Congo Vibes
Music => Congolese Music => Old School Music => Topic started by: MwanaMokili on January 24, 2017, 10:57
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This Group was a Group from the Eastern DRC ( then Called Zaire) brought to East Africa by a very (then) prominent musician known as Ilunga wa Ilunga or Baba Gaston.
The group was known as Mangelepa ( which was derived from the French term Marc Les Parc )
This is one of their hit songs known as Nyako Konya ( Meaning Help me Girl in Luo, one of Kenya's languages)
The sound quality and arrnagement could rival any band today, although this song was recorded in 1978...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlc7XIUdJqo
Remnants of the group are still live in Kenya, perfroming as resident band fro night joints.
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Indeed. The sound is very well balanced, the vocals are very pleasing, and the lead guitar is audible as it should be. I am usually very pleased with Kenyan recordings, at least regarding those songs that I listen to.
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Indeed. The sound is very well balanced, the vocals are very pleasing, and the lead guitar is audible as it should be. I am usually very pleased with Kenyan recordings, at least regarding those songs that I listen to.
Indeed Nairobi was for a long time the Centre for recording studios for bands all over East Africa.
All major recording labels of the day like Sony, EMI, Polydor, RCA e.t.c had set up shop here and therefore
we had bands coming from all over to make recordings and cut Vinyl as well as hold live shows on the side.
This is how Lingala groups from Eastern DRC were attracted to come to Kenya rather than go to Kinshasa.
I will share a few links for some serious stuff from Kenya in the 70's and 80's.....
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Here is another Club Banger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wxZAUskA2M
This is a group that was short-lived in the 70's but the musicians stayed in Kenya in different groups or as session musicians.
The heavy bass singer was known Moreno Batamba: the Furious drummer was known as Lava Machine.
This song was a club favourite in Nairobi and the whole dance floor was dusty after the song....
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It is wonderful! Very nice guitar parts. And the chorus is pretty good as well. One of the singers reminds me of Bimi Ombale.
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This latter tune reminds me of the song of another band. I think this group was also from Katanga, but maybe I am wrong. But there is so big similarity in the sound of the chorus:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3bKyKsCviu4
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From the style of the song this sounds eerily like Orchestre Kiam, Lipua Lipua, Bela Bela or Les Kamale
Those groups used to be composed of more or less the same musicians from the Vercky's Kiamungana Stable.
Let me research on the names and see if I can get any more info on this song.
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This latter tune reminds me of the song of another band. I think this group was also from Katanga, but maybe I am wrong. But there is so big similarity in the sound of the chorus:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3bKyKsCviu4
Bencuri,
Bansomi Lay Lay was a group in a stable known as Bib Editions, which was a competitor to the Veve stable that had set up the Kiam, Lipua Lipua and Les Kamale orchestras.
Bibi Publishers also created Shama-Shama, Mokako and Bansomi Lay lay. This last Group was illustrated by a rhythm resembling the noise of a locomotive. Hence the nickname of Engunduka. Bansomi Lay lay was directed by Tumwa Said "Memi Ley" .
Here are some other songs from Bansomi Lay Lay :
Lokoka a :
http://media.putfile.com/07Orchestre-Bansomi-Lay-Lay-Lokoka-&usg=ALkJrhjmgORjgMk7IwyaVq6bniIJxRrnNA (http://media.putfile.com/07Orchestre-Bansomi-Lay-Lay-Lokoka-&usg=ALkJrhjmgORjgMk7IwyaVq6bniIJxRrnNA)
Lokoka b :
http://media.putfile.com/08-Orchestre-Bansomi-Lay-Lay-Lokoka-&usg=ALkJrhjbMq6o5vuPWLZO3mDxigyzeee2SA (http://media.putfile.com/08-Orchestre-Bansomi-Lay-Lay-Lokoka-&usg=ALkJrhjbMq6o5vuPWLZO3mDxigyzeee2SA)
Some famous Hits by Shama Shama :
This song was also released under the name Orchestra Kavacha, so I am not sure whether ther is a mistake on the name or group was also known as Kavacha. sometimes leaders would form groups and release songs under different names for different markets or commercial deals if a group broke up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fZMT-rt-9A
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So was it a Kinshasa based group then?
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Yes, It was based in Kinshasa.
The highliight of its popularity was in 1976, just after teh Rumble in the Jungle.
Zaire's economy was high, the People were in the throes of patriotism and the 'authenticity change' and only local music was played by the Government broadcaster....
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I always thought this group was from Lumumbasi. Good to know it correctly now.
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Here is another Gem from the Band Mangelepa:
Bwamy Wa Lumona was 'Le Captain' or Band leader also played the Lead guitar
Bandibanga wa Tshilumba 'KaiKai' on Vocals
Lolo Mukena
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbWRp5kf7Ec
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Nice tune!
Can you recommed othes songs feom Les Noirs? I like their tune very much.
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Nice tune!
Can you recommed othes songs feom Les Noirs? I like their tune very much.
Since You Asked :
Here is Fofita by Moreno Batamba
Moreno Batamba is the husky Bass voice singing ( Second voice)
The Mean Drummer was known as Lava Machine.
Enjoy ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1eG2rFh0ZA
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Thanks! Great tune again, I am amazed how good the sound of the guitar is. :)
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Thanks! Great tune again, I am amazed how good the sound of the guitar is. :)
Indeed, Bencuri.
The Lead Guitar was the focus of most of the groups playing in that era, with the rest of the group working around it.
For some serious guitar work, consider the following from Mangelepa's Bwammy Wa Lumona 'Le Capitan' in their hit
Maboko Pamba :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5leZ2eyZ3A
The group was the masters of the Stage Marshall.
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Bencuri:
Here is some more guitar works from the Late 70's from a group known as Moja one.
The composer is the singer with the husky vocals, known as Moreno Batamaba (Real Name Batamba Wenda Morris 1955-October 1994).
Moreno was born in Kisangani, Haut-Zaire province, Congo, in 1955. He quit school in 1971 to join Orchestre Maquis Sasa Bata. He moved to Uganda & in 1974 joined Orchestra Bana Ngenge of singer Jojo Ikomo, then moved to Kenya and joined Les Noirs in Mombasa in 1976.
From 1978-80 Moreno was based in Dar-es-Salaam where he sang with Safari Sound before returning to Kenya.
Orchestra Moja One was not a real group, but comprised of session musicians or guest musicians from other groups.
Mostly he sung with tenor Coco Zigo Mike, guitarist Siama Matuzungidi and drummer Lava Machine and other musicians
from Orchestre Shika Shika.
Moreno's biggest hits were "Pili Mswahili," "Dunia ni duara," (in 1981), & "Urembo si hoja." For some time in 1983, Moreno briefly joined Samba Mapangala's Orchestra Virunga in what was perhaps the group's most star-studded line-up ever.
The group which turned the now defunct Starlight Club into the hottest live-music nightspot in Nairobi, featured Coco Zigo, Fataki Lokassa, Dago Mayombe and later Moreno on vocals, along with Ottis and Samba Mapangala; Manitcho Nsilu, Sammy Mansita, Django Nkulu Mwilambwe, Bejos, Siama Matuzungidi and Beya Mikobi Dibuba on guitars, and others, some of whom were only briefly in the band.
Moreno mainly sang in Kiswahili and the themes of his songs varied from social commentaries like "Dunia ni Duara," "Mapenzi ya Shinda" and "Mwanamke Hatosheki," to love songs like "Angela" and "Pili Mswahili."
This last was a song about his girlfriend, Pili Mikendo Kassim, a Tanzanian model he met in 1976 while with Orchestra Les Noirs in Mombasa. His 1993 chart topper was "Vidonge Sitaki," based on a Taraab song by Golden Star, but sadly he died the same year, aged only 38.
His Frist big hit was Dunia ni Duara ( The Earth is Round ) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAi5h3HJkn4
And Another hit "Jua Lako " ( Mind your own [business]) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mvOkJw625w
Enjoy....
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Nice pieces!
By accident I didn't notice you posted the video of Le Capitan. Very nice song. I love these, I am archiving them constantly. Especially Super Mazembe.