Mariama

In 1959, the orchestra Les Bantous de la Capitale is founded by a few members of Rock A Mambo, together with some members of Orchestre T.P.O.K. Jazz from Brazzaville. The clarinettist and saxophonist Jean-Serge Essous and the singers Édouard Nganga and Celestin N’Kouka came from the latter orchestra, while saxophonist Nino Dieudonné Malapet and drummer Saturnin Pandi came from Rock A Mambo. There are two orchestra leaders: Essous and Malapet. They mostly play rumba and other music with a Cuban influence.

Les Bantous de la Capitale are known under many other names:

Under the name of L’Orchestre Bantou Jazz (with Jacky Mambau):

“Lokoso Ya Basi” = “The greed of women”.

Under the name of Super Bantous, the orchestra records the EP “Super Bantou N° 4 Avec Mujos” in 1964. Mujos is the singer Joseph Mulamba. He had left the orchestra African Fiesta from Kinshasa in January 1964 to join the orchestra, but in December 1964 he already returned to Kinshasa to join OK Jazz.

Three songs of this EP:

“Bantous Pachanga ” a charanga composed by Jean-Serge Essous, who plays the flute in it

“Mama Naboyi Kosambwa” = “Mother, I refuse to be cursed”, a composition by Mujos.

“Ndele Okolela Ngai.” “Then you will cry for me”, a composition by drummer Saturnin Pandi.

Under the name of L’Orchestre Bantou Jazz:

“Oguy Na Fort Rousset” with Jean-Serge Essous on the clarinet

“Zonga Nazongisa Nzoto” = “Come back and I will return the body”

“Olukaki Boye”

On the front and back of the same single from Les Bantous de la Capitale:

“C’est la vie” and “Marie Rose”, compositions by Gilbert Abangui.

Under the name of Beto-Bantous:

“Lisolo Ya Santana” = “The story of Santana”. It is a composition by singer Ganga Edo (Édouard Nganga).

“Club Bantou”, a composition by guitarist Joseph Samba (nicknamed Samba Mascott), who joined the orchestra in 1963.

“Monsieur, On Va Se Marier” = “Sir, we are getting married” is a composition by singer Pamelo Mounk’a, who was born in Brazzaville. In 1963, he joined Les Bantous de la Capitale at the age of 18. In April 1964, he already left the orchestra to participate in the group African Fiesta in Kinshasa, which was just founded then by Tabu Ley. But in November of the same year, he had already returned to Les Bantous de la Capitale, as a result of the Kinshasa government’s decision to expel Congolese from Brazzaville.

Thanks to Harm van der Wal for making his African music available.

Thanks to Muziekweb in Rotterdam as well.

Playlist:

1. Jacky Mambau & L’Orchestre Bantou Jazz: Lokoso Ya Basi, auteur: Jacky Mambau, single Ya Solo Nakobala/Ebandeli Ya Mosala, E.T.A. ETA 128 / CD Les Rois de la Rumba Africaine – Vol. 2, Cyriaque Bassoka Productions CBC CD46, 2’44
2. Super Bantous & Mujos: Bantous Pachanga, auteur: Jean-Serge Essous, EP Super Bantou N° 4 Avec Mujos, 1964, Stenco EG 798 / CD Bakolo Mboka, 2007, Cantos 079.0031.020, 4’52
3. Super Bantous & Mujos: Mama Naboyi Kosambwa, auteur: Joseph Mulamba, EP Super Bantou N° 4 Avec Mujos, 1964, Stenco EG 798 / CD Anytha-Ngapy Presente Les Grands Succes Des Bantous De La Capitale Vol. 1, Flash Diffusion Business FDB 300022, 3’03
4. Super Bantous & Mujos: Ndele Okolela Ngai, auteur: Saturnin Pandi, EP Super Bantou N° 4 Avec Mujos, Stenco EG 798 / CD Anytha-Ngapy Presente Les Grands Succes Des Bantous De La Capitale Vol. 1, Flash Diffusion Business FDB 300022, 3’13
5. L’Orchestre Bantou Jazz: Oguy Na Fort Rousset, auteur: Jean-Serge Essous, single Guajira/Oguy Na Fort Rousset, CEFA CEFA 531 / CD Bantous zembe zembe: compilation musique Congolaise 1962-1973, 1998, Sonodisc CD 36591, 3’24
6. L’Orchestre Bantou Jazz: Zonga Nazongisa Nzoto, auteur: Celestin N’Koukai, single Zonga Nazongisa Nzoto/Gary Mobali Ya Tembe, CEFA CEFA 508 / CD Les Rois de la Rumba Africaine – Vol. 1, Cyriaque Bassoka Productions CBC CD45, 2’58
7. L’Orchestre Bantou Jazz: Olukaki Boye, auteur: Celestin N’Koukai, single Napesa Bolingo Na Nani?/Olukaki Boye, CEFA CEFA 525 / CD Bantous zembe zembe: compilation musique Congolaise 1962-1973, 1998, Sonodisc CD 36591, 3’37
8. Les Bantous de la Capitale: C’est la vie, auteur: Abangui Gilbert, single Marie Rose, 1970, Bantou De La Capitale BT.4 / CD Les Bantous De La Capitale – (1963/1969), 1993, Sonodisc CD 36527, 3’38
9. Les Bantous de la Capitale: Marie Rose, auteur: Abangui Gilbert, single Marie Rose, 1970, Bantou De La Capitale BT.4 / CD Anytha-Ngapy Presente Les Grands Succes Des Bantous De La Capitale Vol. 1, Flash Diffusion Business FDB 300022, 3’49
10. Beto-Bantous: Lisolo Ya Santana, auteur: Édouard Nganga, single Tantina/Lisolo Ya Santana / CD Les Bantous De La Capitale – Les Rois de la Rumba Africaine – Vol. 2, Cyriaque Bassoka Productions CBC CD46, 4’01
11. Beto-Bantous: Club Bantou, auteur: Édouard Nganga, single Beto-Bantous 5, E.T.A. E.T.A. 129/ CD Les Bantous De La Capitale – Les Rois de la Rumba Africaine – Vol. 2, Cyriaque Bassoka Productions CBC CD46, 3’47
12. Les Bantous de la Capitale: Mr On Va Se Marier, auteur: Pamelo Mounk’a, CD Anytha-Ngapy Présente Les Grands Succès Des Bantous De La Capitale Vol 5, Anytha-Ngapy Productions GANCD15, 4’34
13. Les Bantous de la Capitale: Meno Knubi Nzila, CD Anytha-Ngapy Présente Les Grands Succès Des Bantous De La Capitale Vol 4, Flash Diffusion Business FDB 3000254, 3’15
14. Les Bantous de la Capitale: Suzy, auteur: Nino Malapet, CD Les Bantous De La Capitale – Les Rois de la Rumba Africaine – Vol. 1, Cyriaque Bassoka Productions CBC CD45, 4’52
15. Les Bantous de la Capitale: Mama Adele, auteur: Jean-Serge Essous, CD Anytha-Ngapy Présente Les Grands Succès Des Bantous De La Capitale Vol 4, Flash Diffusion Business FDB 300025, 6’22