Lita Bembo’s Orchestre Stukas always finds a happy
listener. Only last week, one of our loyal visitors told me
how much they had changed his life. Well Matthew, I guess
this is your lucky day, I just found us this killer album
by them at the last big record fair in Utrecht. I think
it is super nice, hardly possible to stay in your chair,
those guitars keep going and going, man I bet
you’re bound to break loose, haha..
I challenge you..

I was playing this lp and studying the sleeve when my eye
fell on the words “photos réalisées au Rex Club”.
Was this really true? I know that place..I’ve been there..
Wow, it must have been in 1982 when I was on a trip to Paris by bus for
the weekend. We were with a large group of volunteers, all workers behind
the bar in ‘de Tagrijn’, a youth-center and stage in my old hometown.
It was on this trip that we accidentally ended up with a little group of four,
we were with two boys and two girls but just collegues and good friends.
Initially we thought we were going to a reggae-club. Some dread in the
subway had pointed us there. We came in a bit early I think, it was still
empty so we took a drink and waited for what became one of the greatest
nights of my life. When people started to fill the place, reality opened up
before us. We were the only white visitors in this wonderful African Club.
I remember like it was yesterday, saturday night at Club Rex, Rue des
Bonnes Nouvelles. A night, complete with Mister and Miss elections,
& dance competition. Now I come to think of it, it must have been just
around the time when Lita Bembo and his buddies were there.
We drank, smoked and danced till closing time, made plenty
of friends, oh my, it was such a wild, funny and happy
experience, I could never forget.. wow & damn..
how time flies, astonishing discovery..
I loved it there. Felt as black
as can be..

tracks;

1 Guelord – 4 saisons
2 Muana pauvre
3 Djodjo
4 Lupiano

This lp on Decca West Africa is from 1969. It managed to
remain fully intact for 45 years and plays just wonderful.
Trumpeteer E.T. Mensah’s and his Tempos Band played in
various styles, but the traditionals, calypsos and even
soul takes come with highlife toppings. Highlife is his
main thing but E.T. Mensah loved to broaden his horizons.
On this album he gives us some examples of that very
appreciated variety. Get it, spread it
and give it a spin..

tracks;

1 Medzi medzi
2 Abodzin
3 Daavi loloto
4 Save me
5 Bibiara wone bre
6 Mee bei obaaba
7 205
8 Kaa no wa
9 Señorita
10 Gbee bleo
11 Day by day
12 1914

It took a while to finally find another missing album in the
‘African 360.000 series’. This is african 360.031, an lp by
none less than the great Sam Mangwana. It is getting
more and more difficult to find them, but today we’re
lucky. At the record fair in Utrecht last weekend I
finally found it, Sam Mangwana et le Festival des
Maquisards, a wonderful Congolese piece of
musical history. We’re being double lucky
because it is in excellent condition.
While recording I heard it first time
and I knew instantly, this is
going to be one of my
favourites..

tracks;

1 Domingo
2 Yengo
3 Ambi
4 Loposo-losila
5 Objectif 80
6 Banque ya kinshasa
7 La vie
8 Suzanella
9 Mia angola
10 Celina
11 Decca-meuble
12 Atenaco

Orchestre les Djo-Djo led by Lusala Mavungu.
Mavungu is Mavos Meme Mavungu who we know of Orchestre
Micky-Micky for instance. The label speaks of L. Magungu.
Is L. Magungu in fact Lusala Mavungu ? If anyone can
clear up this matter, please do not hesitate to leave
us a message. The lp is in lingala and label states
‘sukus’, certainly no hard soukous but very nice it is.
Get it and spread it like always..cheers..

tracks;

1 Kenge ya libala
2 Nabukodonozor
3 Mata ndioku

Hello world,
this sunday it is 25 years ago that ‘le Grand Maître’
Franco Luambo Makiadi passed away. Untill now I have
been posting practically every album I found by him. When
Franco died in 1989, Polygram Kenya launched this series
of 10 albums. They were compiled by Justus M. Kasoya.
I’m afraid they didn’t do a very good job though, the artwork
on the covers of the lp’s is quite poor, it lacks of any info
about the music, the sound quality leaves us with something
to wish for and many songs are cut off at a certain point.
In short, it does not do a great deal of justice to Franco’s
impressive oeuvre. Few collectors have good words for the
series, however, we can’t deny that it’s part of the inheritance
and therefore I guess it is justified to bring you these ten lp’s
nevertheless. Of course it is not all that bad, it’s a historic
document all together and deserves a place in our collections.
Nowadays we have all the desired information under our
keyboards so with a little homework we’re able to find out
who plays and sings on every recording. Twentyfive years
have passed in an incredible pace, it seems only
yesterday Franco was still among us,
now let’s honour him once more..
I made this collage as an
homage some years ago.
Hey Fried, hier zijn ze
weer, thnx again..

tracks;

1 Lukika
2 Zando ya tipo tipo
3 Nakbala mbwa
4 Lezi pt. 1
5 Lezi pt. 2
6 Assitou pt. 1
7 Assitou pt. 2

tracks;

1 Nakweyi tapis
2 Celita
3 Beya
4 Georgette
5 Mado

tracks;

1 Kinzonzi ki tata mbemba
2 Mambu na miondo
3 Liberté pt. 1
4 Liberté pt. 2
5 Azda pt. 1
6 Azda pt. 2
7 Kinsona
8 Aya la mode

tracks;

1 Claude
2 Tembe na tembe
3 Caisse d’epagne
4 Lola
5 Celina
6 Patience
7 Mokili matata
8 Nakosala nakolota

tracks;

1 Liwa ya wech
2 Na likunga na seli
3 Motema ya fata
4 Amida muziki ya ok
5 Bomboko justin
6 Isaac ombele
7 Florette modele
8 Mpata ezangi mokengeli
9 On a renseignement na bana ok
10 Ba katanga balingi toyokana
11 Mboka nini okende
12 Nani akunsimdila muana

tracks;

1 Ele wa bolingo
2 Miguel canta
3 Jalousie ya mimi nangai
4 Como quere
5 Guitares de c’enfer
6 Mado oboyi simarro
7 Tele mujos
8 Licencie
9 Bulundue na zongwee
10 La vida del un negro

tracks;

1 Ezuivoisin
2 Zenaba
3 Inousa
4 Nzuzi
5 Lufua lua nkadi
6 Nakobala mbwa

tracks;

1 Mosala etindi
2 Lilian
3 Yoka meje
4 Ba masta bonne année
5 Ebale ya zaïre
6 Cedou

tracks;

1 Assitou
2 Zando ya tipo tipo
3 Bano brekete
4 Lukika
5 Todutaka kaka
6 Bodutaka
7 Ledi

tracks;

1 Makambo maneno
2 Cesar aboya yo
3 Matinda
4 Mibali ya kinshasa
5 Marie mado
6 Dix makuta
7 Aime
8 Basi ya makangoo

Pepé Kallé and his Empire Bakuba always find a happy
listener. This lp’s from 1986 and is a tribute to Docteur
Nico Kasanda, the legendary guitarist. You may find his
lp’s here too, just use our search-bar. l’Empire Bakuba
does also not appear here for the first time, listen to the
two and agree this is fabulous music..

tracks;

1 Peri mayel
2 Tout près de toi
3 Essakola ya mawa
4 Adieu Dr. Nico
5 Muambu
6 Égalité au tombeau

I was in doubt for a while, the quality of this lp is not that
good, but untill I find a better specimen we’ll have to settle
with this one. It has some pops and sh*t but still.. the songs
about Franco send shivers down my spine. The group he
left behind didn’t vanish with ‘le grand maître’ but kept
making the music that used to be his life..
Madilu, Djo M’poy, N’dombe Opetum,
Josky and Simaro, all present
with the TP OK Jazz.

tracks;

1 Eau bénite
2 Hommage a luambo-makiadi
3 Ladji-mundele
4 Jacquina
5 Pot pourri
6 Franco luambo

Quite some time ago, when still working with the old page,
I already posted this one. I don’t remember exactly why it
was removed in a later stage. Anyway, I thought it would
be good to make it available again. Such wonderful music
should be accessible so here it is once more, enjoy…

tracks;

1 Julie la petite
2 Serge
3 Ciska
4 Molema
5 Venus
6 Chama cha mapinduzi
7 Pele odidja
8 Amba
9 Jolie Africa
10 Suki pembe somo somo

On popular demand we’ve got us a classic album by
four of the most prominent Congolese artists. It wasn’t
posted here yet so good idea Mouhamadou. Singers
Nyboma and Wuta-May formed this group with guitar
greats Syran Mbenza and Bopol Mansiamina. delicious
Congolese sounds and voices you don’t want to miss.

tracks;

1 Mayi
2 Mama-iye-ye
3 Zouzou
4 Maquereau

I received a message saying, this lp also disappeared
from the global groove. I dived into it and found it’s true.
So, no problem, we’ll bring it again, and this time it’s
here to stay. Some of the sweetest Congolese songs
from the fifties, Enjoy them once again..

..if anyone finds any other lp missing,
leave me a message and I’ll restore it..
thanks,

tracks;

1 Roitelet et Roger – Banga imana
2 Roitelet et Roger – Imana ya daring
3 Victor et Roger – Bolingo esuki
4 Marcelle Fylla – Pusana moke
5 Victor et Roger – Kobanga te
6 Victor, Roger & Franco – Josephine
7 Les Trois Caballeros – Antoinette
8 Roitelet et les coeurs CEFA – Tozo na Bozo
9 Salvador – E ya yo nlala
10 Salvador – E ndumba sakuba wata