N'gola Ritmos

I haven't had much luck in finding old Angolan vinyl. Dear friends (Thanks, Kris & Lay!) were looking around a couple of months ago in Quito but said the war destroyed a lot, including old LPs, and rich Angolans are also on the hunt for music. Maybe some will turn up in time.

I have a list of bands I'd love to hear more of, and N'gola Ritmos is high on the list. Even more, now that I saw these videos (from RTP, 1964). In awe of Monami and Lourdes Van Dunem. Amazing!





There's also a book on that list: Marissa Jean Moorman's "Intonations: A Social History of Music and Nation in Luanda, Angola, from 1945 to Recent Times" (2008, Ohio University Press). Moorman is professor of African history at Indiana University. She writes:

N’gola Ritmos formed in 1947 and continued until the 1970s with various combinations of musicians including two female vocalists, Belita Palma and Lourdes Van Dunem. In the early 1960s some founding members were sent off to prison or exiled from Luanda to other provinces on temporary work assignments. The band played in a variety of venues in the capital, from the birthday parties of friends and families to the Liga, the city’s cinemas, and even the governer’s palace, as well as in other provinces. Carlos do Aniceto “Liceu” Vieira Dias was the group’s founder. Angolan musicologists credit Vieira Dias with translating songs of rural derivation into a popular music that was danceable and, in so doing, unleashing the development of urban popular music and in the particular the form known as semba.

Enjoy these, read up, and do let me know if you find N'gola Ritmos LPs (or even crazier, have double copies for sale)!

Franklin Boukaka

Franklin Boukaka was an amazing composer, poet, and activist. I wonder what he might have become if he wasn't executed in 1972, after a failed coup in Congo Brazzaville. His short career (he was 32 when he died) spanned work with Negro Band (which he helped start), then African Jazz/Vox Africa, and Cercul Jazz. More on Boukaka can be found at WorldService. This album from 1970, arranged and directed by Manu Dibango, is a classic.

Franklin also recorded with Keletigui et ses Tambourinis (and toured with them in Guinee). One of those tracks is on the Stern's Keletigui compilation, thanks to the restoration work by Graeme Counsel.

Le Bucheron
Nakoki
Likambo Oyo
Bomoto
Ata Ozali
Pont Sur Le Congo
Luzolo
Mwanga
Dia Bikola
Bibi

Bantous

I'm sorry I missed the tour of Les Bantous (de la Capitale) last year. It was the last time Jean Serge Essous performed; he passed away last year in Brazzaville. The Bantous were integral to much of the music that came out of Congo: OK Jazz, Rock-A-Mambo, Ryco Jazz, Negro Jazz, ...

Here's a not-so-old album (early 1980s) with 4 classic grooves.

Les Bantous - Bilanda-landa Mabe
Les Bantous - Dege
Les Bantous - Osala Ngai Nini
Les Bantous - Querida Paola

Jazz Babalou

Phil-Philo's Jazz Babalou was one of the bands on the Ngoma label. Not much is known about Phil-Philo. The liner notes of this 45 (Ngoma 4531/32) state: Phil-Philo was born in 1942 in the Bas-Congo province. After excellent studies, he quit school, drawn to music. First as singer, then composer, he set up his own orchestra, Viviane-Mambo, which was later renamed into Jazz Babalou. His songs are "inspired by woman and her infidelity." Augustin Bakome plays sax on these tunes.

Phil-Philo & Jazz Babalou - Batela Elaka Na Ngai
Phil-Philo & Jazz Babalou - Yo Okei Otiki Ngai?
Mario Lopes & Jazz Babalou - Ye Ye
Mario Lopes & Jazz Babalou - Cleo Wa Mabanzo



P.S. If you haven't heard of Baloji, check out the sounds and video. Love the Karibu Ya Bintou video shot in Kin, as well as the remake and video of Independence Cha Cha. After a tour of Congolese cities earlier this year (no minor feat!), he's playing around Europe this summer.

Leon Bukasa & Beguen Band

Well, I can't seem to go around the Congolese Independence. Worldservice has published excellent info on Leon Bukasa and the early Ngoma years, I am not going to add text and just play the music.

These are from one of those early Ngoma 45s, both tracks celebrate the independence. I don't recall that Wrldsrv posted these already so it's my way to say, Thanks Stefan!, for all the rarities and stories you have posted.

Leon Bukasa & Beguen Band - Tokanisa Kongo Ya Biso (Let's think about our Kongo)
Leon Bukasa & Beguen Band - Bukole

Bakuba Emperor

Kabasele Yampanya, known as Pepe Kalle, was a great performer and a giant of a man. His house in Kinshasa was open to anyone. His later songs (like Moyibi and a modern version of Bakoule -- I have been looking for this modern version; I have it somewhere in my cassette collection that's gathering dust) are much more well-known than these old tracks I am posting today.

Congo's 50th birthday festivities are now over, as are those of the world cup (no more vuvuzelas buzzing at night from all the radios and television in the neighborhood). Life goes on. As does this blog. Enjoy.

Orchestre Empire Bakuba - Kombe Dilu
Orchestre Empire Bakuba - Naleleli Pt. 1 & 2
Orchestre Empire de Bakuba - Massa Pt. 1 & 2
Orchestre Les Bakuba - Likabu Mabe

From Rock-A-Mambo To Orchestre Bantou

On the A side of this 45 -- a Pathe-Marconi edition, originally released on the Esengo label -- you get Nino (Malapet) and Rock-A-Mambo; on the B side, (Edouard) Edo (Ganga) and (Jean Serge) Essous with Orchestre Bantou. All representing the best of Kinshasa's musicians and orchestras in the 1950s, from Negro Jazz and African Jazz to OK Jazz.

I'm still searching for another 45 by Rock-A-Mambo: ESDF 1372 which has the Orchestra performing with Kabasele and African Jazz. It has a track called "Les Voyous" (delinquent, rascal) which I'd love to hear. Well, to be honest, I'd love to listen to it all. Check muzikifan's discography of Rock-A-Mambo.


Orchestre Rock-A-Mambo - Yamare
Orchestre Rock-A-Mambo - Iyele
Orchestre Bantou - Nalembi Bipale
Orchestre Bantou - Ah! Que Pena

The New Rhythm of The Time

Several folks have asked to hear more of Rock-A-Mambo. Going back in time, to the 1950s, Rock-A-Mambo was a predecessor of Orchestre Bantous (de la Capitale).

More on Bantous later: they are (were?) back on tour, celebrating 50 years of performing!

I posted one track of this Rock-A-Mambo 45 a long time ago (2004!) in a guest post at Bennloxo. I cannot get enough of the rocamambu rhythms and hope to find more 45s some day.

Post title from the beginning of Panchita: .. el nuevo ritmo del tiempo...

Here are all the tracks:

Baila
Serenade Sentimentale
Jalousie
Panchita

Poly Rythmo

The legendary Poly Rythmo is touring Europe this September (France, Holland, Belgium, UK). It's the first time they will be performing in Europe and going by these recent clips (of rehearsals in Cotonou and the first concert in Holland), I wish I was up north right now and could see them live.

Clip 1 & Clip 2: Orchestre Poly Rythmo 2009. Clip 3: Venlo Concert, Sept. 2009

If you're (still) wondering what they sound like, listen to this 45 by the prolific orchestra: a composition by Joachim Boya, performed by Eskill Lohento and Poly Rythmo (Editions Satel 129).

Bon Weekend - Poly Rythmo
Production - Poly Rythmo

Want more? Miles Cleret (of Soundwayrecords) put up his favourite tracks of the orchestra (85 min).

Enjoy your weekend wherever you are & if you can, go support and dance with Poly Rythmo.

Victoria?

Can't figure out who this is. Let me know if you have more information.

It's a Victoria 45 with two tracks:

Bosco Mpangi ya munu ('Bosco My Friend' in Kikongo) on Side 1. Author/Composer Jean Bosco (but it doesn't sound much like Jean Bosco Mwenda from Likasi/Lubumbashi?).

Emile Molangi on Side 2. Author/composer Backirimbia. Never heard of this composer and can't fnd any information.

Tabou National

Tabou National started in Kin but this version of the band had a foot in Nairobi. The song has Lingala and Swahili lyrics. The band went through several configurations, as many of the Congolese bands that started in Kin and later drifted to East Africa. Muzikifan put up a great overview of the messy history of 1970s and 1980s bands in East African cities. The 45 states this was a 1976 composition by Fataki Lokassa and (?) Bokake.

I just love the pace of this groove. Enjoy Part 1 and Part 2 of Makale Nawe.

(Joe, thanks for uploading files! There's plenty more uploaded so there will be more posts soon: more old Congolese, some more Zambian tunes.)

In the meantime, I am still thoroughly enjoying and dancing to tunes from Zim and Beto (incredible cumbias). Thanks!

Eagerly waiting to hear new releases by AnalogAfrica and SoundwayRecords. I tried to find a copy of the Vodoun Effect last December in Belgium but failed; now Legends of Benin is also out! 'Broadband' tariffs are getting a bit cheaper here, and our internet provider cut its rate 50% so I'll splurge and finally download some more of Frank's Voodoofunk 'latest' mixes.

Check out Dr.Frank's Afroburo on Radio Centraal in Antwerp, now streaming live. He hosted Verckys and there's a 3-hour interview online.

And on africanhiphop, old-school Nigerian Rap (courtesy of combandrazor's Uchenna and Thomas, aka Juma4).