Roitelet

Roitelet is the bass player (second from the right)

Yet another Congolese musical hero has gone. Augustin Moniania better known as Roitelet has died on November 8 in Kinshasa. Born in 1934, he was one of the very last survivors from the Tango Ya Ba Wendo (the era of Wendo's people).

He started his career in the mid-1950s with the CEFA-label, at a time when Belgian guitarist Bill Alexandre introduced the electric guitar into the budding Congolese music scene. There he played with Roger Izeidi, who later played a crucial role in the development of Congolese music (and not only with African Jazz and African Fiesta), and with Victor 'Vicky' Longomba (see a dozen or so other posts on this blog).
He went on to play at the Loningisa label (both before and with the O.K. Jazz), with Esengo (with Rock-A-Mambo, African Jazz, and the various combinations) and with the Ngoma label (with the Beguen Band).

Roitelet was one of those musicians who constantly popped up over the years, but also a musician who never seems to have committed to one orchestra. Predominantly a bass player, I am told he also played other instruments. I must admit I am not sure which.
Despite his longevity in the Congolese music scene I think a lot of people may have problems naming Roitelet's songs. A quick search on the internet confirms this. Some websites appear to credit him for songs like "Tika Kondima Na Zolo" (Loningisa 156, composed by Franco). They may have overlooked spectacular songs such as "Anduku Lutshuma" and "Houlala Mopanze", both composed by Roitelet.

To compensate for this lack of respect for this great musician I would like to share with you nine of my favourite Roitelet compositions:

Roitelet with Rock-A-Mambo

01. Antoinette - Moniana Augustin [CEFA]
02. Banzanza - Roitelet & Bana Loningisa [Loningisa 153B]
03. Nzungu Ya Loso - 'Roitelet et son ensemble' [Esengo 123A].
04. Imana Ya Daring - "Monian A. MA. Mulumba" [CEFA]
05. Sala Mbongo Kudia Mbongo - Roitelet avec le Beguen Band [Ngoma 1863]
06. Cherie Margot - Roitelet et Bana Loningisa [Loningisa 144A]
07. Tozo Na Bozo - Moniania Augustin [CEFA]
08. Le 4 Janvier 1959 - Roitelet et l'O.K. Jazz [Loningisa 277A]
09. Bakala Nyonso Luvumu (Roitelet avec le Rock-A-Mambo) [Esengo 80A]

These songs should give you an idea of the loss...

May his soul rest in peace.

EDIT November 11, 2014: In my haste to get this post online I added a song twice, with different titles (tracks 8 and 9 of the original upload). This has now been corrected.
EDIT November 14, 2014: It still wasn't right. To make up for this messing about I have now also uploaded a flac-version of the nine tracks (besides correcting the mp3-version). The flac-version is available until January 1, 2015.

Seduction

Today it is exactly 25 years ago that Franco passed away in Namur, Belgium. To commemorate this tragedy, and as a tribute to this giant of Congolese, African and global music, I would like to share with you some of the songs of his early career. Songs which earned him the appellation "Franco de mi amor".

These songs by the O.K. Jazz were recorded between August 28, 1957 and March 10, 1959; so at a time when Franco (born July 6, 1938) was 19 and 20 years old. All songs fall in that unfortunate category of 'inédits', i.e. songs which - as far as I know (and please correct me if I'm wrong!) - were never rereleased. They were originally recorded for the Loningisa label owned by the cousins Basile and Athanase Papadimitriou, and released both on the Loningisa label and on His Master's Voice. The full catalogue of the Loningisa label can be found here, and more detailled catalogues of the HMV releases of Loningisa recordings and of the O.K. Jazz songs on Loningisa can be found on Flemming Harrev's excellent Afrodisc.com.

As I have written before, it is a mystery to me why these songs have not been reissued, either on vinyl or in digital form. These recordings are in my opinion of the quality which should deserve them the protected status of the Unesco's World Heritage List or such.
I have to add that a number of songs of this era have been released, both on vinyl (African 360.144¹ and 360.158, Discostock DS 7950) and on CD (Sonodisc 36502 and the first 10 songs on 36505, RetroAfric Retro 2XCD). But still a lot risk being forgotten in the dense mist of time.....

Let me stress that the quality of (the copies of) these records leaves a lot to be desired. Although this is not always a bad thing.
A good example of this is the song originally released as Lon 199: "Linga Ngai Tolinga Ye". Despite its obvious shortcomings I prefer this version to the remastered (?) version on Discostock DS 7950. The instruments, the vocals, they are much clearer in this version, far more defined. Vicky Longomba's heavenly velvet voice, backed by the subtly understated Edo Nganga, Franco adding touches, colour, filling in sentiment in the background, caressing Isaac Musekiwa's sax play (in one of his very first recordings with the O.K. Jazz!), Brazzos providing the stable base on rhythm guitar: what a sheer delight is this song! A boléro, but one that seduces the listener into movement, - if not dance.

The second song in this collection is the A-side of Lon 203: "Oboyi Ngai Likambo Te", composed by Celestin Kouka. The B-side, "Tika Na Bala Ye", can be found on Sonodisc 36505. A typical rumba, with Franco and Musekiwa side-by-side providing the base of the song, sung by Vicky and Kouka. I particularly like the decorations added by Musekiwa. Ordinary as these may sound now, they were completely new at the time. Musekiwa had come over from African Jazz just a few months before, so he and Franco were busy inventing a new style in these songs.

In the A-side of Lon 205, "Obebisi Chance Stephanie", the interplay between Franco and Musekiwa is very different. Instead of joining they are complimenting each other. Isaac plays the chorus², with Franco doing the decorating. And in the refrains Isaac does the decorating, while Franco signals the breaks.
The B-side of Lon 205 is equally interesting. Both "Tokomi Na Bonne Année" and the A-side are composed by Vicky, but he does not sing the lead vocal on the B-side. Instead he modestly backs Edo. Franco is very active in the refrain and the first chorus is another combined effort with Isaac. But from halfway into the song Isaac takes over from Franco in the refrain, and he and Franco play an extended version of the chorus.

Lon 206 has two songs composed by Edo. The A-side, "Christine Yo Nde Boye", is particularly interesting as the bass player, De la Lune, plays an unusual role. Musekiwa only appears after two minutes, so Franco seems to chose De la Lune for some interaction. The B-side, "Bonne Année To Sepeli" starts off with Isaac colouring in the refrain, only to be joined by Franco for an extended chorus. Unfortunately the song is incomplete; it breaks off after 2'50.

The next two songs (Lon 217), both composed by Franco, are of a muffled sound quality, but it is still clear that there is quite a bit going on in the songs. "O.K. Jazz Bana Mike" has Franco really sweating, pushing the rhythm, with Dessoin on congas vaguely audible in the background. A lovely steamy song, of which I would love to have a better copy (hint..).
In the B-side "Ah! Mi Espana" too there is an important role for Dessoin. Vicky is dishing out the rubbish spanish with the usual unperturbed conviction and cool. It seems the country of Spain itself was not known to the members of the band, as they consistently pronounce it as "Espana" (instead of "España"). But who cares?

One of my favourite songs of this collection is Vicky's "Olongi Na Yo Mama" (Lon 221). Despite the poor quality of this copy it isn't hard to hear that Franco is dying a thousands deaths in the background. What pathos!
The killer in the chorus is Vicky's "Boyoki Mama" (1'13) followed by "Ah .. bolingo". This just is the icing on the cake for me. Vicky had a rare gift for adding these spoken comments at exactly the right moment, but this is one of the very best. In an inexplicable way it lifts the whole song to another level.
In the second refrain Franco is more subdued but certainly not more intense. In the following chorus he throws out all the emotion. What a gem!
The B-side, the rumba "Nayebi Bolingo", is (relatively) less exciting, with Musekiwa playing a very active part throughout the song.

The emotion is certainly present in "Ah! Pauvre De Moi" (Lon 227), composed by Edo, but is a different one than the extreme one of "Olongi Na Yo Mama". Here Franco is Franco de Mi Amor: more loving, almost seducing his audience. The vocal harmony between Edo and Vicky is simply heavenly. Another song which just cries out for a rerelease...
In this case the B-side, "Bokokana Se Pamba", is equally interesting, particularly because of the delightfully lightfooted rhythm, which all contribute to accentuate. Again De la Lune plays a crucial role on bass in keeping the song flowing.

The next two songs in this selection were composed by Brazzos. Along with Edo Nganga he is one of the few survivors³ of this golden era of the O.K. Jazz (and of Congolese music in general). "Cuando Yo Te Dico" (Lon 231) is in a lot of ways a typical Brazzos composition, with its pseudo-spanish lyrics and a rhythm which is a cross between a boléro and a cha-cha-cha. The interplay between Franco and Musekiwa in this song sounds very casual and easy. It is not clear what the role of Brazzos is in this song. Perhaps he is playing bass in this?
The B-side, "Boni Na Ngai?", is a rumba with a rather unusual rhythm. Dessoin's conga gives it an galopping pace, with Franco dancing on top. As on the A-side the quality of the 78rpm record is quite bad, but the music still shines through.

"Hey John, here's your heisty time for the calypso, fine" are the cryptic opening words of "Timing Hole", a composition by Rhodesian Isaac Musekiwa. Released as Lon 241 and recorded on December 3, 1958, the song is labelled as a calypso, but I personally don't hear the similarity with any other calypso, be it of African or of West Indian origin. The rhythm is pleasantly slow and stretched out, leaving plenty of space for Franco to fill in with his inimitable riffs. This song and its at times incomprehensible lyrics (in English) remind me of the songs Musekiwa composed with African Jazz ("Flowers of Luckyness" and "While She's Away"), and leave me with the same puzzled feeling. What are these songs about?
The A-side "Ondimi Sik'Oyo" is a straightforward rumba, with Isaac in a leading role.

Lon 244 features another composition by Vicky in a local version of spanish, - as the title "Eschucha Mia Demanda" already suggests. My guess is the song is intended to be about a man (Vicky) begging a woman (?) to listen to his plea and not let him suffer. And I guess a large part of the Leopoldville audience understood the gist of the song, if only on the basis of the few french words strategically thrown in. Harmonies again are superb, and Isaac is clearly in his element.
Unfortunately I don't have the B-side.

The next record, Lon 245, contained two more songs composed by Brazzos. The A-side is a rumba: "Naboyi Bilubu Ya Bandumba". A compact and powerful song with a strong contribution by Franco, including a very tight interplay with Isaac.
The B-side has a more relaxed, loose rhythm; a cha-cha-cha with boléro touches: "Naci Para Bailar". In this song the contribution of the composer seems more pronounced, assuming he plays rhythm guitar. The interplay of Musekiwa and Franco has reached a tightness where Franco is almost hidden behind Isaac's notes. The break or shift at 1'14 is a stroke of sheer genius of the composer. Wonderful song!

The next song is one of those very special compositions by Franco lui-même. The A-side of "Masumbuku" (see this post), "Yimbi" (Lon 246) is Franco's personal take on traditional music. These songs are usually very personal songs, sung by Franco himself. Franco is hyper and hyper-present from the start. In case there was still any doubt about Franco's vocal agility, this song is a great example of his talent in this field. He may not have the belcanto of Vicky, or of Kabasele, Kwamy or Rochereau, but he does have character and personality in his singing. And if that is not enough there is that hard-hitting guitar. The omission of this song in any collection of his work is almost criminal, if you ask me...

"Pantchika Es Mi Cancion" (Lon 249) offers a unique opportunity to distinguish its composer, Celestin Kouka. Unfortunately it is only for a few seconds, from 1'18 to 1'30 and from 2'41 to 2'55, - and then barely audible in this somewhat dull sounding copy. In the rest of the song he is hidden behind Vicky. Star of this track is Musekiwa. He is clearly getting the hang of things within the O.K. Jazz.
The B-side is much clearer sounding. "Na Tikali Ngai Moko", is a rumba in the style of "Naboyi Bilubu Ya Bandumba" and others. Notable is the subtle variation in the interplay between Franco and Musekiwa. Here Franco is clearly 'in the lead'.

The songs on Lon 251 were composed by a new talent: Jean Bokelo. I have no idea what Bokelo's contribution to "Elongi Nayo Ya Bomwana" involves. It seems unlikely he was playing guitar, with the likes of Franco and Brazzos around. The guitar certainly sounds like Franco, with the usual addition of bonus chords. Bokelo, who of course is better known as the leader of Conga Succès (and later Mbonda Africa), recorded two more compositions with Loningisa, "Likambo Soki Ya Koloka" and "Pobre Don Pierro" (Lon 299). He has also recorded for the Esengo label with his brother Dewayon's Conga Jazz, and I am not sure which came first.
The B-side, "Makanisi Makondisi Ngai", is a marvelous boléro, of the type patented by Franco. Again it is not clear what Bokelo's role is in this. Perhaps he is playing an extra guitar?

The final song in the compilation is "La Muyer" (Lon 253). Composed by Franco, it is a cha-cha-cha "espagnol" with a tight rhythm. The gimmick in this song is obviously the upward chord on the sax, executed with verve by Isaac.

This collection of 25 songs on the 25th anniversary of Franco's death proves that there is still a lot of work to do to preserve the legacy of this monument of African music. There are still countless songs to discover, and to uncover even...

The collection can also be downloaded here as one file.

¹ Recommended
² I.e. the instrumental bits between the sung refrains.
³ At least as far as I know.

On sort O.K.

In this second commemorative post I am going back to the start of Franco's O.K. Jazz. The three EP's I would like to share were released in the early 1960s, but the songs on these were recorded between late November 1956 and August 1957.

All of these songs have been - at some time - released on CD, so you may wonder why I am posting them. The answer is actually quite simple: I think the sound on these EP's is better. And I don't mean that these EP's are flawless. On the contrary, I would described the state of the vinyl as mediocre*. There is a steady crackle on all these three Extended Play records. Nevertheless, the definition of the music, of the instruments and the singers, is - in my opinion - better than on the CD's.

Essous & Rossignol in 1957

This 'definition' is immediately noticeable in the first song of the EP with the title "O.K. Jazz No.2". This song, "La Fiesta" (here "La Fiesta-Tcha-Tcha-Tcha", probably copied from the labelling on the HMV shellac), features singer Vicky Longomba backed by Philippe Landot a.k.a. "Rossignol". Just on the voices there is clearly more definition: Rossignol's voice can be distinguished far better and is positioned behind Vicky's in the sound image. But an even greater difference can be heard in the sound of the maracas. This instrument no longer sounds muffled. Also that wonderful clarinet, played by Jean-Serge Essous (see this post), is more more '3-D' than on the CD, which even further enhances the part of this song after 1'24 which I see as one of the climaxes in the Essous' work with the O.K. Jazz.
Unfortunately there are very few of those. And this is not so much due to the lack of talent on the part of Essous, but entirely to the fact that on January 1, 1957 he (and Rossignol, plus drummer Saturnin 'Ben' Pandi and Paul Ebengo better known as Dewayon) left the O.K. Jazz and Editions Loningisa for the new created Esengo label. So this was exactly 5 weeks after recording "La Fiesta" and the A-side of this 78 (Loningisa 160), "On Entre O.K., On Sort K.O.", which by many - and in my opinion erroneously - is considered to be the first track by the O.K. Jazz. My guess is that this has to do with the HMV catalogue, in which "On Entre O.K., On Sort K.O."/"La Fiesta" is the first record (HMV 1001). The tracks recorded at the Loningisa studio were sold on to His Master's Voice. There are even a few tracks which were only released on HMV.
Going by the recording dates the first record by the O.K. Jazz (founded June 6, 1956) is Loningisa 154 "Makambo Mayiza Mazono" (recorded June 20, 1956), with the tell-tale B-side "La Rumba O.K." (recorded on June 21, 1956). Both these songs, composed by Franco, are on Crammed Disc CRAW 7, which also contains Loningisa 157: "Tika Kondima Na Zolo"/"Meya Te, Kaka Elamba". And, in case you are still convinced that Loningisa 160 was the first release by the O.K. Jazz: Loningisa 158, recorded in July 1956, features another Franco song entitled "Bana O.K. Jazz".

To me the best tracks of Essous with the O.K. Jazz must be the two on the A-side of the second EP, which carries the rather anonymous title of "Congo Rhythm". These two tracks, "Alliance Mode Succès" and "Tongo Se Elangisa" (both composed by Dewayon), were recorded just days before Essous and Rossignol departed, on December 24 and 27. The interplay between Franco and Essous in these songs is just brilliant, and makes me wish the cooperation between these two Greats would have continued for much longer. It is clear that this interplay was the basis for the - almost hallmark - interaction between Franco and Isaac Musekiwa, the sax player who in the early part of 1957 came over from Kabasellé's African Jazz to fill the gap Essous had left.
I assume the song "Alliance Mode Succès" is one of many paying tribute to a female association (and I suppose this must have been "La Mode"**). Rossignol encourages the members of the association to show their dancing skills, calling them one by one.
"Tongo Se Elangisa" is my favourite song of Vicky singing with Rossignol. Rossignol is singing lead, with a touch of the dramatic (it is a bolero); and Vicky shows great control in backing him in an understated manner.

More songs from 1956 can be found on the third of these EP's. Something appears to have gone terribly wrong with the title of this EP, as the trademark slogan "On entre O.K., on sort K.O." has been 'corrected' into "On Entre O.K., On Sort O.K.". It is unlikely that the correction was intentional, as even the opening track of this EP, the A-side of "La Fiesta" (see above), has been changed.
The two songs on the B-side of this EP were composed by Essous. As with the songs on the other EP's, both "Lina" and "Se Pamba" sound more open than the CD-versions, which also makes it easier to distinguish Franco's antics in the background.

After the departure of Essous, Rossignol and Pandi new members were recruited. Vocalists Edo Nganga and Célestin Kouka joined the young orchestra, and Nicolas Bosuma a.k.a "Dessoin" was attracted to replace Pandi. No doubt provoked by the serious competition from the new orchestras and temporary groupings on the Esengo label, the O.K. Jazz progressed at an incredible rate.
Also new with the O.K. Jazz was Antoine 'Brazzos' Armando. He had played with Vicky at Editions CEFA in the mid-1950s. There he worked with Belgian (jazz-)guitarist Bill Alexandre, who in 1955 introduced the electric guitar into Congolese music. Bill Alexandre named Brazzos, in an interview in 1992, as the best guitarist of the era. I am not sure what the precise grounds were for this qualification, or if this was in any way influenced by the fact that they cooperated at the CEFA label. Nor do I have any idea if Mr. Alexandre was aware of the full extent of the competition. Fact is, however, that Brazzos played a crucial role in the evolution of the O.K. Jazz, - if only for his compositions.
For, to be honest, Brazzos' role as an instrumentalist within the O.K. Jazz is still a bit of a mystery to me. As I mentioned, he joined the O.K. Jazz in 1957 as a rhythm guitarist, left the orchestra at the end of 1959 to join Kabasellé (and Vicky) as a bass player at the Table Ronde. And when he returned a few years later (again with Vicky), his place as an accompagnateur was taken by Lutumba Simarro and Franco was well on his way to establish himself as the undisputed star of the orchestra.

In the time between his arrival at the O.K. Jazz and his departure for African Jazz Brazzos composed 20 songs for the orchestra, and all of these are veritable gems. His first record was "Na Banzaki Angelu"/"Nde Okobanza" (Loningisa 181 / HMV 1027) and his second was "Tcha Tcha Tcha De Mi Amor"/"Yaka Nakoki Te" (Loningisa 189 / HMV 1045). These last two songs can be found on these EP's. "Tcha Tcha Tcha De Mi Amor" is the first in a line of killer cha-cha-cha's, which with the O.K. Jazz were usually not very far from a boléro. Franco is at it and restless like a caged animal, while the rest of the orchestra remains relatively sedate and seemingly undisturbed. In "Yaka Nakoki Te" Franco seems more controlled, but this control is deceptive.
I am sure I'll get back to Brazzos and his contribution to the early O.K. Jazz at a later date.

I leave you to evaluate the remaining four tracks from these three EP's by yourself. The two most 'recent' of these, "Nakolela Mama Azonga" and "Ah Bolingo Pasi", were composed by Vicky and were recorded on August 21, 1957 and released as Loningisa 198 (HMV 1054). Edo Nganga's "Taxi Avalon" was released on Loningisa 192 (HMV 1048). And I am sure you recognise "Aya La Mode" (Loningisa 194 / HMV 1050) from the compilations in which this compositon by Franco has been included, - unfortunately in most cases out of context and seriously compressed and/or otherwise mangled. In the version on the EP you can still hear Brazzos' understated rhythm guitar, which Franco uses as a line to set his exclamation marks.

Pathé 7 EMF 218 - 7 EMF 291 - 7 EMF 302 (or in one file)

*this the equivalent of what those online sellers of vinyl label "NM", - which I, naively, believed to mean "near mint", but should be interpreted as either "slightly worse than anything in your own collection" or "exposed to a pre-school playgroup"....
** and that reminds me: I am still waiting, with considerable anticipation, for the documentary which Vincent Kenis, Césarine Sinatu Bolya and others have made about the 1950s Congolese music scene, in which these associations play an important role.

Paradi

A short post to finish the year in style. And what better way to round off a year* than with two records by Franco and the O.K. Jazz.

I assure you music does not get a lot better than this. These four tracks, composed by Franco himself and recorded on February 18, 1960 for Editions Loningisa, are among my absolute favourites, - and not just of the early work by Franco.
The songs stand out for several reasons. First the line-up is unique, with the departure of Vicky Longomba (first to join Kabasélé at the Table Ronde and then to start his own orchestra: Négro Succès). To replace him Mulamba Joseph a.k.a. Mujos had joined the O.K. Jazz and he is the Vicky-like voice in these songs. Isaac Musekiwa too had defected in July the year before, after Franco had been imprisoned for a traffic offence; he had joined Orchestre Vedette Jazz but returned to the O.K. Jazz at the end of 1961. He proved difficult to replace, and I am not sure who is playing the sax in these songs. The O.K. Jazz did engage others such as trumpet player Dominique Kuntima, better known as Willy (who is perhaps best known for his time with African Jazz and African Fiesta), and clarinetist Edo Lutula a.k.a. Edo Clari, and in 1961 Albino Kalombo (who had gathered fame alongside the great Léon Bukasa at Ngoma).
On guitar Franco was joined by Bombolo Léon a.k.a. Bholen, who had been recruited by Vicky, as had been singer Hubert 'Djeskin' Dihunga. Both were later persuaded by Vicky to join him at Négro Succès.

But the most impressive new recruits to the O.K. Jazz were two singers. First a singer of considerable repute: Gérard Madiata (whom you may remember from his songs with Kongo Jazz). He is the star of that immortal cha cha cha "Cuando Paradi", - and this while only singing backing vocal!
The second is Jean Munsi, better known as Kwamy or - in those days - Coimy. As Gérard Madiata in "Cuando Paradi" he adds that very special something to the equally immortal boléro "Caro Simon Mabanzo", even though he is not the lead singer. His velvet voice is the secret ingredient to one of Franco's most exciting boleros.

But star of these four tracks is of course Franco himself. In "Mobembo Ya Franco Na Wele" he is tiptoeing, in "Cuando Paradi" he is cheekily doing pirouettes. In "Mobali Asundoli Ngai Na Mwana" he is in charge and leading the orchestra, dictating breaks and turns. But "Caro Simon Mabanzo" sees the master in his natural environment: the boléro. He adds an extra dimension to the song, adding tension, joking, coaxing, provoking, in short: being Franco.
It doesn't get better than this........

Loningisa 267
Loningisa 268

For a limited period these tracks can also be downloaded in FLAC-format: Lon 267+268

I wish you all a very happy and successful 2013!

* or for those in more eastern time zones: to start the new year!

EverGreenSound

In this post I would like to share with you a rather obscure lp, produced in Nigeria but containing music from Congo. The obscurity is limited to the production. The artists, although not credited on the sleeve nor on the label (for copyright reasons?), are of the well-known variety. Of the ten tracks on this compilation four are by the O.K. Jazz, two by the Negro Band, two by Rock-a-Mambo and two by the the - perhaps less known - Dynamic Jazz.

Although I am not sure about the Dynamic Jazz songs, I estimate all the tracks to be from the late 1950s. The songs performed by the O.K. Jazz were composed by that great guitarist Antoine Armando, better known as Brazzos, and were originally released as Loningisa 189 (in 1957) and 211 (in 1958). The songs by both the Negro Band and Rock-a-Mambo* were originally released on the Esengo label as Esengo 192 ("Kumaye"), 194 ("Senhorita"), 119 ("Brigitte") and 71 ("Bakoule Bidama"). And Dynamic Jazz made records (and quite a few) for the Ngoma label. Both "Rumbita Dynamic Jazz" and "A mi amor bonita" were at one point released on the Super 45 (EP) 1005.

As a compilation this record deserves excellent marks. It features some of the Greats of the époque d'or of Congolese music. "Bakoule Bidama", for example, not only stars singer Rossignol, but also Kabasele himself, as backing vocalist (and a brilliant one, if you ask me!), plus Essous and Nino Malapet. Franco and Vicky Longomba both are prominent in the O.K. Jazz songs. But that is only to be expected.

Needless to say that my favourites are the tracks by Brazzos. I am still trying to figure out what latin original 'inspired' "Cuidado Conamallo" (which I suspect should be "cuidado con la mano"). I am inclined to believe that the O.K. Jazz copied the song (or perhaps just the name of the song) from other Congolese orchestras. I recall having heard a version by either Rock-a-Mambo or African Jazz (if I bump into it I´ll post it).

Lyric-wise there is a lot to be enjoyed, especially in that same song. With Vicky in fluent jibberish-spanish: "Venga, chiquita! Baila! Awela-wela" (or "abuela, abuela"?) ", si yo me muero muero muero de todo mi amor".
Who invented these lyrics?

ISP 101

* Actually "Brigitte" is credited in the Esengo catalogue to Lucie Yenga et l'African Rock.

July 6, 1938

It is exactly 72 years ago today that one of the greatest stars of African music was born in Sona-Bata, Congo: François Luambo, who within 16 years became a phenomenon in Congolese music and whose 'stagename' Franco even today, nearly 21 years after his death, is inextricably linked to modern Congolese music and African music in general.

As an ode to this grand master I would like to share with you this rare album, released in Côte D'Ivoire on the Disco Stock label.
I can assure you it is pure coincidence (ahum) that the album has an orange sleeve.....

The lp contains twelve tracks from the 1950s. Although the title of the lp is "Le bon vieux temps de l'O.K. Jazz" ("the good old days of the O.K. Jazz"), there is in fact one track which was recorded in the time before the foundation of the O.K. Jazz. "Elo Mama" (titled "Mama Elo" on this lp) was released in March 1956, i.e. three months before the birth of O.K. Jazz. Just nine months later the O.K. Jazz produced such miraculously brilliant tracks as "Venga De Priza" (called "Del Prison" on this lp). And again nine months later they gave birth to "Linga Ngai Tolinga Ye" (erroneously titled "Linga Ye To Oling Ngai" on this lp), a bolero which has occupied a steady position in the top of my favourite songs for nearly twenty years now, followed two months later by "Zonga Vonvon Melancolie" (mauled into "Mboka Yo Okeyi Mosika" here). Both tracks contributed to Franco's status as the real and undisputed sorcerer of the guitar, who was capable of touching emotional strings others had even never heard of.

The 'most recent' of these compositions, all by Franco himself by the way, is from January 1959, and is proof of the subtle maturation of Franco's guitar playing. "Mbongo Na Ngai Judas" ("Judas" has disappeared in the title on the lp), no doubt about the silverlings which Judas received for betraying Jesus, is actually the A-side of another out-of-this-world composition by Franco: "Ndokoyo" ("this sorcerer").

Some of these tracks were released (and generally in a better quality) on various lp's on the African label, but songs like the ones I mentioned more than amply make up for the redundancy of those.

DS 7950 or DS 7950

PS: I have added a list of the correct titles.