Orchestre Moudou Mango – Douman Guele
Sonafric 1976

Jose Missamou was a great congolese salsa singer, here’s a google translation of a french article found on http://zenga-mambu.com/2019/12/22/une-pensee-pour-jose-missamou/

A thought for the great Congolese and African salsero, José Missamou, who has also gone on the path that has no return.

It was Tuesday, December 21, 1999, at 8:45 p.m., at the Brazzaville Hospital and University Center. Eleven years ago. Indeed, his state of health had forced him to return to the fold in October 1999. He had been living in Paris for several years.

Joseph-Dieudonné Missamou said José was born in 1942 in Brazzaville. By Jean-de-Dieu Missamou “Tâta Bimpongo”, and Adèle Bongabouna. He received pedagogical training after the Lycée Savorgnan de Brazza, which opened the doors to education for him. Like his father “Bimpongo”, who is also an excellent songmaster and church organist.

Alphonse-Marie Toucas

Joseph-Dieudonné Missamou is assigned to Pointe-Noire. Where he contracted the orchestral music virus. He plays in Sympathic-Jazz, alongside Alphonse-Marie Toucas and neophytes like him. He sings “Congolese”. To realize, later, that Congolese song, despite its beauty, does not really live.

The “Arlem-Band”, “Jazz-Party” and Mando Negro orchestras

He then worked on compositions of the “Son” genre of the Sexteto habanero. He discovered the music he loved to make. For two years (1963 – 1964), he was part of the orchestras “Arlem-Band”, with Didi Siscala, and “Jazz-Party” of Sterling. After a whirlwind tour of Mando Negro “Kwala Kwa”, under the leadership of Sabou Bathel, he took the risk of turning his back on Teaching.

The Negro Band orchestra

Events are rushing. Joseph-Dieudonné Missamou joined the Negro-Band in 1965, where he began to speak well about him. A year later, Negro-Band stayed in Abidjan where he often performed in front of a very informed audience. José Missamou is having a blast, like an iron tree pod. He shines. And he quickly loses his mind.

The “Les Zulu”, “Masano” and Les Bantous orchestras of the capital

José Missamou left the Negro-Band, in Abidjan itself, to form with the Congolese Julio, Raph and Nzalakanda “Maurin”, the orchestra “Les Zulu”. Back in Brazzaville, he joined the defectors from Negro-Band: Tomba “Major”, Tergief el Diablo and Lucky Mahoungou who have just launched the “Masano” ensemble. Not for a long time. Here he is, this time in the Les Bantous orchestra of the capital. A lover of salsa, he engraved his first record, “El manicero” (with the help of Essous and Nino Malapet) there, and contributed greatly to its promotion. But for how long ?

Steward at Air Afrique – Advertising agent at CCSO

José Missamou continues to be unstable. He wants to leave, to change places. He ended up taking that of flight attendant at Air Afrique, after a competition. He loses his job because he has not been able to observe certain provisions that his work requires. And resumed concerts among the Bantu of the capital, but with less attendance. He exercises cumulatively with his musical activity, the profession of advertising agent at the CCSO (Compagnie Commerciale Sangha-Oubangui). Then again, Pointe-Noire attracts him.

The Bimoko Pointe-Noire orchestra, then La France

The Bimoko orchestra called him there until the day he decided, in the early 1990s, to move to France. It was the start of a true virtuoso career that would take him across Europe. He records with Tito Puentes a great name of salsa, participates in some concerts with great Afro-Cuban musicians. Helped and supported by another world salsero, Laba Sosse, he was at the height of his career. No other Congolese singer could now compete with him in the strict domain of salsa. Great precision of execution, catchy and dancing melodies, a vocal sound that was not lacking in originality, so many thoughts which explains why the memory of José Missamou has remained vivid in popular memory.

Again, The Bantu of the capital and Cuba

Finally, José Missamou, it must be remembered, was the great revelation of the 11th World Festival of Youth and Students in Havana (Cuba) in 1978 with the orchestra Les Bantous de la Capitale