & Victoria Eleison Dream Team Dream Band
sebene from DORIS ILOKO (this program's theme song)
from the CD PAS DE CONTACT
Black Music
2)Victoria Eleison
AMELO
from the LP KWASA KWASA
Ets. Kaluila
3)Joly Baki Emen Mubiala & Viva La Musica
LA PETITE NADEGE
from the CD CADEAU D'AMITIE
P.A.V. Diffusion
4)Strervos-Niarcos
YOUYOU
from the CD LE N'GANSHIE DE LA RELIGION YA KITENGE
Ets. Kaluila
5)Bozi Boziana & L'Anti-Choc
ZALA NA MAITRISE
from the CD MBANZI YA GAMUNDELE
Ets. Kaluila
6)Kianzi Roy Langa
MWANA MBOKA
from the CD ZAIKO UNIVERSEL
Sonima Music
7)L'Orchestre Choc Stars Au Grand Complet
SABINE LA BIEN AIMEE *
from the CD PECHE DE LA FEMME
Bono Music
8)Defao
LUCIYANA
from the LP LA FORCE TRANQUILLE
Production Scorpion
9)Pepe Kalle & Groupe Empire Bakuba
SIMPLICITE
from the LP SOUCIS YA LIKINGA
Bade Stars Music
10)Misha M'Fum
ANITA BELLE
from the LP L'EMPIRE AMBIANCE *
African Music Gallery
11)Ntesa Dalienst
IZA ISSA
from the LP IZA ISSA
Rythmes et Musique
12)Verckys et le Veve
SELIBA
from the LP VERCKYS ET L'IMMORTEL VEVE VOL. 2
Ets. Veve International
13)Pepe Ndombe & Afrizam
MASINGE
from the CD KAY KAY
Ngoyarto
14)Zaiko Langa Langa
KAY-KAY
from the LP KAY-KAY
Rythmes et Musique
15)Wenge Musica
KIN E BOUGE
from the KIN E BOUGE
Glenn Music

*=by request

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Samba Mapangala & Virunga at Folk Fest, Richmond

Here are a few shots from the first of three concerts.

Samba was in fine form and he and and his band were very well received!
Samba was joined on stage by a well-chosen group of talented musicians, most of whom are Congolese or East Africans who now reside here in the Mid-Atlantic states.


Misha Mfum (ex - Empire Bakuba).
Misha has a strong voice and a stage presence that rivals just about anyone.
He tells me that he'd like to reissue his solo album Empire Ambiance. Personally, I think he has the talent to consider making an album of new material.


Getry Mavambu (ex - Afrisa).
This veteran drummer lays it DOWN, keeping the beat with astonishing variety and flair.



"Nabtry Dancers" Francine and Grace.
While Francine's ambitions are for a singing career in another genre of music, Grace Haukwa is a talented, joyful and enthusiastic dancer. I'm willing to wager that she could perform with just about any Congolese or Kenyan band. She certainly knows the steps and the moves!


Guitarists John Bashengezi and Siama Matuzungidi.

Siama (original Virunga, ex - Shama Shama and Orchestre Cavacha) tells me that he played the original Cherie Kadetti with Dona Mobeti. He's a highly skilled veteran musician.

I had never heard John play before, but I guess I have missed out!
Wow! The man is GOOD! I think that he and Misha Mfum should consider
that album of new material...I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

I regret that I did not get a decent picture of bassist Ali Mgawe.
You can ctach a glimpse of him in the group shot at the top of the page.
I regret that I did not get a decent picture of Cheryl Kramer.
You can catch a small glimpse of her, on keyboard, in the photo above of Samba with the Nabtry Dancers.
My apologies to Ali and Cheryl!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Ambiance Congo for Sunday September 27, 2009

Welcome to Ambiance Congo!

If you live here in Richmond or you can get to Richmond for Folk Fest http://www.richmondfolkfestival.org/docs/event_schedule.html you will be treated to three performances by Samba Mapangala and Orchestra Virunga.
Samba Mapangala was born in Matadi, Congo and began his musical career in Kinshasa. On tour in the eastern part of the country in the mid-70s, Samba and others from the group Orchestre Saka Saka left to begin work in Uganda as Les Kinois or, roughly, "The Kinshasa Guys". In 1977, they moved to Nairobi, Kenya and in 1981 started Orchestra Virunga. It was at that time that Samba and his band recorded the album that has gained and kept international attention, IT'S DISCO TIME WITH SAMBA MAPANGALA & ORCH VIRUNGA (aka MALAKO DISCO). This set of songs was reissued on the Earthworks label as VIRUNGA VOLCANO, an album listed as one of the 100 "must-have world music releases" of all time.

We start the program today with a track from Samba Mapangala and Virunga's new LIVE ON TOUR release, a song by Les Kinois and one from MALAKO. After that, we talk a bit with Samba on the phone and we are honored to be able to premiere a new song of his.
The second hour of the program features more songs from Congolese musicians and groups who made their mark in Kenya - Baba Gaston, Les Noirs, Les Mangelepa, Orchestra Viva Makale, Super Mazembe and more.
Here are a few of the album covers from today's program.
For the next two weeks, you may download a copy of this program here:
And here's the track list
1)King Kester Emeneya
sebene from DORIS ILOKO (this program's theme song)
from the CD PAS DE CONTACT
Black Music
2)Samba Mapangala & Virunga
SUNGURA
from the digital-only release VIRUNGA LIVE ON TOUR
Virunga Music
3)Les Kinois
LES KINOIS PTS. 1 & 2 *
from the 45 RPM single
World Record Company
4)Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga
AHMED SABIT *
from the CD VIRUNGA VOLCANO
Earthworks
-Interview with Samba Mapangala-
5)Samba Mapangala
LES GORILES
World Wildlife Fund
-Interview with Samba Mapangala-
6)Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga
KAA CHONJO
from the CD SONG & DANCE
Samba Mapangala production
7)Baba Gaston & Orchestre Baba National
HELLO HELLO
from the LP ILUNGA ILUNGA
Polygram Records Ltd.
8)Les Mangelepa
EMBAKASI *
from the LP NYAKO KONYA
ASL
9)Orchestre Viva Makale
BIBI MDOGO PTS. 1 & 2
from the LP THE AFRICAN STARS COLLECTION VOLUME 4
Jumbo Jet
10)Orchestra Super Mazembe
MUANA NIAU PTS. 1 & 2
from the LP MALOBA D'AMOUR
Discafrique
11)Les Noirs
KUMBE BOLINGO
from the LP LES NOIRS
Pathe
12)Orchestre Shika Shika
DIABANZA
13)Orchestre Special Liwanza
MWALE 1 & 2
from the 45 RPM single
Golden Toddy
*=by request