One of the things I’m always struggling with is how
to tell you about the quality of an album. We tend
to use the same superlatives all the time, great,
fine, swell, superb, awesome, words that loose
their true meaning when used too much. Now I
need to tell you how fantastic this lp really is and
don’t have the words. To me, finding an lp like this
one, on Pathé Marconi, from 1973, concerning a
Congolese collector, almost sure it is dynamite.
Now better believe me and don’t hesitate,
cause it is..

tracks;

1 Orchestre Sinza – Dipato
2 Orchestre Hi-Fives – Kyrie eleison
3 Orchestre Mando Negro – Daudet lingaka
4 Orchestre Les Noirs – Mosasa ndembo
5 Moji and the Tropicals – Duniani mateso
6 Orchestre Mando Negro – Na boyi danbinzi
7 Orchestre Sinza – Telephone 001
8 Orchestre Hi-Fives – Agy “I love you”
9 Paul Ebeny – London bwam
10 Orchestre Manta Lokoka – Dellya wa lucette

Tchico Tchicaya started in 1970 as a singer in the Brazzaville based
group called Manta Lokoka.
From 1972 to 1974 he was one of the lead singers in Les Bantous
de la Capitale. He occasionally collaborated with influential Zairean
group OK Jazz Band and recorded with le Groupe Kilimandjaro and Tchico
& the Officers. From 1977 to 1979 he stayed in Nigeria where he recorded
4 albums, Afro Festival, Amie Clara, Golden Voice and Méditation.
His nickname was ‘La Voix d’or’ and in that era he sang together with
Lolo Lolita with who he made one of his biggest hits ‘Jeannot’. Tchico
moved tp Paris in 1983. This lp is from 1987 and was made with Jacqueline
Brouta – vocals, Samba Kadhi Bell – backing vocals, Denis la Cloche –
solo guitar, Casanova de Ketchel – rhythm guitar, Remy Salomon – bass,
Denis Hekimian – drums, Lolitta Babind – percussion, Tony – keybords,
Jean-Marie Kabongo – Saxophone and Jean-Claude Léandre on trumpet.
I am affraid you will find dead links on all the older posts for now,
in the future however it’s promised to bring them all back. Listen…

tracks;

1 Soukous machine
2 Mabele mboka etumba
3 Mamy rosa
4 Doudou pas quitté moin

Ryco-Jazz was founded by Henri Bowane in 1958. The name was
composed from Rythme Congolais, Ry-Co in short. From 1960 to
1964 they toured west Africa and later moved to Martinique where
they were very popular. Their styles varied from tumbele, biguine,
bolero and rumba. Back in Paris in 1971 the group splits up and
spreads. Jean Serge Essous for instance went back to join Les
Bantous de la Capitale..enjoy..

tracks;

1 Mimi
2 Bana biafra
3 Nabenga yo nani
4 An drole di chance
5 Blue sugar
6 Basi na angola
7 Desarmement
8 N’doto kitoko
9 M’puli mua munie
10 Ivecia

If you are going to have a newyear’s party, may I suggest
some hot 1989 dance material ? Diblo’s soukous jives like
no other, sparkling guitar work and bubbling basses, tight
rhythms, what else do you need ? His supergroup’s name,
‘Loketo’, means ‘move your hips’ in lingala and I promise,
that is something you won’t be able to avoid.
Get it and spread it …

tracks;

1 Super K
2 Etoula
3 Amour et souvenir
4 Bolinga
5 Kelele

Last saturdaynight the world has lost a great artist. Tabu Ley Rochereau
was a legend, at the age of 73 he died at the Saint-Luc hospital in Sint-
Lambrechts-Woluwe near Brussels, Belgium. He suffered from a stroke
some years ago and never really recovered. “His condition got worse a
lot since last monday.”, his son in law Jean-Claude Muissa stated. Pascal
Tabu was born november 13, 1940 in Bandundu, Belgium Congo in those
days. He wrote his first song barely 14 years old for African Jazz. The lp
we’ve got here today is on Ngoma, a real gem.
Give it a couple of spins and remember
Tabu Ley Rochereau,
pass it on as much as you can..
P.S. This is a RE-POST.

tracks;

1 Mokrano
2 Gipsy
3 Kashama nkoy
4 Caroline mama
5 Toyota
6 Kasala
7 Mon mari est capable
8 Bel Abidjan

Who remembers les Mangelepa ? It is one of those Congolese
groups that moved to Kenya and made lots of records there. This lp
is from 1989 and was released by Gramma and produced by Bothwell
Nyamhondera & Henry Peters. Label and first producer
I only knew from Zimbabwan artist Thomas Mapfumo, now
with Mangelepa. They call this music Kwasa-Kwasa
dance, a type of soukous also made by for
instance Pépé Kallé, listen
and dance away..

tracks;

1 Cherie tracy
2 Tosambela nzambe
3 Kamulabi
4 Mokili

On ‘Blackspot’, a division of Decca West Africa we find this
fine collector of Congolese tracks. It is a Nigerian pressing
and part from a little hum in between the numbers it sounds
swell. We know at least one of the tracks from albums that
have passed by in the past but most songs are new here.
Funny variation appears to be track #8 by Dr. Nico, his
‘Dragon le montre’ sounds a lot like Johnny Bokelo’s
‘F.C. Dragon’ which we know from Deram’s ‘Stars
from Zaïre vol.4’. Compare them if you’ve got it.
..Dragon Oye !..First of the treasures I found
at this weekend’s fair. You know the drill,
get it & spread it !

tracks;

1 l’Orchestre Conga 68 de Johnny Bokelo – Tambola na mokili
2 Orchestre Vévé – Fifi
3 Orchestre OK Jazz – Lumumba heros national
4 l’Orchestre Comete Mambo Techeza – Monthana
5 Mando Negro Kwala-Kwa – Awouba
6 Orchestre Cercul Jazz – Sapato
7 Orchestre Conga de Johnny Bokelo – Tolela ba oyo bakenda
8 Dr. Nico & l’African Fiesta – Dragon le montre

Hello, how are you groovers today ? We have a special
treat for you. Docteur Nico’s music always finds a
happy listener and I’m sure this lp forms no exeption.
This is ‘african 360.151’, it’s follower 152 has been
posted here already quite some time ago.
Do not miss this classic Congolese
treasure, get it & spread it !

tracks;

1 Permission
2 Naleli leo
3 El guantanamo
4 Keba
5 Nico azongi
6 Kembo na nzambe
7 Bisengo na capitale
8 Boni Boye
9 Bato ya conga
10 Nella negrita
11 Ndima malomba
12 Paquita

This is a re-post. It was already here at the GG as ‘African 360.056′.
Since we have so many dead links I thought it would be appropriate
to bring it again. The album was released in 1974 celebrating the
OK Jazz’ 18th birthday and becoming adult. To my opinion these
are seven of the grandmaster’s most wonderful songs, if you do
not have them yet, Get it & Spread it !
Have a nice sunday.

tracks;

1 Mabele (Ntotu)
2 Kinsiona
3 Luka mobali moko
4 Monzo
5 Kinzonzi ki tata mbemba
6 Mwana oyo
7 Mambu ma miondo

Hello, are you there ?
Yes we’re still alive and kicking, take this..
..with a right to the head and a left to the cheek,
we shall keep the pressure on..( Lee Perry ),
too damned busy to post a lot but this cool slice
of soukousloaded vinyl will keep you happy for
some time..play it in your car, turn up the volume
and go wild..careful though..explosive stuff..
Check that bass by Miguel Yamba,
till soon..

tracks;

1 Tyka ‘ngai
2 J’aime que tu sois
3 La voix de l’Afrique
4 Momie