1
01. Kiam - Kamiki
02. Dewayon - Niama Ya Zamba
03. Grands Maquisards -J aria
04. Franco & TP Ok Jazz - Koue koue! Ebony Aboyi Ngaï
05. Dewayon - Tangana
06. Verckyss - Mwana Mburu
07. Lipua Lipua - Losa
08. Trio Madjesi - Photo Ya Majesi
09. Soki Vangu - Zamba
10. Cepakos - Kouka Badian'teseke
11. Soki Vangu - Menga
2
01. Empire Bakuba - Kanu
02. Bavon Marie Marie - Ya Limbisa Bijou
03. Bella Bella - Sola
04. Franklin Boukaka - Nakoko
05. Franco & TP Ok Jazz - Régina
06. Cepakos - Kawiya
07. Tabu Ley - Dialogue
08. Negro Band - Mokili Ekoni Ngana
09. Verckyss - Ya Nini
10. Docteur Nico - Canchita
11. Soki Vangu - Pambi Doni
12. sinza kotoko - Maloukoula
13. Zaiko Langa Langa - Vie Ya Mosolo
'Pont Sur Le Congo surveys the music from two Central African nations that sit on either side of the Congo River; one is currently know as the Democratic Republic of Congo [previously known as the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Zaire, and Congo-Kinshasa] and the other is the much smaller Republic of Congo [aka Congo-Brazzaville). The 1960s and ’70s, the era covered by this set, were a great time for these two countries, both of which have been laid low by military conflict and kleptocratic goverment. Their colonial masters (Belgium and France) had relinquished control, their economies were growing, and the growing urban populations had growing access to modern pleasures like electricity and Western pop music. Which isn’t to say that sounds from outside Africa were new; this neck of the world had already been plugged into international trade routes for 400 years, and Cuban music, in particular, had held sway for decades.
The proliferation of resources and the assertion of a common Congolese identity spurred an efflorescence of home-grown music characterized by ringing, repetitive lead guitars, punchy horn punctuation, easy-swaying poly-rhythmic grooves, and Cuban-influenced vocal melodies known variously as rumba, soukous, and African jazz. The Caribbean elements are especially noteworthy because singers like Franco, Tabu Ley, and L’Orchestre Bella Bella’s Soki Bros. were more likely to sing in Lingala, French or Kikongo. But just as it doesn’t take much rum to spike a drink, a bit of Cuban melody can dominate the flavor of a tune, and those sinuous lines, often buffered by studio reverb, are among the elements that make it easy for an American living in another century who doesn’t understand a word they’re singing to like this music.
Another is the guitar playing. Generally liquid and lyrical, it’s instantly ingratiating. If you mainly know Congolese music from the amped-up thumb pianos of Konono No. 1, you’ll recognize their figures in the cleaner but quite propulsive picking heard on Orchestre Kiam’s “”Kamiki” and Orchestre Bella Bella’s “Sola.” But you’ll also hear hints of North American soul in Franklin Boukaka’s “Nakoko,” which sounds like it was recorded after some intensive listening to Muscle Shoals and Memphis session work, and Docteur Nico ties up his sweet singing on “Canchita” with country & Western-style steel guitar. There isn’t a bum tune amongst the 24 collected on these polycarb frisbees.' ~ Dusted
just in thyme for summer, 320k, aint life sweet?
