I haven't found much information on this album. It was released in 1976 by D.G.A.C. (Direction Generale des Affaires Culturelles du Congo - General Administration of Congolese Cultural Affairs, Congo-Brazzaville). It's a celebration of the national musical talent, enlisted to uplift Congo' scientific socialism of the time. For French-speakers, there's Vision, a lament about slavery's chains, imperialist orders, and popular revolutions.Congolese coups, assasinations, and revolutions aside (Congo-Brazza saw its share of those), this album showcases the talents of master musicians like Essous, Pandi, Malapet, Ricky Malonga, and Passy Mermans. At that time, 1976, they already had a long history behind them in bands like Bantous de la Capitale and Rock-A-Mambo (as well given serious infusions to Franco's OK Jazz), and here the musicians sound like they're having fun with musical experiments, a revolutionary version of Tokumisa Congo (We congratulate Congo) in Ah Congo! and straight classic grooves like Pembe Kanisa.
It's a great album. I never heard or saw a Volume 2...
Orchestre National du Congo - Ntima Ngongo
Orchestre National du Congo - Pembe Kanisa
Orchestre National du Congo - Kintuari
Orchestre National du Congo - Ah Congo!
Orchestre National du Congo - Vision
11 comments:
Pieter,
thanks for this - its really a pretty cool LP - interesting that Orchestre National du Congo is more western sounding/influenced than anything Les Bantous were doing during the same time period.
Yes, Pieter. Thank you! Very interesting album. I would love to see the back of the jacket.
DavidN
Re-reading a bit of "Rumba on the River", it seems Bantous suffered a series of setbacks in the early 1970s, plus the economies of both Congos weren't favorable to musicians dependant on record sales or live performances. A number of Bantous members had left, until 1978 and a 're-unification' plus concerts in Havana...
I'll add the back of the jacket.
I've been busily reading the same parts of the same book, Pieter.
Thanks for adding the back cover and thanks again for the favor last week!
DavidN
Wow! Looking at the back cover, I see only three names that I do not recognize as members of Les Bantous de la Capitale, assuming that "Ange Zendo" is Ange Linaud.
DavidN
thank you thank you
very nice record
Bantou-riffic! Merci!
Hello, Peter,
Do you really live in Tanzania? I am asking that because I am from Brazil, and a fan of old African music. I am searching for old 78 rpm records with African music. I have available for a possible trade many Afro-Brazilian music and some African music on LP and singles format.
My e-mail is
mayukha@yahoo.com
Thank you
Emerson
Great LP
Seems like 3 tracts are missing
Thanks for this
Wuod
Merci Peter,
L'orchestre national du congo était constitué de musiciens provenant de divers orchestres, principalement des bantous de la capitale (pandi, essous, nino, memans, etc.)
pourriez-vous rajouter les chansons Mossendjo (merveilleuse composition d'essous) et Bilanga.
Merci pour ce LP
Could you reup the LP by any chance? Looking for it for quite a while and would really appreciate it (like many others I'm sure!)
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