Zaire and Congo music reviews

The CD has got a little bit of everything for a music lover;you can dance,sing along or even cry,go to Jo'burg or Soweto.It's too short however and leaves you wanting more.

I had the fun of finding out about Papa Wemba at a surprise appearance he made at an "off Sunset" hot spot in L.A. in the late 90's. At the time, I had recently discovered Peter Gabriel and the Worldbeat sound. Papa and the band took the stage and it was the equivalent of seeing the AfroPop version of James Brown, I kid you not. Just don't expect funk...its more his showmanship and presence that i draw the comparison to.

Now with that type of endorsement you would think that the album would appeal to all. It will not. Emotion is a fantastic array of AfroPop songs which have very catchy hooks, and rhythms. The kind that make you want to dance (even if you are like me and have no rhythm). On that nite, I joined the few hundred others on the dance floor and had the most amazing experience.

Perhaps it was the beats, more likely it was the passion that Mr. Wemba has when he sings. Ok, so I can't tell you what he is singing about (thank god for liner notes) but I can tell you that it is infectious.

Not every song is a hit, they have a feel of a "clean" production, but there will stay with you for a lifetime.



Enjoy!

Very intricate and emotional,this is probably his greatest album so far.The quality of songs is top notch,in fact every one of them is a little gem,warm and sensuous like the African sun.The production on this album is very careful, bringing to the forefront details and nuances that add to its the depth and value.

then you must have forgotten how to!

This was my first album from Papa Wemba and even though a listen to his other works makes one think this is kind of a distillation of more variety-- what's extracted is still pretty pure to ear and pretty likeable to the feet.

The songs here are so polished you will think you have heard them somewhere before on the first listen... and that will make you think that there might be some higher plane of music that we all have access to on a subconscious level but that few of us can play in the studio. Papa Wemba can.

I had the fun of finding out about Papa Wemba at a surprise appearance he made at an "off Sunset" hot spot in L.A. in the late 90's. At the time, I had recently discovered Peter Gabriel and the Worldbeat sound. Papa and the band took the stage and it was the equivalent of seeing the AfroPop version of James Brown, I kid you not. Just don't expect funk...its more his showmanship and presence that i draw the comparison to.

Now with that type of endorsement you would think that the album would appeal to all. It will not. Emotion is a fantastic array of AfroPop songs which have very catchy hooks, and rhythms. The kind that make you want to dance (even if you are like me and have no rhythm). On that nite, I joined the few hundred others on the dance floor and had the most amazing experience.

Perhaps it was the beats, more likely it was the passion that Mr. Wemba has when he sings. Ok, so I can't tell you what he is singing about (thank god for liner notes) but I can tell you that it is infectious.

Not every song is a hit, they have a feel of a "clean" production, but there will stay with you for a lifetime.



Enjoy!

Very intricate and emotional,this is probably his greatest album so far.The quality of songs is top notch,in fact every one of them is a little gem,warm and sensuous like the African sun.The production on this album is very careful, bringing to the forefront details and nuances that add to its the depth and value.

then you must have forgotten how to!

This was my first album from Papa Wemba and even though a listen to his other works makes one think this is kind of a distillation of more variety-- what's extracted is still pretty pure to ear and pretty likeable to the feet.

The songs here are so polished you will think you have heard them somewhere before on the first listen... and that will make you think that there might be some higher plane of music that we all have access to on a subconscious level but that few of us can play in the studio. Papa Wemba can.

There *are* a few good tracks on this disc, but Papa Wemba's all-soukous albums are the Genuine Article -- listen to him with Viva La Musica (his current working group) -- the groove is irresistible, the vocals soar (much more so than on this album) and you'll have a taste of what tout le monde really loves! (Nothing blanded-out or dull, certainment.)

For the world music fan from Europe or North America, I think this is the most accessible of Papa Wemba's albums so far. Here we, poor untrained listeners, can enjoy the full range of his voice, together with the finest of Congolese music. For a person enjoying a great deal of African and Afro-American/Latin American music, especially Cuban, his music really shows the continuity between the two.

I think Papa Wemba went a little American in some of the tracks, however it's still a fine cd. Maybe it's because I (and most Zairians) identify this music with soukouss or African rumba. I'm one of few people of European descent who know his real name. He is one great showman.

There *are* a few good tracks on this disc, but Papa Wemba's all-soukous albums are the Genuine Article -- listen to him with Viva La Musica (his current working group) -- the groove is irresistible, the vocals soar (much more so than on this album) and you'll have a taste of what tout le monde really loves! (Nothing blanded-out or dull, certainment.)

For the world music fan from Europe or North America, I think this is the most accessible of Papa Wemba's albums so far. Here we, poor untrained listeners, can enjoy the full range of his voice, together with the finest of Congolese music. For a person enjoying a great deal of African and Afro-American/Latin American music, especially Cuban, his music really shows the continuity between the two.

I think Papa Wemba went a little American in some of the tracks, however it's still a fine cd. Maybe it's because I (and most Zairians) identify this music with soukouss or African rumba. I'm one of few people of European descent who know his real name. He is one great showman.

Pls amazon provide samples of songs on all your Cds. (Not just this one) I do not purchase any Cd-which I have never heard before unless I can sample a few tracks.

Pls do not bypass this request since I am a frequent returning customer; and this most certainly translates into lost sales for Amazon.

Thank you

R. Alexander

Fans of Congolese music will relish this classic from Franco (with Sam Mangwana taking lead vocal on some of the songs).
"Cooperation"
"Belle Mere"
"Loboko Na Litama", "Tutti", and "Sandoka".
All good representations of TPOK Jazz workouts for this era.
Will make a nice contribution to your Franco and Congolese collection.

Judging by its title (1980-1982 by T.P. OK Jazz), I expected a lot of songs on the CD, to reflect a two-year production of the author. I was somewhat disappointed to see the CD carried only five songs, although the disappointment was somewhat tempered by the high quality of the songs.

More customers would purchase your imports if they knew what songs are on an imported CD in addition to the title of the CD itself. They would make knowledgeable decisions rather than flipping a coin like someone going on blind date.

Barry Miburo

Tabu Ley Rocherau is one of the greatest African pop stars of the 20th Century, with a career that dates back to the late 1950s, and spanned well into the age of modern world music. This live album suffers from '80s-style "world beat" production: too-clean, too-rock drums and simplified melodic runs as prime culprits. Some icky, rock-flavored guitars as well. It is kind of interesting to hear Rocherau play in a live setting, but this stuff is nowhere near as captivating as the music he made in earlier decades, and the presentation as a whole has a kind of simplistic, hurried, Ziggy Marley-ish "gee whiz!" feel to it.

I've listened to so many soukous music, this is not as good as the better ones that I've listened to. It lacks power and soukous style and rhythm. Some might find different than I did, but that just my opinion about it.

Zaiko Langa Langa have done the CD "Poison" with extra zeal. What is amazing is how they still sound very Zaiko of the 70s and 80s l have lived to love. Proverbs 22:1 takes you to the dance floor with impulse. Liloba number is the upbeat which leaves you wanting to listen to the Old "Dede". I recomend you buy both CD and the video. The dance is wonderful. Long Live Zaiko Langa Langa.

Even if I have not got this album the poison,let me asure you African music lovers that this will definitely rock your world.The Zaiko Langa Langa you get to know is a team of very energetic musicians who have been known as the rock music of Africa for years now. Usually they are so vibrant to the extent that at the end of the club night with this band,you would have had every reason to enjoy life.I grew up dancing to Zaiko and I will do so for ever.Long live Zaiko and Long live Africa who breeds a long list of award winning musicians in this great continent.

Kanda recorded and produced this album in South Africa. However unlike Welcome to South Africa which he also recorded in South Africa, but with mostly seasoned Soukouss musicians like Dali Kimoko, Ngouma Lokito and Lokassa, among others, Kanda uses mostly South African musicians on this one and the whole thing doesn't sound right. Even the guitar work is not as polished as the previous works and sounds a little strange, for the lack of a better word. The South African influnences on Swalati are heavily evident on most songs, like the Mbanqanga on the title track which Kanda did with David Masondo and The Black Moses (Ngwenya) of The Soul Brothers. The production is not up to the high standards that we have come to expect from Congolese musicians however and if you're new to Kanda you'll be better off buying some of his old stuff instead. Unless if you're looking for something a little bit eclectic of course.

I found this CD hugely disappointing. Kanda Bongoman did not do his fans any justice with this CD. Unlike the fast-tempo beats found in Zing Zong, Kwassa Kwassa, Live In Central Park et cetera in which he actually does the singing, he does nominal singing in this Sweet CD. The beat itself verges on the ordinary and if I had known it would be this bad, I would not have bought it.