Since today would've been Papa Wemba's 70th birthday, I've decided to acknowledge the 20th anniversary of M'zee Fula Ngenge, one of his finest albums. I remember when I used to dance to the generique as a kid (and even shouted out a few animations as well ), and the first time I heard it, I was stunned by the album's overall versatility. Listening to it again has helped me appreciate it on a deeper level. What are your favourite songs? Mine are Fula Ngenge, Maria, Etaleli and Rubbin, Sephora & Ruth.
When I was reading the booklet on Discogs last year, I was surprised to find that almost half of the album had been recorded in Kinshasa. I mean, I knew that Madilu had done some songs with his Multi-Systeme band, but I didn't expect that. I guess I was fooled by the top-notch mixing and sound quality.
Also, why did he only record two albums with his own band (this one and Tenant du Titre)? Do you think an already excellent album like Bonheur could've benefitted from a few contributions from Multi-Systeme?
A few days ago, I was listening to some Wenge. I took a close look at the Kin e Bouge cover and noticed handcuffs on the band. Until that point, I thought they were just posing. Does it have something to do with the time they went to prison, hence some of the lyrics on the title song?
An Extra Musica off-shoot band led by Durrell Loemba and Regis Touba. This is from their 2001 album, Ere de Verite, released about a year after the split from Extra Musica International, which would be led by Quentin Moyascko.
So I was listening to Bozi Boziana's Jeu Muke, and as it neared its end, there was a certain bass lick which I had heard before in a few songs.
6:16
4:44
4:22
Just today, I looked up the Discogs credits for Dany Engobo's Premiere Classe, which the last song is from, and Jean-Louis Bikunda was one of the credited bassists. Seeing as he was a rather prolific session bassist for a few years after leaving Defao's Big Stars, I see that Lofombo-esque lick as one of his trademarks. Disregarding that, the bassline in each song sounds similar. Returning to my main point, this begs the question.
Around the time Defao dissolved the Big Stars, did ya Bikunda briefly join Anti Choc, as his bandmates Kabose and Theo Mbala had done so?
Zineba is one of my favourite songs off Shalai. How the chorus is in tight harmony, the QL-ish 'rumba' section that reminds you of songs like Rond Point, Gilba and Danao, the splendid bass work from Espe Bass all the way through and the satisfying payoff that comes with the sebene, which is longer than the rumba part. I can keep gushing on about this song.
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), and the first time I heard it, I was stunned by the album's overall versatility. Listening to it again has helped me appreciate it on a deeper level. What are your favourite songs? Mine are Fula Ngenge, Maria, Etaleli and Rubbin, Sephora & Ruth.