Tres Impoli was one of Franco’s biggest hits. The second song,
Tu vois ?, seems to be connected with it somehow. I love that voice
with vibrato in track 2 and 3, I think it’s Simaro, can you confirm ?
Just three songs, 38 minutes of pure joy, don’t be tres impoli!

tracks;

1 Tres impoli
2 Tu vois ?
3 Temps mort

Today’s LP truly deserves the name, African Party. Opening
with Docteur Nico and African Fiesta, what can go wrong.
Next, only treasures here, Johnny Bokelo, O.K. Jazz, and
Grand Kalle’s African Jazz. All beautiful. Tracks #s 6 and 8
could have used a little remastering but in 1969 they did
not have the same tools we have today I guess. Great comp.

tracks;

1 Orchestre African Fiesta – Tu más deçu Chouchou
2 Dr. Nico & l’Orchestre African Fiesta – Kiri kiri mabina ya sika
3 Don Pierro & l’Orchestre Conga 68 de Johnny Bokelo –
– Nalinga ya ngai cherie
4 Samy & l’Orchestre Conga 68 de Johnny Bokelo – Mabala ya Kinshasa
5 Johnny Bokelo & l’Orchestre Conga 68 – Ndeko na ngai okeba
6 Orchestre Vox-Africa – Mado
7 Johnny Bokelo & l’Orchestre Conga 68 – Tambola na mokili
8 Dewayon & l’Orchestre Cobantou – Tangana
9 Orchestre O.K. Jazz – Regina-Regina
10 Kalle & Orchestre African Jazz – B.B. 69

It always gives me a thrill to find another LP by
this great artist. Le Poète Simaro ( or Simarro ) was
one of Franco’s most succesful songwriters. This LP
is very short but nice. Vocals by Pépé Kallé, Josky
Kiambukuta and the great Carlito. Hope U enjoy it.

tracks;

1 Kopo epasuki
2 Maya aboyi

Lovers of Congolese music, here’s one for you. Johnny Bokelo
goes around quite some time. Somehow his music is good without
exeption, I liked all the albums I heard untill today. This 1981 LP
is not his first, Johnny started out in the sixties with Orchestre
Conga Succes, we saw a couple of songs on one of the l’Afrique
Danse series as Orchestre Conga Succes de Jean Bokelo.
Spread the word, Johnny Bokelo must be heard.

tracks;

1 M’bongo = l’argent
2 Ngai nakoku fa
3 Ngalulawa wa mama
4 Yayo nini yaya

Did you know Franco had a younger brother who was also lead guitarist ?
Bavon Marie Marie gained quite some popularity in the late sixties with
Leon Bholen and Orchestre Negro Succes. The band was formed by Vicky
Longomba in 1960 who came from Franco’s OK Jazz. After he made up with
Franco and returned to OK jazz, Bavon Marie Marie and Leon Bholen took over.
On this record we hear Bavon Marie Marie as lead guitarist probably for the last
time. He died shortly after it on august 5, 1970 in a tragic car accident.
Bavon Luambo Siongo 1944 – 1970.

tracks;

1 Magie
2 Bila François
3 Nakota zebola
4 Ngai mwana 15 ans
5 Bholen mwana ya mama Helene
6 Mabe ya Mbila
7 Maboke temoin
8 Moyeke ya cherie
9 Maika
10 Savon ya sika astra

Good evening, tonight’s LP is one in Franco’s Authenticité series.
Some time ago we had volumes 3 and 5, this is volume 1. It contains
numbers, recorded in 1961, 1962 and 1964 but was released in 1976.
Not the first time that while recording one of Franco’s LP’s, I think,
wow this is the nicest music I ever heard. More than beautyful!

tracks;

1 Liwa ya wech
2 Na likuanga na seli
3 Motema y fa fa
4 Amida muziki ya ok
5 Bomboko Justin
6 Isaac Ombele
7 Florette modele
8 Mpata ezangi mokengeli
9 Ona renseignement na bana ok
10 Ba katanga balingi toyo kana
11 Mboka nini okende
12 Nani ukunsimdila muana

I quote ‘World Music, The Rough Guide’ ; “The Congolese music scene really came
alive in 1953 with the inauguration of African Jazz, the first full-time recording and
performing orchestra, led by Joseph ‘Le Grand Kalle’ Kabassele.” The acknowledged
‘father of Congolese Rumba’ started his musical career as a 19 year old in 1949, having
‘an angel’s voice’. Some of the greatest artists made their name in this group, names
like Jean Serge Essous, Nino Malapet but also Nico Kassanda, better known as Docteur
Nico and Pascal Tabu Ley Rochereau.” Enjoy this 1986 compilation on african.

tracks;

1 African mokili mobimba
2 Bacara
3 Africa bola ngombi
4 Bombon sucre
5 Mayele mabe
6 Kayi Kayi
7 Succes African Jazz
8 Naboyi vie ya mbangu
9 Ennemi na ngai ya kala
10 El que siembra su maïz
11 Linda calegnita

Now this is what I would call Rumba Congolesa. In african’s great series
Les Merveilles du Passé, this beautyful collector with songs from 1963.
It contains three songs from the hand of Essou, who just recently
passed away, RIP. Other songs by Jojo, Papa Noël, Nino Malapet
and Kouka Celestin. If african opens up a box with historic material,
they make sure we’re left with nothing to wish for, sweet selection.

tracks;

1 Tokumisa Congo
2 Ngai Muana ya Adele
3 Nakomi revoquee
4 Cadi-jiji
5 Mobali-Liboso
6 Liteya ya tata
7 Tu silencio
8 Camarade Mabe
9 Bantous de la Capitale
10 Albert Akeyi

To add a little contrast with yesterday’s post, today an LP by
Orchestre Empire Bakuba but from the late eighties I am guessing.
Quite a different setting and sound, up tempo soukous this time.

tracks;

1 Amour Sanda
– Sango ya mawa
2 Trouble
– Ami cointro
3 Petshi pour Ida
– Moto pasi

What can I tell you about this LP ? It’s another collector
in the l’Afrique Danse series on the african label. It’s from
1976 and from the groups playing I only know Empire Bakuba,
I’m not sure if Pépé Kallé is already singing here, and Orchestre
Lipua-Lipua, the group in which Nyboma started. The other bands
passed by somewhere I remember but I can’t say anything usefull
about them. An hour of subtle Congolese music from
the mid seventies.

tracks;

1 Orchestre Bella Bella – Yakani 1&2
2 Orchestre Amelia – Madja 1&2
3 Orchestre Les Kamale – Ngali 1&2
4 Orchestre Bella Bella – Zamba 1&2
5 Orchestre Empire Bakuba – Massa 1&2
6 Orchestre Lipua-Lipua – Mbondo 1&2