Ambiance Congo for Sunday June 8, 2008

Listen live from 3:00-5:00 PM Eastern time.

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=41

This edition I'll be spinning mostly vinyl so listen in to hear music that you may not find any place else. I'll also have a song from each of the latest Ets. Veve International CDs by Pronce Youlou Mabiala and by Verckys & Le Veve. Both are next to impossible to get here in the USA so don't miss out!

Check the tracklist at the site listed above. Here are four of the album covers.

This program is available for download for the next two weeks;

https://download.yousendit.com/11A007530F1D4656

Ambiance Congo for Sunday May 25, 2008

Listen live from 3:00-5:00 PM

Here are just a few of the CDs and albums from which you'll hear songs this time.

Enjoy! Your comments are always welcome.

Read today's tracklist here:

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6970

Did you miss the program? For the next two weeks, you may download a copy here:

http://download.yousendit.com/1DCD64144B1EC695

or you may listen at:

http://www.africanmusicforum.com/main/Internet-Radios-Index.shtml

More great work by Master Mwana Congo

On the last edition of Ambiance Congo, we got to hear the title track from this album, a record
that I referred to as a "desert island" LP, or one I'd choose to have with me on a deserted island.
Here's another track, "L'EAU C'EST LA VIE". Just listen as Master Mwana Congo's fluid guitar
proves that "Water Is Life". Bassist Du Soleil plays one of those wonderful, purely African basslines that is derived from water percussion adding to the liquid sound.
http://media.putfile.com/J-Mpouki-Kimbolo-w-Master-Mwana-Congo---LEAU-CEST-LA-VIE

Ambiance Congo for Sunday May 11, 2008

Treat yourself to two hours of newer and older Congolese music.

Here's the jacket from just one album that is featured.

Listen in for the next two weeks! Just download this file:

http://download.yousendit.com/7140811A7EE21D45

I'm always open to requests or comments.

Here is the tracklist:

1) King Kester Emeneya

sebene from DORIS ILOKO (this program's theme song)

from the CD: PAS DE CONTACT

Black Music

2) Bendoson

MAV MESSAGERIE

from the CD: FACE B

Manu Luvaka

3) Wenge Musica 4X4 B.C.B.G.

KALA-YI BOEING

from the CD: KALA-YI BOEING

Ngoyarto

4)Edocha M.

TAMAO

from the CD: TESTIMONY

Production Grand Samurai

5)Le Chics Men

LOPEZ

from the CD: GROSSES AFFAIRES

Fiit Productions

6)Zaiko Langa Langa

AMOUR PLURIEL

from the CD: RECONTRES

Wedoo Music

7)Bozi Boziana

BA NGAMBO YA LA VIE

from the CD: LES REFOULES DE SCHENGEN

Rigo Makengo Productions

8)Le N'Ganshie Stevros Niarcos

KINSHASA-BRAZZA

from the CD: DERNIER COUP DE SIFFLET / EPAKE EKOMI NA 2eme EPISODE

Americano Productions

9)Les Pipiyu

MAKUI

from the CD: POSITIV' ENERGY

B2M Productions

10)Le Peuple

BEBELINA

from the LP: COLEUR LOCALE!

Productions Bebo

11)M'Pongo Love

SANS PARDON

from the CD: SANS PARDON

Ngoyarto

12)J. Mpouki Kimbolo

MUANA MUSIE

from the LP: MUANA MUSIE

JMK / Sonodisc

13)Abeti

MAMA

from the LP: ABETI

Sonafric

14)Loko Massengo & L'International Rumbaya

CHERIE PROFA

from the LP: TSHIABUALA BLOQUE ZINGUE

Musi-Club

15)Youlou Mabiala & L'Orchestre Kamikaze

U.C.B.

from the LP: PUBLI-CONGO PRESESENTE L'INTERNATIONAL YOULOU MABIALA ET L'ORCHESTRE KAMIKAZE

Voxigrave

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

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

Ambiance Congo for Sunday March 30, 2008

Listen live from 3:00-5:00 PM eastern time USA
http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=41

This program is the first of a series in which I'll trace the history of Les Bantous de la Capitale.
One of the longest standing bands in Congolese music history, Les Bantous de la Capitale made their first public appearance in August of 1959 and released their latest CD in September of 2007.

Here is the sleeve of one of their earliest 45 RPM records on the Colombia label, with the band recording as Essous et Orchestre Bantou.
Thanks to Pieter at http://seaneverdry.blogspot.com/ for this image and to Cheeku for helping me to get in touch with him.

Here is the cover of the 2007 CD released on the Cyriaque Bassoka Productions label.

To see more album covers, please visit the excellent Bantous de la Capitale discography page compiled by Ronald at http://vibesdafrique.proboards83.com/index.cgi?board=3&action=display&thread=1187784895

I'll be playing some of the early 50s and 60s music of the band in the first hour or so of the program. These songs were recorded under the names Orchestre Bantou and Bantous Jazz as well as Les Bantous de la Capitale.

Following independance, the new spirit of "Ata Ndele" (sooner or later) and "Congo ya Sika" (The New Congo), accomplished musicians working across the river in reknowned groups such as African Jazz, OK Jazz and Rock A Mambo returned home and formed Orchestre Bantou. The group shortly became so completely popular that they became Congo's cultural ambassadors and performed all over Africa in the 1960s. The group included Nino Malapet, Jean-Serge Essous, Pandi, Edo Ganga, Celestin Kouka, Daniel "De La Lune" Lubelo and, in 1960, the famed guitarist Papa Noel.

Edo Ganga and De La Lune returned to OK Jazz in 1962 and were replaced by Francis Bitshoumanou (who also later went to OK Jazz) and Joseph Bukasa. In 1963, they were joined by the great singer "Pablito" Pamelo Mounk'a. Pablito was already an accomplished musician in the widely popular style of Cuban son and had an admirable command of Spanish. At this time, the band changed its official name to Bantous-Jazz and soon after to Les Bantous de la Capitale.

Please listen in as we play some of their early songs and set the scene with cuts from African Jazz, OK Jazz, Rock A Mambo and also from Camille Feruzi who has been cited as one of the great contributors to the fusion of early Congolese recorded music and Cuban son.

Your requests and comments are always welcome!

Did you miss the program? For a limited time, you may download a copy here:

http://download.yousendit.com/642B80C422A2AE9D

Ambiance Congo for Sunday March 16, 2008

Listen live http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=41

3:00-5:00 Eastern time USA

BATTLE OF THE MABANGA!

The praise song is a Pan-African tradition that is still vital today. In Congolese popular music, the aspect of praise and praise-for-compensation in just about any and every song has become a new, added-on part of the music. This new element is called "mabanga". It seems many times that, no matter what any given song is about, the artists need to call out the names of patrons. This has become a new element that is almost constant today, a new cadence that is added to the music that is, primarily, a list of benefactors.This could be, in my opinion, tradition taking on a next logical step. I have to admit though, many many times, I try to imagine a song without the "mabanga"! This afternoon you'll hear lots and lots of songs for or about benefactors and sponsors...be they individual philanthropists or companies providing some underwriting. We'll compare the more traditional staight-up no excuses praise song with a few prime exaples of modern mabanga.

Many many thanks to my friend Minu who submitted the idea for this edition.

Here's an ablum we'll hear from this time around. The front cover seems like any other Choc Stars album.

But then check out the back of the sleeve! It is literally and ad for Skol beer, a great sponsor of modern Congolese music.

We'll hear songs for other individual and corporate sponsors and benefactors as well.

Here are a few of the other albums we'll hear from this time around. Enjoy!


You are invited to join the discussion here:
http://vibesdafrique.proboards83.com/index.cgi?board=1&action=display&thread=1205374021
or here:
http://www.africambiance.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5191
or, of course, right here by leaving a comment. No need to register, just leave your name!

See the track listing for this edition here:

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6409

Did you miss the program? For the next two weeks, you may now download a low resolution copy right here:

http://download.yousendit.com/8DAB1D885D312892

Les Bantous de la Capitale

Formed in 1959 as Orchestre Bantou, this band's members are still performing today as Les Bantous de la Capitale. Over the course of the next year and interspersed with our usual mix-and-request programs, I'll be bringing you a number of special editions of Ambiance Congo in which the history and music of this illustrious band will be featured.

I'll also have songs from other ventures by Bantous members...Les Nzoi, Le Peuple and more.

This post is a "heads up" for these programs and an invitation to you to request favorite songs.

No need to register here, your comments are always welcome.

To whet your appetite, I include for your pleasure a song from the rare Sonafric label LP featured at the top of this post.

http://media.putfile.com/Les-Bantous-de-la-Capitale---MAYELE-YA-MOTO

Ambiance Congo for Sunday March 2, 2008

Listen live 3:00-5:00 PM Eastern USA time www.wrir.org

Here's the intended tracklist, but you are invited to comment with requests or suggestions.

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

2)Kosmos Moutouari
BA TA MBIEMO
from the LP: KOSMOS
Dragon Phenix / Safari Ambiance

3)Orchestre Le Peuple Trio Ce.Pa.Kos.
BAZA
from the LP: ORCHESTRE "LE PEUPLE" TRIO CE.PA.KOS"
EMI / Pathe Marconi

4)Pamelo Mounk'a
LE TRAVAIL TOUJOURS LE TRAVAIL
from the LP: 20 ANS DE CARRIERE
I.A.D. / Genidia

5)Des-Desouza
BOUKU YA LOPANGO
from the CD: ZERO UN
2 Mizik

6)Madilu System
AKO *
from the CD: L'EAU
JPS Production

7)Felix Wazekwa
EKANZA
from the CD: QUE DEMANDE LE PEUPLE?
Production Fondation Wazekwa

8)Bozi Boziana
TSHALA
from the CD: L'HEURE DE VERITE
Naelis Music

9)Choc Stars
VIE NA NGAI
from the LP: CHOC STARS RETOUVAILLES A PARIS VOULME 2 JAMINATA
Rythmes et Musique

10)Clan Langa Langa
ANONDA CHERIE A
from the CD: SIX MEGA STARS DU CLAN LANGA LANGA
Gillette D'Or International

11)Patrouille Des Stars
VIE EGALE PROBLEMES
from the CD: OBUS KANGA BISSAKA
Denide Production

12)Lidjo Kwempa
MISS COLETTE
from the CD: BOULOUKOUTOU
Production Grand Samurai

13)Maze Moke
NAPESI YO MOTEMA
from the LP: NAPESI YO MOTEMA
Kiamana Productions Services

14)Prince Youlou Mabiala
MAKA
from the LP: JUDOKA
I.A.D.

15)Ange Linaud
LOKOLA POLOKAMBA
from the LP: ANGE LINAUD
Musi-Club

16)Bantous Jazz
CHA CHA CHA PARATI
from the LP: LES MERVEILLES DU PASSE (1962-1964) VOL.3
African


Did you miss the program?
For a limited time, you may download a low resolution copy here:
http://download.yousendit.com/57549AA767BB7A8C
or visit on the Ambiance Congo Audio Archives.