“Mariama”, a programme with African music.
In today’s Mariama, the focus is on vintage Congolese rumba and soukous. We have received early recordings from 1966, including those of Franco Luambo Makiadi and Tabu Ley Rocherau. The sound recording medium is a bit scratched, but still very much worth listening.
Franco Luambo, or Franco in short, is mainly known as the master of rumba music and of soukous. He was born in Kinshasa in 1938 and played a self-built guitar from a young age, and became a professional musician at age 15. In 1956, he was co-founder of his band T.P. OK Jazz, an abbreviation of “Tout Puissant Orchestre Kinois Jazz” and he is seen as one of the founding fathres of modern Congolese music. He recorded 150 albums in his life. In this programme, recordings of LP ‘L’Afrique Danse No 6’.
12 October 2010 marked twenty years since Franco’s death. As a tribute, Congolese guitar player Syran Mbenza and his Rumba Kongo ensemble recorded the CD ‘Immortal Franco: Africa’s unrivalled guitar legend’. He wants that to keep Franco Luambo’s memory alive. He has succeeded in making Franco’s style sound very modern.
To close off, Tabu Ley Rocherau. He formed Orchestre l’African Fiesta-National in 1965. Of this group, we play LP ‘Les Merveilles du Passé nr. 4’.
1.Franco Orchestre O.K. Jazz. ‘La Vérite de Franco’. (Franco).
Franco Orchestre O.K. Jazz. L’Afrique Danse No 6. (1966). African–360.006 S.
2.Franco Orchestre O.K. Jazz. Matinda. (Franco).
3. Aboya Yo. (Franco).
Franco Orchestre O.K. Jazz. L’Afrique Danse No 6. (1966). African–360.006 S.
4. Syran Mbenza & his ensemble Rumba Kongo. Heritage Ya Luambo. (Mbenza).
5. Beyou Motema.
Syran Mbenza & his ensemble Rumba Kongo.
Immortal Franco: Africa’s unrivalled guitar legend. (2009). World Music Records.
6. Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo. Liyanzi Ekoti Ngai Na Motema.
7. Matinda.
8. Infidelité Mado.
Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo.
Immortal Franco: Africa’s unrivalled guitar legend.(2009). World Music Records.
8. Rocherau et L’African-Fiesta National. Djibebeke.
9. Laisse-toi Aimer.
Rocherau et L’African-Fiesta National.
Les Merveilles du Passé no.4. (1995). African 360.008 S (Flash).
10. Rocherau et L’African-Fiesta National. Mokolo Nakokufa.
Rocherau et L’African-Fiesta National.
Les Merveilles du Passé no.4. (1995). African 360.008 S (Flash).