CONGO CLASSICS

Wendo, in memoriam

by Vincent Luttman

On Tuesday 29th July 2008, the last of the founding fathers of Congolese popular music, Antoine 'Wendo' Kolosoyi, or Papa Wendo died in Kinshasa aged 83 years.

Victoria Bankolo Miziki at Ronnie Scotts, London, Autumn 2002

Papa Wendo was born in the then-Belgian Congo's Bandundu province in 1925. His mother was a singer and his father a hunter. His father died when he was aged just seven. For the next two years he was raised by his mother. However, tragically, at nine years of age, he was orphaned, when she also died. From then on, the boy was raised and schooled by Catholic missionaries. For Wendo the mission was an unhappy place and he left aged just twelve or thirteen. His first employment was on the riverboats, ferrying both people and freight between the busy Leopoldville docks and the towns and settlements scattered along the banks of the mighty Congo River.

At the age of 16, he settled in Leopoldville (now called Kinshasa), the capital of the then-Belgian Congo, there he began a career as a middleweight boxer, but after about three years he decided to end his career in boxing, returning once again to the riverboats. In his free time Wendo would sing and play guitar, a skill acquired during his time with the missionaries, and later refined on the riverboats. Wendo himself once said he 'gained his interest in music from his mother' and the his turning point was when, after her death, she came to him in a dream, telling him 'music was his way forward'. Also, when working on the boats, during a trip to Brazzaville, Wendo witnessed a performance of the musician Palo Kamba and his orchestra called Victoria-Brazza. Wendo became a fan and inspired by this, decided to create his own orchestra in Leopoldville, which in homage, he named Victoria-Kin.

In 1945, Wendo and Victoria Kin began recording for the Leopoldville based Olympia label. The sound of these early orchestras was heavily percussive, using traditional instruments, such as drums, marimbas and thumb pianos alongside an occasional guitar, and of course, call and response vocals. Throughout his career, Wendo's compositions were simple songs, their lyrics celebrated the joys, heartbreaks and complexities of urban life. This is what gave Wendo his charm, and compositions such as 'Nafuti yo mbongo' (I gave you money) and 'Bokilo mabe' (literally bad in-law or bad relative) clearly show how everybody could relate in some way to the sentiments he expressed.

Young Wendo, from NGOMA THE EARLY YEARS, 1948-60 (Popular African Music)

In 1948, Wendo joined another label called editions Ngoma. That year, he scored a huge hit with 'Marie Louise', a simple love song, sung for the sister of his friend and musical collaborator, guitarist Henri Bowane. It was a slightly different musical style from his previous recordings and the song brought him both big success and big problems, all because of its sheer musical beauty, which the Kinois public found absolutely irresistible. 'Marie Louise' importantly championed a new era in Congolese music, where people danced differently from before, where unlike the older social dances, men and women now danced as couples. In this new social dance known as the 'rumba', the women majestically and sensually swayed their hips, and this brought Wendo big problems. The Catholic Church began complaining bitterly about the 'immorality' of the rumba, and with all this furor, gossip soon began to spread. Wendo was proclaimed to be the devil incarnate, with people saying; 'when Marie Louise was played near to Leopoldville's Gombe cemetery, the dead would rise from their graves to dance', 'the song is so seductive it turns schoolboys into drunkards', and the song 'tempts even missionaries toward evil'. So basically, the church saw the popularity of 'Marie Louise' as provoking public disorder, and the gossip particularly, had to be stopped. Enough was enough. The church implored the colonial authorities to do something about this and eventually they did. An order was issued for Wendo's arrest and imprisonment. Fortunately, Wendo discovered this in time, leaving Leopoldville for a few months and exiling himself to the far away city of Kisangani in the east of the country. Eventually, the outcry died down and Wendo returned to Leopoldville. However to show justice had been done, the colonial authorities still arrested Wendo, forcing him to spend a few weeks in prison. But of course, all this fuss could only enhance his success. Through the song 'Marie Louise', Papa Wendo kick-started the modern popular music of the two Congos into being, and such is the importance of his role in these first formative years, that today the era is known as 'Tango ya ba Wendo' (the time of Wendo), meaning, when Papa Wendo led, and everybody else followed. However, although Papa Wendo had started the ball rolling, within just a few years, the music scene advanced rapidly. Soon a plethora of ensembles and orchestras were playing in ever more sophisticated styles and so, by as early as the mid 1950s, although still holding its own, Wendo's musical style was already considered to be a little 'passé'. In 1954 the Ngoma record label then decided to team Wendo up with two of the labels other big stars, namely, Leon Bukassa and Manuel Olivera. Thus the trio BOW was born. The trio BOW or Bukassa-Olivera-Wendo enjoyed immense popularity across the Congo especially after undertaking several tours of its provinces. The trio's members also continued to release records under both their own names and as the trio BOW, right up to the close of the decade. However as the 1950s drew to a close, Papa Wendo's career seemed pretty much done, electric guitars had displaced the acoustic and although hailed as a visionary and a pioneer of Congolese pop, it seemed Wendo had been consigned to the dustbin of music history aged only 35. The 30th June 1960 importantly heralded Congolese independence from Belgium. Unfortunately what followed, was a colonially contrived disaster of monumental proportions. Finally after five years of political turmoil and brutal civil war, in late 1965, a coup d'état was staged, leading to the beginning of a new political era known in Congo as the first republic. An essential part of this new republic was a strategy to reunite Congolese across the vast nation. This included bringing forth the artists who had previously challenged the boundaries of colonialism through their music. Thus Congolese politicians approached the bandleader Rochereau Tabu Ley asking him to assist in resurrecting the career of Wendo Kolosoy. And so Papa Wendo briefly joined Rochereau's orchestra African Fiesta National as a featured singer. Here he rerecorded a number of his old compositions for Rochereau's label 'Editions Flash'. Unfortunately however the collaboration did not last long, since after offending the Congolese President -- Joseph Desiré Mobutu -- Rochereau found himself and his orchestra suspended. Furthermore the orchestra then suffered from a series of defections by key musicians. Poor Wendo found himself to be the least of Rochereau's mounting problems, and sidelined, he quickly slipped back into obscurity.

In 1968 to add insult to injury, Rochereau recorded a song called 'Mokitani ya Wendo' or the Successor of Wendo. This song drew musically from the distinct composition style Wendo had formulated and as it climbed the charts, becoming a massive hit, poor Papa Wendo was outraged, complaining: 'How can he claim to be my successor -- when I am still alive?' Musically, little more was heard of Wendo until 1973, when in another nationalist propaganda drive, this time for political and social 'Authenticity', the Zairian leadership commissioned a 2 volume 4LP set entitled 'Bankolo Miziki' (music of the ancestors). Here Wendo contributed new recordings of eight titles across the four LPs. Also, with the launch of the 'Bankolo Miziki' initiative, all of the old musicians spread across the four discs, enjoyed a career revival, performing at some of the cities top nightspots including the Intercontinental hotel and the OKAPI. Furthermore the musicians also received the accolade of the country's top political and business figureheads in regular attendance at their shows. The revival of these older musicians under the auspice of 'Authenticity' also included a weekly TV show screened across the nation, where popular artists of the era such as Wendo performed live.

Furthermore, the president of the Zairian State, Mobutu Sese Seko, promised a whole bundle of other initiatives to help the 'elder' musicians re-launch their careers. But ultimately as with so many other things he promised, he failed to deliver anything. Thus Papa Wendo was once again relegated to the sidelines and as the country's economy now began to rapidly fall apart. Wendo returned to the shadows, continuing work with his orchestra Victoria-Kin, and undertaking performances at small social functions such as weddings and funerals, whenever asked. The next time Papa Wendo commanded a big stage was not until 1983, following the death of the first state proclaimed 'Grand Master' of Congolese music, Joseph Kabaselle. Held at Kinshasa's grand 'Palais du Peuple', Wendo performed two songs including a duet with Henri Bowane of the song 'Marie Louise'.

However the previous year, he also had enjoyed another brief revival, when he was invited to record two of his compositions with Papa Wemba and the orchestra Viva La Musica. The collaboration was billed as the 'meeting of the two Papas', but unfortunately, once again, the taste of success for Wendo was to be a bitter one, and not long after the release of the two songs, he appeared on national TV complaining that that he had received no payment whatsoever for these works. With the 1980s of course, also came the worldwide interest in African music, and European documentary filmmakers visited Kinshasa regularly in order to tell a sanitized version of its musical history to foreign audiences. Thus Wendo appeared for about two minutes in the 1987 BBC series 'Under African Skies' where he plays an acoustic guitar and gives a small interview sitting on the steps outside his small home. With the 1980s also came new problems, and Wendo continued in his role of educator or moralizer to the people with the song 'Marie', where he warns listeners to be careful of the new sickness called SIDA or AIDS. In 1989-90 a Belgian documentary film crew visited Kinshasa with the specific intent of documenting Papa Wendo's history. The documentary film titled 'Tango ya ba Wendo' (in the time of Wendo) appeared the following year, as did an excellent accompanying CD of music from the film titled 'Nani Akolela Wendo'. Although the film received some promotion in Europe, sadly it was a missed opportunity for the world to realize Wendo's importance.

Finally in 1997 former President Mobutu Sese Seko fled and Zaire was no more. Under the leadership of Laurent Kabila the country became the Democratic Republic of Congo and perhaps unsurprisingly, Papa Wendo again resurfaced. This time apparently, on account of President Kabila's fond childhood memories of his parents dancing to Wendo's music. And so once again Wendo was brought forward as a living monument to the music of the ancestors, and in 1998, aged 72, along with a small group of musicians from his Victoria Kin orchestra (now renamed 'Victoria Bankolo Miziki'), he began to tour outside of the DR Congo for the first time.

Victoria Bankolo Miziki. From Left:
Papa Wendo - Vula Kiankatu Missy - Albert Emina - Mukubwele Nzoku Bikunda - Munangange Joseph Maproko

	In 1999, Label Bleu records (France) released Papa Wendo's second CD titled Marie Louise. Alongside the new recordings of classic Wendo hits, the selection also surprisingly included a homage to the recently deceased Congolese singer Pepe Kalle. In a way it seems ironic that the father of Congolese modern music should be paying tribute to a man so many years his junior, but it shows the beauty of Papa Wendo's work and how the 'Rumba Congolaise' crosses over so many generations.
	Touring also began to take greater prominence and in 2000, as well as making regular appearances at European world music festivals, Wendo, aged 75, gave his debut performances in the USA. In 2002 Wendo also recorded his third CD titled Amba (Marabi records, France), and one Sunday night that autumn, he finally made his London debut at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in Soho. That same year, Wendo began collaborations with a group of younger musicians named the Rumbanella band, and a number of recordings featuring Wendo appeared on their CD entitled El Congo Kin-Brazza (Marabi records). But age and a tough work schedule began to take their toll, and in 2004, already suffering from severe arthritis in his hands, Wendo Kolosoyi suffered a stroke whilst resting between tours in Europe. This left him unable to stand unaided and also with a partly paralyzed face, yet still he continued to perform.
	Also in 2004 a European production team visited Kinshasa to begin work on another Wendo documentary, titled On the rumba river showcasing Wendo's story alongside performance footage of his group. It debuted in European 'art' cinemas late last year, but although it carries English subtitles, sadly, has yet to find a UK distributor. That said an excellent soundtrack CD from the film is already available. Shortly after finally returning to Kinshasa in 2005, Papa Wendo was again admitted to hospital, and after a long period hospitalized, he found himself unable to meet the costly treatment fees. Also to compound his problems, whilst in hospital his home was burgled and most of his possessions stolen. However the government intervened asking Kiamwangana Mateta, head of the DRC musicians union, to organize a benefit concert to raise funds for Papa Wendo's welfare. Thus his costs were met and all seemed (at least temporarily) happy.

In 2007 Papa Wendo was once again hospitalized in Kinshasa, and rumors spread that he had died. In fact, such was the strength of the rumor, that at a church in Wendo's neighborhood, a memorial service was held. But Wendo wasn't dead and when he heard about this, he discharged himself from hospital, insisting to be taken straight to the church to dispel the rumors in person. Thus Wendo arrived at the church and as he entered, mass panic erupted, the congregation believing that his ghost had appeared. And then the ghost spoke: 'Papa Wendo Akufi Te!' (Wendo's not yet dead) he proclaimed.

Reflecting back upon Wendo's long career, it seems wonderfully ironic that Wendo, the man who all those years before, it was said could raise the dead, might one day be viewed himself as the living dead. I wonder if 'Marie Louise' was playing when he entered!

And so on Tuesday 29th July 2008, Papa Wendo finally departed from this life aged 83 years. For many years in his beautifully melancholic composition 'Liwa Ya Wendo' he had foretold of his death. Finally it had become a reality.

Farewell to Congolese music's most famous father.

Vincent Luttman is one third of the team behind Nostalgie Ya Mboka, a unique radio programme focusing upon the older musics of the two Congos, broadcast in English, Lingala and French on Saturdays 1.30-2.30 p.m. GMT London wide and streamed worldwide via www.resonancefm.com.
Photos of Wendo at Ronnie Scott's, Autumn 2002, by Hisano Luttman

THE GOLDEN SOUND OF CONGO

The other day as I was driving her to the airport, the Duchess said the nicest thing. "I miss hearing your Congolese oldies," she said, "You should have a satellite radio station of nothing but Congolese oldies!" (We were listening to a tape of the classic Pathé-Marconi album EN DIRECT DU CONGO.) "What a great idea," I said, "There's plenty of niche markets out there, but honestly, I think my dee-jaying days are over." Ten years of Tuesday nights devoted to the celestial airwaves: I did my bit for the cause. I used to joke that I was North America's first African oldies deejay and often did a two-hour show of nothing but African oldies. No one complained. But how much could I play before it got repetitious? A quick guesstimate says I have at least 650 hours of Congolese music. I could put it all on shuffle and go for about a month without repeating! But since that is not going to happen, I decided to put together more discographies of my favourite Congolese bands. There are three main families of Congolese music: Generation Kalle, Generation Franco & Clan Zaiko Langa Langa. The latter is generally available. There are excellent discographies of the Zaiko splinter groups in Ronnie Graham's WORLD OF AFRICAN MUSIC VOL 2 (BLP Research Associates, 1992). With a little effort you can find music by Verckys & Veve, Bella Bella of the Soki brothers, Empire Bakuba of Pepe Kalle & Papy Tex, Zaiko Langa Langa and their offspring, African All Stars (including Theo Blaise Kounkou), Pamelo Mounka'a, Les formidable Quatre Etoiles, & Papa Wemba & his various Viva la Musica brands. I have reviewed the RETRO collection of Verckys, as well as Nyboma's & Wemba's retrospectives on Stern's, on the Congo2 page, here I will discuss the older branches. GENERATION KALLE Back row: Petit Pierre, Dechaud, Brazzos, Nico; Front row: Vicky, Roger, Kalle Joseph Kabasele (1930-83), "Le Grand Kalle" [front right with gourd guiro], is the central figure in the rumba Congolaise. His band African Jazz and later African Team spanned the era from the Belgian colony of the late nineteen-fifties to the Independence movement of the mid-sixties. Tino Baroza was the lead guitarist (with his brother Dicky on rhythm), but eventually the young teacher of auto mechanics, Nicolas Kassanda wa Mikalayi, and his brother Mwamba Dechaud became the instrumental focus. They pioneered the mi-solo guitar style which is the key characteristic of all Congolese pop. The brothers' sympathy & intuition led to a "one-mind" approach that fed riffs back and forth between them. Echoes of the Nico-Dechaud style can be heard from Angola to Zimbabwe, with major exponents found in the guitar bands of Mali and Guinea. Great early songs of African Jazz, "Para Fifi," "Jamais Kolonga," "Essous Spiritou," "Cococo ... Qui est la?" "Loboko na litama," are heard on GEFRACO AMCD01, though the source was obviously a much-played LP. There were six Sonodisc CDs: 36560 & 36561 Succès des Annees 50/60 included "Kelya" and "Ambiance Kalle Catho," Ruphine Missive (CDS36582) included the material sung by teenage Tabu Ley Rochereau. The period 1958-60 is covered on 36503, which includes "Bacara," "El que siembre su maiz," (Miguel Matamoros' class-A Cuban son) and "Table ronde," and on Volume 2 of Merveilles du Passé (36506) which has "Moselebende to bolingo," "BB69," and other hits. Interestingly "Africa Mokili Mobimba" is on many compilations but none of the individual African Jazz CDs. It was the lead track on Sonodisc LP 360 142 Merveilles du Passé volume 1. African Jazz was the nursery for a whole sound which led to a great studio band, Orchestre Rock-a-Mambo that included a rotating roster of Kalle's performers, including Kabasele himself, Lucie Eyenga, Rossignol, Nino Malapet, Papa Noel, the young Wuta Mayi, and Lemy. Adou Elenga, one of the elders, and composer of "Maria Tebbo," returned from Angola to help set up the new band. This interchangeable pool of talent was associated with the Esengo label. Albums, EPs and singles were released on Pathé-Marconi & Columbia and are now very hard to find. Typical merengues and cha-chas were heard on the Hit Parade Africain series and the album AFRICAN MEMORIES. Rock-a-Mambo was the mother of Bantous de la Capitale, which also included a splinter group from OK Jazz, thereby uniting the two main styles of Congolese rumba across the river in Brazzaville.

courtesy of Bolingo.org

The other great bands of this era are the moody Cercul Jazz of Franklin Boukaka, Vedette Jazz, Orchestre Conga of brothers DeWayon (Paul Ebengo) & Johnny Bokelo, which later split into Cobantou (DeWayon) & Conga Succès (Bokelo), and the Negro Band led by Max Massengo, who adopted folkloric rhythms on the guitar but kept a latin influence in the horns. Their clarinet and sax leads dominated the sound of the 60s. From their base "Chez Faignon" in Brazza they took Paris by storm in 1968, appearing on television and cutting the classic album A TOUT CASSER ("Everything crash") and twenty other tracks in a marathon session. But the most amazing development of the era was the splinter group African Fiesta which broke away from Kalle in 1964, led by Nico, with Rochereau on vocals. Esengo had released singles by African Jazz Nico and a group called African Rock, which sounds like another hybrid of Rock'a Mambo. Dr Nico's catalogue is currently out of print, apart from the material put out by Rochereau in a questionable deal with Sylla. Nico's daughter has the master tapes and licensed the Josky/Nico set that came out in 2006. She may have unreal expectations of the tapes' worth, or she may be reluctant to deal with the sharks in suits that want to rip her off. Meanwhile the tapes are probably decaying in the humidity. Similarly Kalle's heirs have leased some stuff in the recent past, but I presume if you have read this far without saying, What the hell is he talking about, then you are hip enough to buy any Nico, Kalle or Franco you come across.

Photograph copyright 1973 by Eliot Elisofon, National Geographic	FRANCO & OK JAZZ From his first gig with Watam, a folkloric troupe, to his nearly three decades of dominance of African pop music, there was always something special about Franco Luambo Makiadi, who was born July 6, 1939, the son of a woman who ran a doughnut stand in the market in Kinshasa. He started out on a home-made guitar that was bigger than him, but he finally outgrew the Congo itself. He created a picking style that involved two notes on both hands, so he was fretting a chord with his left hand and plucking a two-note lead with his right. It seems like a simple idea, given the finger-picking that developed all over Central Africa in imitation of likembe patterns, but Franco created a distinctive sound that involved inverting the riff, dragging the tempo and locking into a pattern that sends listeners into a trance. For this reason his fans are always patiently awaiting his moment in any given song. At first he was just one of a number of artists, like Johnny Bokelo and DeWayon, who offered a harder alternative to the laid-back sound of the Grand Kalle school (and, frankly, les mélomanes kinois were getting a little tired of the endless cha-cha-cha), but gradually OK Jazz swept all before them, absorbing other bands, and Franco himself stifled any stirrings in the ranks, leading inevitably to splinter groups as talents like Verckys abandoned ship to forge their own careers. Franco's catalogue is currently in abeyance but I hear all that is soon to change, maybe this year (2007). There's plenty of hungry mouths to feed in Kinshasa so the ex-wives need to agree on their cut. There is a 2-volume set in print, which barely scratches the surface of his 3000+ songs. Franco's great songs are legion. Typically there's a long exposition with vocals and chorus and then a horn section that punctuates the proceedings. About 6 minutes into any given number the seben starts with a tempo change and the guitar interplay intensifies. Here are some of my favourites: "Ah, bolingo pasi" is an early number, sung by Vicky Longomba, that shows the connection to the rumba style of African Jazz. You can hear it on the RetroAfric CD Originalité. African rumba is very different from its Cuban counterpart: check out Franco's version of Eddie Palmieri's "Café" and tell me it doesn't surpass the original. I love the songs of the late 60s that have talking intros. "Finga Mama Munu" begins with Franco & composer Mujos shooting the sh*t, then they launch into this great number, complete with a sax solo by Verckys. It's on the Rough Guide to Franco. I first heard it on the LP The Sound of Kinshasa (Original Music OMA 102) -- an excellent introduction to the roots of the Congolese pop sound though likely to bias you towards African Fiesta. When Franco died in 1989, Sam Mangwana was on tour with Les Quatres Etoiles. I caught them at the Manyatta, an African club in Oakland. The audience wanted to hear "Mado" (written by bass-player Celi Bitsou) one of Franco's great songs from 1971, and the band played it twice. (It's also on the Rough Guide to Franco.) Franco didn't have a great singing voice, he always struggles to stay in tune, but his rough delivery is distinctive. In "Mado," sometimes called "Infidelité Mado," he & Youlou Mabiala sing in harmony about unfaithfulness and suffering, and many people acquired some Lingala from memorizing the lyrics (my transcription): Oh Mado, motema Pasi mingi ye Muasi ngai na lingi Aboya ngai na makasi Na kozonga mboka na boyi to kutana na Mado Yo na mobali na yo bosimbana maboko This short song contains several of the best Franco solos on record. That night Mangwana & his all-stars also performed "Liwa ya wech," the sad ballad written by Franco in memory of a fan of OK Jazz, Francois Wech who died in the 60s. Sam had been in OK Jazz a couple of times, and his presence always spurred them on to some of their greatest music. In the early 80s he sang on "Azda" (the song about the VW dealership in Kinshasa), "Assitu," "Mabele," "Inoussa," and many others. Mangwana sang on a surprisingly great number of OK Jazz songs. You can hear him on "Nkoma mbanda na mama ya mobali ngai" (CD35 571), in a duet with Franco, and then in the late 80s material, which I find less compelling. Franco fans will argue with me, but after his band became so big it could go on without him, it was less interesting. He also added synthesizer and syn-drums which give it a dated sound. Personally, I like the late-70s through mid-80s period. An absolute classic is "Cinq ans ya fabrice (Five years in the making)" found on CHEZ FABRICE A BRUXELLES (Edipop 027 1983). It's a formula he used often: the band percolates along while Franco declaims his lyrics. There is a chorus and a bright guitar arpeggio but the attempted break-out is suppressed (though you know it's coming). Franco keeps going, reminding you he's the boss, extolling record stores, bringing in a bunch of seemingly irrelevant data to invoke another chorus, until finally he rips out his double-finger lead, but then there's a second double-fingered lead, who is who here? It's awesome, like twin Francos playing twin-fingered leads, one in each channel. It's hot. Equally stunning from the early 80s is "Mouzi," also known by its full title "Liyanzi ekoti ngai na motema," composed and sung by Ntesa Dalienst. There's a rolling quality to this 15-minute workout, again helped by ticking percussion and a percolating backbeat leading to a multiple-pronged attack on the guitars. It's on A PARIS VOLUME 1 (FAN 003) as well as A PARIS VOL 2 (Makossa M23377), and BEST OF FRANCO (Rhythmes & Musiques RM890). It also appears on two CDs: EN COLERE VOL 2 & BEST OF DALIENST VOL 2. On the first album it is followed by another smoker, "Youyou" by Ndombe Opetum (ex-Afrisa & ex-Afrisam), which has a florid descant by Franco that is picked up by the two-part horn chorus, then he fills in extra notes & they glide out in a sublime haze. A ballad by Franco and another from Simaro round out the LP which is one of the most satisfying all-round.
	Another Franco composition which is perhaps less well-known but is a personal favourite is "Loboko," a 15 minute jam that was also released as a 45 and scored a pan-African hit in 1980. "Mobali aboyi na ye kako" also clocks in at 11 minutes. It came out as the lead cut on a Ghana pressing of 360.129 most of which was gathered on CDS36598. One channel seems off in this, perhaps a manufacturing flaw. But there is a lot of echo, so maybe the engineer was trying out something novel. It also appears, in disguise, on the CD Franco & OK Jazz EN COLERE VOL 2 1979-80 (CDS 6862). It's the third track, which is listed as "Nakomipesa na nani?" I have not found this actual track anywhere, but the third track on this CD is definitely "Mobali aboyi na ye kako." Despite Sonodisc's typical screw-up mis-labelling and duplicating it, this track is a gem. One of the pinnacles of OK Jazz was the return of Sam Mangwana in 1982 which led to ODONGO (EDIPOP 17, voted album of the year in 1982 and winner of a special Maracas d'Or), another of the best all-round OK Jazz sessions. It is now scattered about and someone (Günter?) ought to gather the bits and do the definitive album, including the after-hours set by Sam Mangwana and a core of OK Jazz with guests from Bobongo Stars. Parts of this session came out on Canta Moçambique on Popular African Music vinyl LP13. "Faute ya comerçant" and "Liwa ya niekesse" are on the PAM LP. Another version of "Faute ya comerçant" and "Zala sportif" can be found on OK Jazz CDS 6854. The big blockbuster, popularly known as "Co-operation," appeared on CDS 6860, along with "Loboko na Litama." It is also as the lead cut on GOLDEN AFRIQUE VOLUME 2. The incongruously titled Sam Mangwana album THE VERY BEST OF 2001 (BMP00158-2) included "Canta Moçambique" (originally titled "Moçambique oye") and "Marabenta" with the same band, including Dizzy Mandjeku and Empompo Loway. On the PAM album this last cut is called "Vamos para o campo." Glad we got that sorted. Sam also shows up on the back of a Rhythmes et Musiques album FRANCO JOUE AVEC SAM MANGWANA (RMU850), singing "Awela-Awela," a hot number by Mpudi Deca (It's erroneously listed as A2), and this is followed by "Aziza" on the B side (also mis-labelled). Not to place too much importance on Mangwana, he was a huge success in and out of OK Jazz. In addition to his group Les Maquisards, he was also in Vox Africa of Jeannot Bombenga. Vox Africa was a super-group of the late 60s that also included the great Papa Noel on guitar. Noel had been in African Jazz, Rock-a-Mambo & Les Bantous de la Capitale. Other great vocalists, Ndombe Opetum, Ntesa Dalienst and Youlou Mabiala fronted OK Jazz.
	EDIPOP From 1980 to 1986 Franco took control of his own record production and distribution and created 30 albums which were released on three labels: Edipop, for OK Jazz releases, and VISA and Passeport which were for up-and-coming talent, though the VISA series also featured recordings by Celi Bittsu and Dewayon. Much of this material never made it to CD and is now very sought-after as it is some of the best music to come out of Zaire in the golden age of rumba Congolaise. Like their leader, OK Jazz was huge, swallowing up other bands, like Les Maquisards, and poaching talent from other bands, even Afrisa of Rochereau. Among the singers in this golden age were Wuta Mayi, Josky Kiambukuta, Ntesa Dalienst, Madilu System, Kiesse Diambu and Malage de Lugendo. Gerry Dialungana, "Gege" Mangaya, Dizzy Mandjeku and Papa Noel are among the guitarists. Plus there's a huge horn section. The whole band seems to turn on a dime, waiting for him to throw a new riff at the sound. The atmosphere is electric, then Franco cuts through it like a hot wire though cheese. (Yes, probably that soft Vache Qui Rit stuff they eat in France, but it is still razor sharp.) By the late 80s Franco was billed as the Balzac of Africa as he launched into a series of album-length soap operas criticising Zairois characters. TRES IMPOLI was a real scorcher. Bass-player Deca [far left] does a high-pitched cracked woman's voice on the phone for "Mamou," which always gets a laugh. In the late years, Josky and Madilu were the lead singers for the band. Ntesa went solo and put out one of the classic grooves of the soukous era: "Dangara," on DEF001, with another stunner, "Belalo" on the A side. He teamed up with Josky for the SANS FRONTIERE album which had his hit "Selengina" on it. When Franco died, age 51, in 1989, Justus M. Kasoya in Nairobi assembled 10 half-hour LPs that were put out as the IN MEMORIAM series on Polygram Kenya. These collected many great Franco singles, including "Mado" which has been anthologised many times (on at least 4 LPs and 2 CDs). Some of the IN MEMORIAM albums were straight reissues of Sonodisc albums, i.e. volume one was Editions Populaires (360.053, 1974). Volume 5 was a reissue of Authenticité vol 1 (360.070) while vol 6 was a reissue of Authenticité vol 4 (360.078). Earlier Polygram albums (Ten Years Ago and Fifteen Years Ago vol 3), came out as IN MEMORIAM volume 8, and IN MEMORIAM volume 7. Curiously the A & B sides were reversed on the reissues.