Heart

I apologise for my sudden absence for over 5 weeks. I have been on 'holiday' to Cuba, - although this trip has left me desperate for a real holiday. If you like, I will get back to you about the situation in Cuba in a later post.

There are a few general remarks I would like to make about some of the comments on earlier posts:
1. Please refrain from any linking (in name or otherwise) in your comments to commercial sites of any kind. These comments will be removed and labelled as spam.
2. It is possible that some of the older links have expired. Please don't hesitate to let me know! I will repost these albums and add links in the original posts.

I am still not back to my normal routine, but - as an appetiser for things to come - I would like to share a rare and in many aspects wondrous album with you. It is a collection of tracks composed by Lutumba Ndomanueno Simaro. I haven't seen this cd anywhere since the day I bought it, so I am assuming it is out of print, and that's a great pity!

The first four tracks are in my opinion the least interesting. These tracks were originally released as African Sun Music ASM 003 (lp), and are responsible for the somewhat misleading title of this cd.

After these four tracks are the two real gems of this collection: the stunning "Mi Amor" and "Lisana Ebandaki Na Kin". Two tracks that in all aspects demonstrate the delicate touch of the real master poet that Simaro was and (if I am well informed) still is. Such refinement, so much sentiment, such a joy for the heart!!
As if to sign the masterpiece, Simaro himself can be heard at the beginning of "Mi Amor". Whistled in the background of the ensuing discussion the tune can already be heard. The song taking off is like the opening of a book, and it is opened with a delicate elegance. The lead vocal, probably by Lukoki Diatho (see these posts), is as graceful and subtle as the composition itself.
I can only speculate about the content of the song. Judging by the few words I do understand, the lyrics are typical of Simaro's impressive oeuvre, asking questions, wondering why the world is the way it is and what is in store for us after this life.

"Lisana Ebandaki Na Kin" must be from the same session, with the same musicians from the T.P. O.K. Jazz (with others?). The exact setting, circumstances and participants are still unclear to me, and I am hoping someone reading this post can shed some light on these....
It ís clear, however, that the song "Lisana Ebandaki Na Kin" is about musical heroes of the 1950s like Jhimmy, Dechaud and Camille Feruzi.

The other tracks of this collection (all featuring the O.K. Jazz) appear to have been selected randomly. "Dit Laurence" was released earlier on Pathé 2C 150 15973/74 and on Sonodisc CD 36554, as was "Gege Yoka" ("G.G." on Sonodisc). "Ti Tokabwana Nakoma Ndoki", with Franco singing the lead vocal, seems somewhat out of place, but this feeling is even stronger with "Gina Bondela Famille". Going by the somewhat thin guitar sound I think I could even be persuaded that this song is not by the O.K. Jazz, although the guitarist does have a tendency to linger on, and the chords are struck with some force, - both signs that Franco may be the one holding the instrument.
It is an even greater mystery why the last track is faded out after only a minute and eleven seconds.

As I wrote: this is just an appetiser. I hope to get back into the 'posting mode' a.s.a.p......

Clarys Music RMP 303498

Testament (repost)

While I am at it, I may as well repost this (11'37) video in its entirety....

T.P. O.K. Jazz - Testament Ya Bowule (1986)
Uploaded by wrldsrv. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Les Merveilles du Passé

Another tip: Aboubacar Siddikh has posted some classic videos from Franco and his All Powerful O.K. Jazz on Youtube:

A full version of Simaro's "Oko Regretter Ngai Mama":


A unique version of Mayaula Mayoni's "Cherie Bondowe":


Another track by Simaro: "Presence Na Ngai Ebangisaka":


My favourite: Franco's superb "Nioka Abangaka Mpe Moto":


Plus Franco's "Toyeba Yo", featuring Sam Mangwana:


And if you can't get enough, there is also an out-of-this-world, full colour (but unfortunately short) song from 1974 (recorded during the festivities surrounding the Rumble in the Jungle):

Kongo Georges

Just one EP in this post, I'm afraid. But there are still four songs by Kongo Jazz on this record, and that's two more than on the EP I posted earlier.

Two of these songs were composed by Simaro Lutumba, of O.K. Jazz fame, who in an interview in 1991 (see below) named one of these, "Lisolo Ya Ndako", as a song of which he has fond memories. Unfortunately he did not say why...

On side two there are two songs composed by a certain Bejos, both featuring a harmonica (which may suggest that there is a link between Bejos and the harmonica..). The first of these is an instrumental track.

Although I have no confirmation of this, it appears to me that one of the two singers in these songs is Lola Djangi 'Chécain', who started his musical career in 1957, in a band called Micra Jazz, alongside Simaro and Raymond Brainck while still at school. They went on to form Kongo Jazz (named after Kongo Georges, the owner of the bar where they performed, and where the O.K. Jazz had performed before them) in 1957, and were signed on to the Esengo label in 1960. At the Esengo label he met Nino Malapet and Rock-a-Mambo, and Dewayon and his Conga Jazz, which bands he joined before switching over to the O.K. Jazz in 1967.

Kongo Jazz recorded quite a few tracks at the Esengo label. Chronologically the two Simaro tracks were originally released after the two tracks in my earlier post. Of the two Bejos compositions I have no idea when they were released.

I am digging up material for a post dedicated to the lead singer of the Kongo Jazz, Gérard Madiata, who Simaro described as a great singer who sang in all the languages: flemish, dutch, english...

The interviews with Simaro and Chécain can be found here.

Columbia ESDF 1444 (new link November 2, 2010)

Testament

Franco was probably in Europe when the TP OK Jazz was asked to appear in a Christmas show on Zairean television. It was 1986 and he was making plans and laying out the strategy to finally conquer Europe in 1987. Concerts were booked and albums were imagined.
Meanwhile, back in Zaïre, the remaining musicians are 'making do' without le Grand Maître*.
Of course, we are talking about the Almighty OK Jazz, so 'making do' is still in a league of its own....

This clip features a young Malage De Lugendo, accompanied by -amongst others- the composer Lutumba Simaro on rhythm guitar (I just love the bit when he can't resist singing along with his own lyrics), Dizzy Mandjeku and Gerry Dialungana on lead.

And all acoustic.

If this isn't a classic................

Part 1

Part 2

*I'm just kidding: in fact the orchestra always rehearsed without Franco.