Judging on persistance and creativity - Koffi Olomide is the best Musician to ever come from Africa (from 90s till todate he is relevant, good videos and good music) I dont know of any other musician who can or who has done that.
Being a big Koffi fan myself, I knew for a fact that I would slip into already liking the song and repeating it! When I first heard it, I didn't know what to think of it. Génériques are meant to be dancey and fun to swing your hips to. This one made me think "Hmmmmm". Although Jour De Joie was not a générique, it was 10 times better than Papa Nguasuma!
Things I liked about Papa Nguasuma: 1. The fact that the "Elengi Ya Limbondo" animation with Mukusa Ya Mbua was actually laid down after hearing a snippet of it on Youtube as of March 2018.
2. Volcan's memorable solos. Not like the one that are super complicated with fast tremolo notes to try and sound unique (No shade)
3. The fact that Koffi sings on his Génériques.
4. Cindy isn't on it
Lastly, the energy that comes from saying "NA SE!"
What I don't like about Papa Nguasuma: 1. The response of "Eh Mboka Ezalaka Boye" from the Quartier Latin ensemble was slightly cropped out at the start. [3:36 mark]
2. Waaaay too much shouting. It was like listening to Lautre Là! With the whole AAAARRRGGHH! sounds at the start as if my man was trying to push out a hard poo.
3. The fact that this générique still has the same old guitar-line from Piscicoles Club (A.K.A the forgotten générique) on the 13eme Apotre album [From 1:22] (Along with Nyataquance, Charisme and Papa Mobimba) There should be more creative solos because if you ask me, since Selfie and Tournevis, many of these génériques are sounding the same! Same key, same couple of dances. Like they're great but... take me onto another level! This is why I'll always prefer any of Koffi's 2000's works to today. THERE WAS PROPER ENERGY AND CHOREO.
Lastly, Mukusa Ya Mbwa should've had more time on the song. A générique, or a sebene alone should be a song where the atalaku present's their skills to the max!
What could be better? 1. Maybe a chord change. 2. More atalaku presence than just Koffi all the time. 3. New guitar solos (Or just change the soloist) 4. I don't even know. But that's it.
Hello! I'm a new member of this forum after snooping around a lot! I find it really interesting how you guys like to criticize and pick the elements of Congolese music out bit by bit! So I thought "Hmmm maybe I'll join in" because there are people on this forum that have a similar mindset and approach to music to me!
For me, a good rumba would be something like CLASSE TENDRESSE by Koffi Olomide. Classe Tendresse because of the fantastic arrangement. In the intro, you hear the sounds of a stream running and you're taken into this tropical land where you then hear the marimbas and synth bells kick in. And as the singing comes in, you have Koffi subtlely singing away his verses along with the fantastic Philippe Guez (Who to me is responsible for arranging a lot of fantastic rumbas), playing the piano away along with the legendary Beniko swaying away on the rhythm guitar. As it is a song of love, the arrangement is perfect, the interlude ar 2:22 where the harpsichord solo comes in breaks the monotony which is what I like. Around the 3:15 mark where there is a change in rhythm, you have the sound of the piano once again played by Guez along with the flute that sweeps through every now and then and the string section too! But lastly, you can't forget the heart-throbbing guitar solo played by Beniko. In my opinion, it's the best rumba he has made and one that is well produced by both him and Guez. Maybe without a single bit of mabanga, the song would sound so much better.
For me, today's Rumba's sound a bit meh so I keep it old school ya know!
But what makes Classe Tendresse in my opinion, a standard rumba that artists can follow. (This doesn't apply to all by the way) 1. Maybe incorporating sounds of nature. (Or just any way to make it sound nice really). 2. Recording a live piano. 3. Actually speaking on a proper subject that's not sex (Like in today's songs "OKO MATA NGA") and not a mabanga song to Alita Tshamala or Adolphe Muteba Tshilamwina etc. Maybe stay on the more romantic side as it's easier? 4. Chord changes and interludes to break the monotonie cycle. 5. Maybe including live orchestral instruments like the flute you heard. 6. Not so much mabanga. Like, I'm not willing to speak ill of Werra, but he ruined "Victime D'Amour" for me with his never-ending mabanga, I ended up learning the names instead of the lyrics! Good song, but destroying it with mabanga... really bad idea. 7. A gentle introduction like you're being taken somewhere. When I first heard Classe Tendresse, I thought I was being taken into some sort of paradise or a jungle with the sun rays passing through the tree leaves. It's a good way to welcome the listener into the song, knowing of the arrangement and the lyrical content it consists.
So that's my opinion! And my first post! Thanks for coming to my "TED Talk"
Show Posts
