Ambiance Congo: May 15, 2015

Welcome to Ambiance Congo!
This time I am with a special guest who has chosen many of the songs you will hear.


Alan Brain is a Peruvian filmmaker who spent almost 8 years in the Democratic Republic of Congo filming for the United Nations. He was hired to document UN efforts to curtail human rights abuses in Eastern DRC, but he also made documentaries that highlighted positive aspects of Congolese culture, society and individuals. 

Alan has a deep love for the Congolese people and a great appreciation for them, for their culture and for their music. Although he traveled the country, he was based in Kinshasa where, among other things like performing as a singer in a salsa band with Congolese musicians. He began working on a feature documentary about the golden era of Congolese Rumba called "The Rumba Kings". 

The film includes interviews with such living legends as Lutumba Simaro from the OK Jazz, Nedule Montswet aka Papa Noel, Guvano from Tabu Ley band, Faugus Izeidi from African Fiesta, Moniania Roitelet from Rock a Mambo, Verckys Kiamanguana from Orchestre Veve, Pepe Fely Manuaku from Zaiko Langa Langa, Maproco and Bikounda from Wendo Kolosoi band, Nkuka Mathiu from African Jazz, and many others. A good sample of his documentary is a short film he made with the last 2 survivors of the legendary Congolese Rumba band African Jazz of Grand Kalle that played in the Congo independence in Belgium and that composed the famous song "Independance Cha Cha Cha".
You can check the trailer for "The Rumba Kings" here:
 https://vimeo.com/alanbrain/rumbakings

It was my pleasure to have Alan on the show, we talked history and music, some politics and opinions.
Comments are always welcome!
 
Listen to the program here:
https://www.hightail.com/download/cUJYaXRBQ3RoMlc1eDhUQw  
or here:
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Ambiance+Congo 

 

PART A

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) Bitshoumanou & l’Orchestre Celi-Bitshu

NAZALI NA CONFIANCE

from the 45 RPM single

Super Contact

3) Orchestre Makina Loka

MAKINA LOKA

from the LP EDITIONS VEVE

African

4) Tabu Ley & l’African Fiesta

CONGO AVENIR *

from the LP JOLIE ELIE

Syllart Productions

5) Franco & OK Jazz

EN ENTRE OK ON SORT KO *

from the CD FRANCOPHONIC: FRANCO & LE TPOK JAZZ

Sterns

6) Joseph Kabasele & l’African Jazz

INDEPENDENCE CHA CHA *

from the CD LE GRAND KALLE: HIS LIFE, HIS MUSIC

Sterns

7) Franco & OK Jazz

BAZONZELE MAMA ANA *

from the CD FRANCOPHONIC: FRANCO & LE TPOK JAZZ

Sterns

8) Rock A Mambo

MI CANCION

from the LP “AFRICAN RETRO” VOL.5: ROCK A MAMBO

EMI/Pathe Marconi

PART B

9) Delvis El Salsero & Manuaku Pepe Fely

AFRICA MOKILI MOBIMBA

from the CD LES GRANDS CLASSIQUES DE LA MUSIQUE CONGOLAISE

Kos & Co.

10) Lo-Benel

MARIE-LOUISE

from the CD JUSQU’ AU PETIT MATIN

Cyriaque Bassoka Productions

11) Tabu Ley & l’African Fiesta National

MOKOLO NAKOKUFA *

from the CD ROCHEREAU ET L’AFRICAN FIESTA NATIONAL 1966/1967/1968

African/Sonodisc

12) Tatyana Luswawa

WAFUTUKA *

unreleased original recording

13) Cize Nkosi

CESSE LE FEU *

unreleased original recording

14) Verckys et le VeVe

NAKOMITUNAKA *

from the CD VERCKYS ET LE VEVE 1969/1971

African/Sonosic

15) Docteur Nico & l’African Fiesta

MAMBO HAWAIENNE *

from the LP MERVEILLES DU PASSE: ETERNEL DOCTEUR NICO & ORCHESTRE AFRICAN FIESTA 1963/1965

African

16) Docteur Nico & l’African Fiesta Sukisa

MOKILI MATATA

from the LP HIT PARADE NO.1

Tcheza

17) L’Orchestre Bella-Bella

SOFELE *

from the CD LES PLUS GRANDS SUCCES DE L’ORCHESTRE BELLA BELLA: LES FRERES SOKI 1971/1975

Ngoyarto

  

*=by request of guest, Alan Brain