July 17, 2009

Boom boom boom

Two more singles in this post, and again from Benin. Although I don't know all that much about the music of Benin, I don't think the artists performing on these two records are typically Beninois.

In the case of the first, King N'Gom (whose first name is Meissa), this is not so strange. He is in fact from Senegal, and at one point worked with Dexter Johnson. The experience appears to have given him confidence. Shamelessly he uses quotes from Cuban son music, clearly without any idea of the meaning of these lyrics - or the Spanish language.... I love it. I have no objections to gibberish in any language, and certainly not when done with such fervour and passion. And King N'Gom has a great voice for it.

Editions Becoci EB002

At the start of the second record (which is rather scratchy I regret to say) you may fooled into thinking the track is going to be one of those broody ballads. But then the track takes another direction altogether, in a rhythm that reminds me a bit of that wonderful kaseko music from Surinam (if you don't know this music, it may be worthwhile looking out for it). The singer, Pablo Medetadji, obviously is an experienced singer. I like the casualness of his phrasing. And in the version of that ultimate worldmusic song "El Manicero" (which I suspect was covered more times in Africa than in the whole of Latin America*) he too demonstrates his fluency in hispano-gibberish. More please!

Medetassembo PM001

*hmm - this may be another good idea for a post....

7 comments:

  1. These look great...and I love your headline, for obvious reasons...

    http://aboombong.bandcamp.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for this another geat beninese post. I personnaly know King N'gom and he still has a great voice. He used to be a huge star in Benin. Nowadays, King is leaving in paris and built a studio In Dakar where he created a Jazz Music Festival.

    ReplyDelete
  3. wonderful singles from benin again many many thanks

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ignace de Souza et son orchestre Black Santiago m'étonnera toujours. Combien d'album enregistrés?
    Peut être autant que Poly-Rythmo...
    Merci encore

    ReplyDelete
  5. There's a 45 from Benin entitled Kpa Ngboom by one Thon Komian posted by Rufus at http://members.home.nl/rumba-odemba. I always really liked this, but no further info - do you have any?

    El Manicero: contact Alastair Johnston of Muzikifan for his theories on this!

    ReplyDelete
  6. KING NGOM alias (MAISSA NGOM )vous répond :Vous qui m,avez connu dans les années 70 au BENIN et qui m,avez beaucoup apporté votre soutient et votre amour ,je reviens vers vous avec plus d,experience (heureusement)et beaucoup d,envie de retour avec 1 album qui je le pense ne pourra que vous ravir .1 grand coucou à Guy kpakpo ,Arthur ,Soulé Siaka etc...La liste est longue et les Beninois restent gravés à jamais dans mon coeur .MAISSA .e.mail:king-ngom@hotmail.fr

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Maissa: Et quand pouvons-nous voir, écouter & (bien sûr) acheter cet album? Et où?
    Moi, de ma part, je suis très curieux de l'écouter!
    Merci, pour cette bonne nouvelle.

    ReplyDelete