Succes Zaïrois

The series of "Les Plus Grands Succes Zaïrois" is somewhat peculiar series of Congolese music collections. The title would suggest tracks from the time Congo was called Zaïre, - but all the tracks are from the 1960s, when Congo was still Congo. Furthermore at least one of the groups (Cercul Jazz) is from Brazzaville. And calling the songs selected on the three albums "les plus grands succes" can't have been based on their commercial success. It seems more likely that Sonafric got hold of some singles and decided to launch a series to compete with the L'Afrique Danse series of the African label. 'Research' into this matter reveals that all tracks have been at one point released as singles on the Ngoma label (see the list - there is one single I can't retrieve).

Despite the somewhat awkward title both albums offer a selection of rare beauties from the sixties. Franco and his OK Jazz, Verckys "et son ensemble", Kongo Vox and Cercul Jazz have four tracks each on these two volumes. The remaining are by orchestre Congolia (on Ngoma they are called Congolia 69) and Johnny Roger et son ensemble Cocorico.

Of the OK Jazz songs only the two of Volume 2 have (to my knowledge) been released on another lp. Both "Dix Makuta" and "Club 53" (renamed "Marie Mado") have been included on Volume 10 of the Kenyan In Memoriam series (GMFLP 0010). In both cases the Kenyan versions are significantly longer. In the case of "Dix Makuta" in the "Les Grands Succes Zaïrois"-version Franco has just achieved 'lift-off' when the song ends, while on Volume 10 we are allowed to enjoy full flight with captain Franco at the controls...
On Volume 3 the deficit is compensated by two superb and unique tracks. In "Ngai Na Boya Na Boya Te", a song in a rhythm half-way between rumba and bolero, Franco himself sings the lead, and in "Beyos" he subtly backs Vicky Longomba. Unfortunately I can't help but think that these two tracks too have been shortened....

In the four tracks from Verckys et son ensemble (which seems to indicate these tracks are of a pre-Vévé period) Franco's influence is still very much audible. While still in the OK Jazz Verckys made some records with (amongst others) Youlou Mabiala. It may be my imagination, but one of the vocalists on "Sasa Akeyi Congé" sounds suspiciously like Youlou, and also at the start of "Bawaka" my sensors detect some Mabiala. But it may be that Verckys intentionally tried to get Youlou-like vocals into his orchestra.

I don't know anything about the Kongo Vox orchestra. The fact that they are playing in the OK Jazz style suggests there is no link with Vox Africa (firmly rooted in the African Jazz school of Congolese music). Instrumentally and vocally they certainly stand out as a quality band. And they have the confidence to pull off a comical pause in "Ndoli Ya Mosapi" (should that be "ndoki"?).

Although he sounds slightly different than on the tracks I posted before, I think Franklin Boukaka is singing in at least three of the four tracks by Cercul Jazz. I especially like "Lily Komikosana Te" and "Na Sepeli Aline", both very melodic songs with nice harmonies (and a very nice rhythm guitar). But again I suspect songs have been cut short.

If I heard the ghost of Youlou Mabiala with Verckys's ensemble, with Johnny Roger I hear a voice with the same timbre as Kwamy. But in this case I am quite sure we are dealing with an imitator, and not with the 'real thing'. I like the two tracks, but I can also imagine they didn't stand a chance against the stiff competition of that era.
The same goes for Congolia: in any other period they could have become succesful, but the competition in those days was just too good, with bands like Conga Succes, Cobantou, Negro Succes, African Fiesta National, African Fiesta Sukisa, Vox Africa, Negro Band and all the other immortal bands of the late 1960s.

All in all, and despite my suspicions about shortening most of the tracks, I am very happy with these two albums, - as I am with the first volume*. But that the subject of another post.

Sonafric SAF 50043
Sonafric SAF 50044

* which reminds me: I have received the Docteur Nico book I wrote about a few days ago, and can now officially and wholeheartedly recommend it.

Perspective

To me this was a key album in discovering the music of Senegal. It opened a completely new perspective. I was happy to see this perspective later confirmed by the wonderful CD's on the Dakar Sound label, - and especially the volume with the Sorano Singers (DKS 002).

This record, credited on the back of the sleeve to the Ensemble Instrumental de L'A.C.A.S. (Association Culturelle et Artistique du Senegal??), features some of the Greats of Senegalese traditional music. It starts with the vocal power of Amadou N'Diaye Samb, a man who seems to come from a time before microphones and amplification was invented.

He is followed by Lalo Keba Dramé, kora legend from the Casamance. With his forceful, coppery voice he sings the classic Manding song "Alalake" ("If God wills (it)"). If you think kora music is sheepish music for dreamy types, listen to Lalo Keba Dramé, - he will change your view for ever.

The song that finished me off, when it came to the change of perspective, was the opening track of side B by the legendary Samba Diabaré Samb. Both instrumentally and vocally this song touches emotional strings left untouched by the vast majority of western music.

I'm not going to discuss all the songs of this great lp individually. I leave you to discover the wonders offered here. But with a promise of more, in a future post.....

N'Dardisc 33-11

Formidable!

Sali Sidibé is one of the great singers of the kamalen n'goni music. She has been active as a professional artist for nearly thirty years. She was a member of the Ensemble Instrumental National in the earlier 1980s, when she recorded this cassette. I have read somewhere* that she made her first cassette in 1989, but this cassette is proof of the inaccuracy of this.

Like many of the Wassoulou kamalen n'goni style Sali uses songs from the hunters' repertoire, but -while staying with the original theme - reworks them for others purposes, i.e. mainly to convey social 'instructions'. She warns of the risk of bush fires, advises not to judge people by their appearance, urges not to go for the short-term gain fo the individual but for the long-term benefit of the community. Sali's instructions have at times been misinterpreted as criticism of certain politicians, but according to those who have worked with her it is very unlikely that the criticism was intentional.

Musically Sali Sidibé has stayed closed to her roots, incorporating traditional instruments in her ensemble. When I bought this cassette, I was told that Alou Fané was accompanying her on kamalen n'goni, but Alou himself later denied this. Others assured me Zani Diabaté was the guitarist on this cassette, but although the guitar style is similar to Zani's I don't think this is true either (I'll have to ask Zani about this one day...).

CMcalls STA 835

On later cassettes (and I'll post some of those later) Sali has used a wide scope of traditional and modern instruments, but the focus has always been on instruments that are also used in the traditional music of the Wassoulou region. In this video from the late 1980s (I estimate it is from 1987 or 1988) the sokou (bambara fiddle) plays a prominent role and is supported by bolon, bala and kamalen n'goni. Note (again) the wonderul dancing, this time by a male and a female dancer (and the rather comical attempt to copy this dance by an older man who looks a bit like Sidiki Diabaté).
Coincidentally, this track is also on the cassette. It is a version of a song by donso n'goni legend Toumani Koné in praise of one of the earliest (known or remembered) donso n'goni artist Ngonifo Bourama.


*Can someone remind me where I read this?

PS: The track order on the cassette sleeve is incorrect.

Bolongo

Continuing the series of singles, I have dug up three records by Docteur Nico and his African Fiesta Sukisa.
The choice is, however, not coincidental. It is partially motivated by the release of a booklet containing a discography of Docteur Nico. The author is Alastair Johnston, of http://www.muzikifan.com/ fame. And that also happens to be the place where you can order this monograph.

And for those critical or sceptical readers: I have no ties to muzikifan, and do not profit from the sale of this release. I have yet to read the book, so I can't even judge its contents. But going by the standard set by the muzikifan website, I think it is safe to assume that it will be at least interesting, well written and knowledgeable. Add the fact that very little has been written about Nico and his music and ... I leave you to decide.

And now for the music of this post.
The first of the three singles contains two compositions by two singers: Mizele Paul, also nicknamed Paulins, and Diongas Dominique, a.k.a. Apotre, who in the earlier part of the 1960s was known as a specialist of the cha-cha-cha. These tracks were originally released as Sukisa 89 (and re-released here on the African label in the Surboum Africaine series), and were followed by tracks like Nico's "Olga" (Sukisa 90, - available on Sonodisc CD 36516).

African Surboum Africaine 90.341 [Sukisa 89]

The second single (originally Sukisa 105) is on the Decca Congo label. Both sides are composed by Nico himself. The A-side is "Asala Malekoun" (!), which has been re-issued a few times, both on lp and CD. And the B-side, "Mbanda Peugeot", may be a reference Nico's skills as a mechanic and has a wonderful languid, and unusual, rhythm, with Nico occasionaly dashing out dots of cream on the cake.

Decca Congo CD 168 [Sukisa 105]

The last of these three records (Sukisa 119), and my favourite, features singer Franc Lassan. And that's another Congolese artist who deserves to have a book written about him. I will try and gather some more information about him and will certainly dedicated a future post to his earlier work.
"Bolongo", the A-side, is a mid-tempo "Madre-Rumba" (and don't ask me what this means). The B-side, "Adios", is vocally even more interesting than the A-side, with some intricate vocal combinations, that seem to have served as an inspiration for artists like the late Ntesa Dalienst (who vocally has more resemblances to Lassan). Please note too the interaction between rhythm and Nico's lead guitar.
As far as I know these last two tracks have never been released on lp or CD.

African Surboum Africaine 90.539 [Sukisa 119]

Afro-Charanga

Amadou Balaké is, apart from a musical hero, an artist with more than average dose of authenticity. He can perform with any band and still be recognisable as Amadou Balaké. And not only that, but he can play the same song with another orchestra, and it will sound like a completely new song!

The proof of this is in this album from 1981. "Whisky et Coca-Cola" is a version of the track released on CVD 52, "Wariko" a reworking and re-arranging of a track on LS 7-78 (and was later reworked again on MGS 3120*) and "Voiture D'Occasion" ("second-hand car") is a cover of "Mobili Occasion" on CVD 59 and "Super Mobili Occasion" on CVD 008. But on "Afro-Charanga", accompanied by studio musicians from New York, these songs sound completely fresh and new, like they were composed just for this lp.

The other songs, "Zimbabwe" (introducing the 'new' Zimbabwe) and "Hayafam" (which I suppose is meant to be "Janfa ma", i.e. "I'm sorry"), are of the same unique Balaké quality.

In a time when hordes of people are running to the shops to buy Michel Jackson CD's, why can't this great classic lp by Amadou Balaké be the summer hit of 2009?

Zamidou Prod. 1582

* The relation with the track of the same name on CVD 008, however, seems unclear...

Soap and margarine

When it comes to adverts in African music I often detect an "ahhh" factor with western audiences, combined with something I would describe as melting, - but predominantly of brain cells.
Within the boundaries of Congolese music there are of course famous examples like Franco's "AZDA" (often cited as a favourite), Dewayon's "Fiat Na Zaïre", Vicky's "Cigarette (Filtrée) Leopard", Rochereau's "Savon Omo" or Franco's "Savon Reward chez Marsavco".

Staying with the latter: I stumbled on this page with an interesting discussion (in french, I am afraid) about the lyrics of this song. Apparently soap manufacturers in Congo attribute the same miraculous characteristics to their product as they do in the west, and probably all over the world. In this case the manufacturer of Reward soap promises that using the soap will give you the soft skin of when you were young.
From my personal experiences as a longtime soap user, I can tell you this is all a lie. The best way to get a baby's skin is to avoid any contact with sunlight and drink yourself into a drunken stupor until your skin becomes soft and puffy.

And this brings us to the heart of the matter: who is this manufacturer? The Marsavco website:
"The Company of the Margarines, Savonnerie and Cosmetics, MARSAVCO in initials, is an industrial and commercial company. It was part of Unilever group and was born from the merger of 'Margarinerie Rotterdam' in Holland and 'Brother'* in London. It was at that time a public limited company form SARL. That company created in colonial times, in January 1922 under the name SAVCO, 'Savonnerie Congolaise' had as an aim for the manufacturing of soap from palm oil and palm kernel. Following the installation of new equipment for the manufacturing of margarine, it changes its name and became the Marsavco 'Margarinerie Savonnerie the Congo' in 1929." (* I assume they meant to write "Lever Brothers")
"In 1999, having to deal with an unfavorable economic situation, coupled with a unhealthy macroeconomic environment, where the operator did not find any more his account, The Unilever Group decided to stop all its production in 2000. (....) In February 2002, The RAWJI GROUP bought all the shares in the Marsavco and became the sole owner. " Background info on multinational Unilever can be found here. And the history of the Rawji Group can be found here.

So, all things considered, this post is about a part of UK/Dutch colonial history. With this in mind, the two singles by Bobongo Stars somehow sound less happy, less 'innocent'...

The first of these two singles is in praise of "Monganga", a soap with health claims ("parfum de la santé"; and this video commercial) that would certainly get the manufacturer into trouble in the Netherlands. Apparently the melody of this commercial was used for a longer period judging by this video. Compared to later videos - and especially this one - the tone of the Bobongo Stars version is rather understated. And Bobongo Stars weren't the last to be contracted by Marsavco to do a musical commercial for the soap, as you can see in this video, which is erroneously (?) titled "Blueband Judo".

Bobongo BBG 03

And that brings me to the second product recommended by Bobongo Stars. Blue Band margarine is one of the products responsible for the enormous expansion of the Unilever company. As a brand it has also over the years made claims with regard to health, family and prosperity & 'good living'. A few years ago Unilever even seemed to suggest that 'new' Blue Band could make children more intelligent.
In Congo too, Marsavco seems to have opted for the same strategy of suggesting that children will be healthier when they eat the butter surrogate. All the usual ingredients of a Blue Band commercial are also present in the Bobongo Stars song: family (a child asking his father), health (vitamines) and prosperity (the neatly dressed children with shoes and even socks on the sleeve).
This song too seems to have survived for quite a while, going by this commercial.

Bobongo BBG 04

PS: Of the Bobongo Stars I know next to nothing. I have heard Ray Lema at one point played with them, and members of this orchestra played with various others (e.g. the drummer on B.S. played on Franco & Mangwana's "Cooperation" album).

Friends & family

To tell you the truth, I am stuck. Having converted another great video of Hawa Dramé from tape to digital format, I found the result is just over twelve minutes. YouTube has a limit, however, of nearly eleven minutes. And I simply refuse to cut the video in two.

Perhaps there is someone who can point me in the direction of an alternative that will accept a twelve minute clip.

Meanwhile, I have two Hawa Dramé related items. First, here is a video of Hawa Dramé's daughter Assa Bagayogo.
I just love this pentatonic Bambara music. The video was recorded (probably in 1986) by Malian television in Ségou, the heart of Bambara country, and everything about it is authentic, including the dancing and the clothes worn.


The second item in this post is a cassette by Hawa Dramé's friend (and I have heard rumours that at one point he was more than that..) and accompagnateur Ganda Fadiga.
I have some recordings of him accompanying Hawa Dramé, but I prefer this cassette titled "Economie", which was originally released in Mali, but rereleased in Paris. I can't tell you what his message is with regards to the economy, but I am sure it is sound advice...

Camara C.K.7 006

Trio fédéral

A few days ago I heard that Stern's are planning another release in their Syliphone series. And -three cheers for Stern's- it will be a double cd of the Horoya Band. That's certainly good news.

In the mean time, and partly as a foretaste of this compilation, here is an album on the Syliphone label with three tracks by the Horoya Band, three by Kebendo Jazz and four (!) by Niandan Jazz. The lp was released, according to the sleeve notes to highlight three of the thirty federal orchestras, which were rising to a level close to that of the five national orchestras. But more remarkably the notes state that these orchestras next (the lp is from 1971) will produce a 'grand volume-identité' to present their musical personality. The only orchestra to in fact produce an entire album after this collection was the Horoya Band, and neither Kebendo Jazz nor Niandan Jazz ever released an lp on the Syliphone label!

If you have read my earlier posts about the Kebendo Jazz you won't be surprised when I tell you the Kebendo tracks are my favourites. "Soumba" is even in the top-ten of favourites of the Syliphone label. Apparently this is a shortened version of a track recorded slightly earlier by Kebendo Jazz (which I pray* will one day be released on CD in its full glory). Hearing the three Kebendo tracks I am again (see this post) left wondering what they did wrong? It can't have been the subjects of their songs; there is enough Sékou Touré, PDG and RDA in them to satisfy even the most orthodox of party members.....

The same, but to a slighty lesser degree, goes for Niandan Jazz. They featured on four compilations (SLP 19, 25 -i.e. this one-, 42 and 50), but never had their own lp. I can't seen why. Their orchestration is simply great, the singing perhaps not top-notch, but still better than others. "Fassouloukou" can compete with any of the songs on the first lp of Super Boiro Band (to name just one of the national orchestras). So where did they screw up?

I am sure you will like this album. I advise you to study the notes with the individual songs. To me they are one of the many attractions of the Syliphone label. But the main attraction remains, of course, that wonderful, incomparable and authentic Syliphone sound!

Syliphone SLP 25

* and don't ask me to whom...

Misfortune

Some artists just seems to be born for an unfair share of bad luck. Although I have no insight into his personal situation with regards to loves and winning the lottery, Tanzanian singer Issa Juma seems to have fallen in this category. And I am speaking of the past, because this voice among voices, this Star among East-African stars has died almost two decades ago. He hadn't been too fortunate before that, having been partially paralyzed after a stroke. This happened after he had stopped performing and withdrew from music after spending six months in jail for working without a permit. And this was just one in series of mishaps.

Going by this record from 1984 I am sharing with you in this post, I get the impression Issa himself was -consciously or subconsciously- aware of his destiny. Accompanied by Waanyika, one of the many aliases of a band that had split off from Les Wanyika (see the discography by John B.), his singing is brilliant, - but definitely filled with a deeply sensed sadness. The guitars certainly contribute to confirm this impression. In the track "Utalia Na Nani" sorrow even surfaces and crying is heard....

This said, I hasten to add that this is one of my favourite East African records in the swahili rumba genre, with four tracks of outstanding quality.

And a strange thing about this record: after listening to it I always feel a lot happier. It is like the misfortune of Issa Juma acts a counterbalance to any negative emotions I might have had.......

Nyika LP-02 OR: NYIKA LP-02

El Rego

I am very very slowly sorting through some 45s from Benin, and these two have certainly caught my attention. So I thought I would share them with you, in the series of posts of 45s.

Both are by El Rego. The first with "son ensemble typique", and the second with his "Commandos" and singer Cornaire Salifou Michel, who according to the cover is nicknamed "Miguelito Cuini", - but I expect they meant to write Cuni, like the great Cuban sonero of Chappotin's Estrellas*.

You can read more about Theophile Do Rego, better known as 'El Rego', in this post on the Radiodiffusion blog.

As you can hear, both records have suffered as a result of time, dust and wear, but I think the essence is still audible. The 'El Rego et son ensemble typique' single features an extraordinary collection of curiosities, from a somewhat pretentious blues track with a solid dose of late-night ambiance (I get drunk just listening to this...) on the A-side to a version of "Donnez-Moi Ton Sourire" (which you may remember from this memorable Ivorian collection) plus an initially almost unrecognisable version of the hit of Cuban tourist bars "Buru Barara" on the B-side.

Disques ISB RGO 201.002

The second single is from a later date (but what?). This is one for the organ lovers, and more particularly of the close-to-the-edge organs (like me). On both sides the rhythms appear to be of Beninois origin, and the orchestration is rich, with some nice horns (especially on the B-side).
For experts of the music from Benin, like Oro (loads of great music from Benin can be found on his very active blog), a line-up of the Commandos is printed on the back of the sleeve.
I am hoping to dedicate another post to guitarist/singer Cornaire Salifou Michel in the future, when I have sorted through these 45s.

Etape Du Voyageur EPEV 002

*I am still hoping to -one day- find a Chappotin recording which hasn't been posted on the fantastic Listen with my (or to your) ears blog.