Saturday, December 1, 2007

Congo Fiesta

It's been a couple of months since the last post. The sea isn't dry. I've just been busy with work and our local internet provider also increased its charges 150%. I have saved up a couple of posts. I'm in Europe now for 2 weeks with normal connections so I'll upload a few mixes.

Thanks for all you out there who keep checking in (an average of 60 people a day, from all over the globe!).

In Musoma, last week, in between work, I managed to find some vinyl but usually the records aren't in the greatest shape. No sleeves, just stacks of 45s in plastic bags, often caked with dirt. I did get two decent Cuban Marimba Band 45s (Tanzanian).

For now, here's a set of Latin-influenced Congolese tunes: chachacha, merengue, pachanga, a classic Feruzi composition performed by Franco (it might be Feruzi playing the accordeon on that piece but I'm not sure), and my favorite Dr. Nico tune of the moment: Mwamba wa Mama, where he's mixing in traditional mutuashi rhythms from the Kasai region.

Someone up in Ireland asked where she could find these records. Finding the actual records (in good condition) is very difficult nowadays. These were produced in the 1960s. Still, it should not be too difficult to find good compilations of Congolese music on CD. Vincent Kenis of Crammed discs has reissued old OK Jazz (Roots of Rhumba Rock and Roots of OK Jazz); Wolfgang Bender of Popular African Music released a compilation from the Ngoma label.

Up north now, it's 5 pm, dark, wet, and cold. Here are some tropical tunes to keep you warm. More to come in the next week or so...

Orchestre African Fiesta - Domingo o Sabado
T.P. OK-Jazz - Cha Cha Cha Erique
Orchestre Conga - Santa Christina
Alphonse et l'Orchestre Negro Success - Esta Cum Pachanga
T.P. OK-Jazz - Koyina
Orchestre African Fiesta - Runeme Mama
Orchestre Bantou - Endiable Merengue
Orchestre Bantou de la Capitale - Tu Silencio
Bholen et l'Orchestre Negro Success - Pacha Pachanga
Dr. Nico & African Fiesta - Mwamba wa Mamu



17 comments:

Pieter said...

BennLoxo's latest post features a new Stern's compilation of Tabu Ley material, so do look for that if you like what you hear. You won't be disappointed.

mattgy said...

nice sounds, pieter.

cheers
Matt, from Benn loxo

Tim said...

Hi Pieter. This is a great post. Thank you so much. For your Irish reader, I would recommend Stern's too. Its website has samples so you can check out tunes and it is very reliable for mail order.

"Big Al" Maghreb said...

Great stuff! Good to have you back!

"Big Al" Maghreb said...

You were totally right about that tune by the good doctor, by the way...

Anonymous said...

wonderful music
many thanks

Anonymous said...

pieter...welcome back and thanks for the newly excavated tunes

aduna said...

Thanks for this great post (and for others too). Hope your internet problems are past. Have a good European travel.
Regards
Aduna

jon said...

Nice selection of latin grooves. I just read the title of track seven as 'Inedible merangue' which I think would be a nice title for a song. I must write one. . . ;-)
Jon

Anonymous said...

Gostei muito desse post e seu blog é muito interessante, vou passar por aqui sempre =) Depois dá uma passada lá no meu site, que é sobre o CresceNet, espero que goste. O endereço dele é http://www.provedorcrescenet.com . Um abraço.

zhao said...

hello.

thank you for beautiful blog.

you live in Tanzania, so i am hoping you can tell me what this recording is. my dj partner gave it to me, but does not have any information, other than he thinks it is from the 1960s. but it sounds so modern... so good. it is a very special one.

http://rapidshare.com/files/83174564/Tanzania_Love.zip

or

http://www.mediafire.com/?deqewocfizn

please enjoy. and if you have any information, drop a line here:

http://differentwaters.blogspot.com/

cheers!

Pieter said...

Hi Zhao,

Sorry but downloading 90mb costs too much down here. I'll have to do it some other time, when I'm in Europe and internet is basically free.

Later,

Pieter

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

wow. these are f*cking amazing. have been waiting to hear more music like this. thank you pieter. ciao beto

J said...

Hello Pieter

I am absolutely loving your 45s postings!!! Really great stuff and you are doing a an excellent service for many people around the world who would never hear this music without you. Thank you. And greetings from Los Angeles (Hollywood), EEUU.

PS you may want to delete that spam just above my post. it's real crap.

Anonymous said...

hi pieter , i am anguila gaston demaye ,, i am so happy to see my 45° in your blog ,, i have a new blog now www.myspace.com/demaye

Soniclee said...

Beautiful, beautiful blog.

M.

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