Ya Miziki Ya Congo, Rumba, Kizomba, Konpa, Salsa, Zouk etc... Lives Here...PALMARES DE LA RUMBA, DU KONPA, DU ZOUK, BACHATA, SOCA, REGGEA, AFROBEATS, SALSA
Over the past few years in rediscovering Congolese rumba I have been greeted with the exclamation "HUIT KILOS!!" several times during the Sebene, in various compositions that i've heard . I eventually came to realize through a little bit of google work that members of the various bands were chanting the name of one very talented guitarist who has brought magic to many songs that I love.
Huit Kilos, guitar virtuoso and composer, started making music on a guitar made from a cooking oil can and a piece of wood. At first playing secretly, as his father was opposed to Huit’s becoming a guitarist, the young boy prevailed when one day his family, to their surprise, saw him playing the guitar on television! He was only 12 years old. Huit Kilos went on to become Africa's best known lead guitarist — a leader in the creation of the Congolese and Soukous guitar sounds that swept Africa and Northwestern Europe with their immense popularity.
As lead guitarist for a number of top bands, Huit Kilos is one of the handful of Congolese studio musicians who has given shape to the highly distinctive Soukous sound. He has recorded as a studio guitarist on over 100 albums and rocked the most demanding dance crowds in live performances around the world.
During a musical career now spanning more than 35 years Huit Kilo’s soukous guitar style is recognized as one of the central shaping factors of Zaire/Congolese pop music. Huit has been the lead guitarist for many of the greatest names of Congolese music: Papa Wemba's Viva La Musica, Tabu Ley Rochereau and Afrisa International Langa Langa Stars, Victoria Eleison with King Kester Emeneya, Dindo Yogo’s Macchi, Bella Soum with Ngouma Lokito, Etumbana Ngwaka Tabu Ley is of course Huit Kilo’s longest and most renowned association. As Tabu Ley Rochereau is often credited with being the creator of soukous, one would be remiss in not crediting lead guitarist Huit Kilos as a seminal force in that creative process. Together, Tabu Ley and Huit Kilos brought rumba and soukous music to the western world, and made Tabu Ley Rochereau one of the all-time greatest stars not only of Congolese music, but of African music as a whole. After working together across Africa for three years, in 1988 Tabu Ley Rochereau and Huit Kilos moved to Paris to spearhead soukous’ historic drive to European popularity, most notably in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. While focusing most of his efforts on Tabu Ley Rochereau’s Afrisa International Orchestra, in Paris Huit Kilos also recorded with many African-Parisian bands on numerous hit records targeting principally the European market.
Listen to a few selections with him playing lead. The first time I noticed his name was on the song Mokili by the not so known band Les Noirs. Then again on Yoko Toli by Etumba Na Ngwaka. Since I've heard more that I posses in my hard drive but I can't find them all now because I can't remember the songs but I will add them to the playlist as I come across them. Enjoy these three selections:
Bakwetu - Papa Wemba(Theme) Tokoma Ba Camarade ya Pamba - Franco & OK Jazz Meka Okangama Mbanzi Ya Kamundele Tailleur Makambo Ezali Bourreau Ndaya Shout For Freedom - Jimmy Cliff w/Franco & OK Jazz Love Me - Jimmy Cliff w/Pepe Felly & Grand Zaiko Wawa Fololo Ya Nzembo 1 - Zaiko Langa Langa Toli Ya Kulu Ima Elo Zaiko Wawa (Closing Theme)
I'm just going to come out and say it, my favorite era of Congolese music is not that of the present (the 70s to the early 80s is, if you're wondering). But I have to be fair there are most certainly a few young artists holding down the genre and carrying on the tradition of creating the kind of cutting edge music the Congo has been known to produce for so long.
To me Celeo Scram to me is one such artist.
Granted my ear is different from those who were alive or grown during the earlier more celebrated 'epoches' of Congolese music so they might disagree with my choices lol If that's the case feel free to leave comments and get a discussion going :)
To me Celeo Scram, like Fally Ipupa and Mimitah, brings enough of the old and the new to satisfy all generations, regardless of which era you favor most. Once atakulu for Werrason, Celeo Scram is set to release the new album "Nzoto Na Nzoto". For more info on Celeo Scram and music check out his Myspace page: Celeo Scram on Myspace
Listen to some of his music here:
Celeo Scram ft KMS
Celeo ft Fally Ipupa - Didi Kinuani
Celeo and his group Danse Ya Likossi (dance the Likossi)
Today in the United States it is Father's Day. On this day we celebrate the role our father's have played in our lives and thank them. For those whose biological father's didn't raise them they take the time out to thank those who played the role. For those who have lost their fathers they take this day to remember them.
I would like to wish a Happy Father's Day to my dad. You all may know him as Guy Angrand the host of Tambour d'Afrique. I know him as Daddy! Thank you Daddy for always encouraging me even when I wasn't following the path you might have wanted me to take. Thank you for always being there for us and showing us what it truly means to be a Father. I love you! WE love you! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! :)
I would also like to wish a Happy Father's Day to my uncles Tonton Leslie and Tonton Gaby, Tonton Pepe' and Tonton Romain true models in fatherhood. To my friend Claud and my cousin Stephan who both became father's for the first time earlier this year , here's to many more Happy Father's Days to you all.
In commemoration of Father's Day I would like to play this song by the late great Dindo Yogo that he wrote for his son Lola Muana. The song is called...Lola Muana. Enjoy ECOUTE ICI/LISTEN HERE
*Last night was a great show, but don't take my word for it, take a listen!
Emission 06-14-08: bakwetu - theme song bill clinton kalonji - bulangeti blaise bula - okota fally ipupa - orgasy jp mpiana - toujours humble josky kiambukuta - chandra empire bakuba - nazoki sam mangwana - affaire video madilu system tabou combo - race semble' tabou combo - tabu mania zaiko langa langa zaiko langa langa - zaiko wawa
