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