Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Orchestra Bantous


The first side of this LP on the Parlophone label from 1965 is by Orchestra O.K. Jazz but the other side is split between Orchestra Bantous and Orchestra Cercul, two other exponents of the Congolese rumba and merengue etc.


"Dance band formed in Brazzaville, Congo, '59; became one of the longest- established acts in African music as leading interpreters of Cuban rumba. Co-led by saxophonists Dieudonne (Nino) Malapet and Jean Serge Essous; made local impact followed by ambitious tour of West Africa '60. Best early work on series of singles, reissued on Africain label LPs Les Merveilles du Pass‚ 1962--4 (3 vols). Launched new dance and new sound Le Boucher '65, seen as renewal and revitalization of rumba; then Soukous '66: the successful dance became generic name for Congolese music. After recording trip to Paris Essous decided to stay there (but remained member of band), Malapet took over leadership; more personnel changes with proclamation of official cultural policy 'Authenticit‚' '67. Carried on '70s with tight, exciting rhythms, virtuoso soloists, and singers: Kosmos (Come Mountouari), Pamelo Mounk'a, Tchico; also Nedule Papa Noel and Samba Mascott on guitars; saxes of Malapet and Essous. The musical wheel turned full circle when the band toured Cuba in 1974."


Orchestra Bantous - Pa' Vacillar

Orchestra Bantous - Bantous Pachanga

Orchestra Bantous - Endiable Merengue

Orchestra Bantous - Nous Brazza


These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

6 comments:

count reeshard said...

Most grateful, Herr Boot. But is the third track really a repetition of #2 (Bantous Pachanga)?

Wastedpapiers said...

Ooops! I seem to have got my uploads in a twist. Sorry. Not sure how that happened- probably distracted by a phone call or something. I will put right as soon as poss. Thanks count for getting back to me.

zim said...

Thanks for posting these rarities - any chance you can lis the other tracks on the LP - I'm not sure I've seen this one in any of the available discographies.

Wastedpapiers said...

Glad to be of help zim. Other tracks are-

By Orchestra O.K. Jazz-

Misele
On A Ose Le Dire
Polo
Bolingo Ya Bougie
Si Tu Bois Beaucoup
Le Temp Passe

and by Orchestra Cercul-

Mobali Ya Craneur
Honole

zim said...

thanks!

btw, you mayhave seen this already bu there's a new blog from the VOA with some great orch. bantous rarities on it

http://www.voanews.com/english/africa/blog

and if there's anything I can do to convince you to post of the rest of this LP . . .

detour said...

this is really interesting! there's a word in south africa spelled "bantu" which means people but got a bit of a derogatory edge when the apartheid goverment used it to described it's oppressive institutions i.e. bantu homeland (ghetto) and bantu education etc. my first reaction was "oh my god, that's SO polically incorrect" and then i thought actually that's kinda nice, it really does mean people when you take all that other s*** away. anyway...looking forward to hearing the music!