Obsession

I have been struggling to compile traditional songs from the DR Congo for a podcast. The struggling was certainly not a result of the lack of choice, but entirely the result of my obsession with this cassette.
I got stuck on this cassette, and just couldn't get any further.

The recordings on this cassette are generally labelled as 'traditional music', and I am sure there must be some form of passing on from one generation to the next involved. Unfortunately the label 'traditional' suggests, at least to a large section of western audiences, cultures on the brink of extinction, archaeological finds, ethnomusicologists travelling to remote regions to record octogenerians, staged performances of natives in costumes which even their grandparents would be too embarrassed to wear. These recordings are indeed made by an ethnomusicologist, and it seems more than likely that quite a bit of travelling had to be done to get to the location where the recording took place. But "staged performance": I don't think so. And the performers are perhaps nów in their eighties, but they weren't at the time of the recordings in the mid-1970s.

The recordings radiate the confidence and general optimism which is typical of a lot of - if not all - Congolese music of that era. This is particularly the case with the songs in these recording which are performed by women and girls. The casual boldness of the singing, the natural and unforced interaction between the individual women, who manage to combine chaos with harmony, is simply spellbinding.

Take the third song on side A. Every participant is free to add her own individual melodic line to the collective. The effect is both kaleidoscopic and harmonic. I would have loved to be there when the recording took place!

Magic can be found in all tracks of this cassette; there are simply no weaker songs. Besides the songs sung by women, either accompanying themselves or accompanied by an issanji or sanza ensemble, there are songs sung by men. These are, fortunately, in the same vein, with the same tendency towards controlled anarchy in the chorus. The last two songs are different from the others in that these are examples of the evolution towards modern instruments, - in this case a acoustic guitar and a bottle... The result is mesmerising and nimble, delicate and confusing.

I am sure you have recognised the musical style as the one that was modernised and commercialised by Tshala Muana. Personally I find that she took the evolution a step too far and has lost the magic of the original, which can still be heard on this cassette. I can only pray that some of the essence of this brilliant music has survived, somewhere in the immenseness of the border regions between Congo and Angola.

LLCT 7313

Cidade Linda

On this side of the world today is the longest day of the year. It is the start of the summer and, contrary to the predictions, the weather is fine (touch wood). The outlook for the next few weeks is even sunnier, so there are grounds for optimism.

There is a long line of festivals this weekend or coming up, in often pleasant surroundings. And perhaps I should be preparing to go out and party & dance in the streets. But -apart from one or two exceptions*- the 'offerings' at these festivals are often disappointing and/or selected for motives other than their musical value. Too often organisers select artists for financial (cheap or guaranteed crowd-pullers) or socio-political reasons. Understandable as these 'safe' choices may be, they won't persuade me to overcome my natural inhibitions when it comes to large crowds.

So I'm at home, posting carnival music from Angola. Music by Dimba Dya Ngola, an orchestra founded in 1963. They featured on an album I posted earlier.
"Luanda Cidade Linda" (Luanda beautiful city) is a very happy and optimistic lp from 1984, with a very Angolan sound and very Angolan (semba) music. I have never been to Luanda, and therefore am in no position to judge Luanda's beauty (the photos I have seen neither confirm nor contradict such a claim), but this album at least leaves me with a very positive feeling about the place....

IEFE Discos 059 (new link May 28, 2014)


*I make an exception for the great Afrikafestival in the village of Hertme in the east of the Netherlands. Highly recommended, and if you need to be persuaded: read the programme and listen to the podcast (bottom left)!

Folclore

Despite the wonderful collection of five CDs on the Buda label (still available, if you look around a bit) and the historic "Soul of Angola" collection on Lusafrica I keep feeling that we've only seen the tip of the iceberg of Angolan music.

Angolan musicians have played an essential role in African music, but Angola hasn't seen the recognition for this. I am referring primarily to the San Salvador group of Manuel D'Oliveira, whose rhythms can still be heard in the music of artists like Koffi Olomide, Josky Kiambukuta and - of course - Sam Mangwana; and through them in many other musical styles. And I am sure other influences are still waiting to be uncovered.
I suspect the long period of 'unrest' (excuse my understatement) hasn't helped.

The title of this lp from 1976, "Folclore de Angola", and the pictures of half-naked girls on the sleeve tell us more about the perverted mentality of the Portugese producers than about the music. Unfortunately there is little or no information on the sleeve, other than the titles, artists and composers. Four of the ten performers also feature on Buda's "Angola 70's (1972-1973)" CD, one (Dimba Dia N'Gola) on "Angola 60's (1956 - 1970)" and one (Sofia Rosa) on "Angola 70's (1974- 1978)".

This is what the sleevenotes of these CD's have to report about the artists on this lp:
Dimba Dia N'gola (or Dimba Diangola), founded in 1963 by Dominguinho, Boano da Silva, Barros and Manecas and one of the first bands in Luanda, was a succesful group that managed to survive for two decades, with a few minor interruptions.

Africa Show was founded in 1969 by percussionist and dancer José Massano Junior, and was one of the most modern groups with electric guitars and an organ (Tony Galvâo) and horns (Nando Tamborino on trumpet). They often backed artists like Zé Viola and Teta Lando. They were disbanded in 1975 for reasons linked to the political troubles. Massano left for Zaïre, but returned to Luanda in the early 1980s and played with the group 1e de Maio.

Super Coba (photo on the right) was the most renowned orchestra from Cabinda, with fans in both Congo-Brazzaville and Zaïre. It was a large orchestra (twenty-five members) with four guitars, drums and a solid horn sections. They sang in lingala, kikongo, french, english and portugese. They were known for their extended tracks with breaks and rhythms changes, and also for their covers of Otis Redding and James Brown songs.

Cabinda Ritmos came to Luanda to record "Cafe" (copied from Franco's version of this latin track) at the Voz de Angola studio. They were persuaded by Dionisio Rocha to stay for a series of very succesful concerts. They sang in kikongo and lingala, with a very strong Congolese/Zaïrois influence.

Ngoma Jazz was founded in Luanda by musicians from the north who had been playing in Quinteto Angolano. Two percussionists from Luanda, Mangololo (tumba) and Caetano (bongos), completed the group. Their songs were in kikongo and kimbundu.

Sofia Rosa was a unique star (see photo on the right) in the constellation of great popular singers. He grew up in the Samba district of Luanda, where he learned the kimbundu language and traditions from fishermen and tradeswomen. In 1963 he joined the Ngongo theatrical group and travels with them to Portugal where he appears on tv. He records his first record (45 rpm) in 1970, and seven follow later. He was a great composer and interpreter of songs in kimbundu, expressing the life and feelings of common people. He became famous for his songs, his extraordinary look and his modest and simple personality. He moved to Lobito in 1973. When in November 1975 the Unita forces took the town, Sofia Rosa, who had never concealed his sympathies for the MPLA, was murdered, probably by Savimbi's troups.

About the other four performers, Musangola, Ndombe Jazz, Kibandos do Ritmo and Os Kotumbas, I have found no information.

I can't wait to hear more music from Angola.....

Roda SRL 5541 or Roda SRL 5541