2LP – Joseph Kabasele & the Creation of Surboum African Jazz 1960-63/ Planet Ilunga

Description

Joseph Kabasele and the Creation of Surboum African Jazz

Planet Ilunga 09 double LP. Limited edition. 180-gram vinyl. 29 tracks, bilingual 32-page booklet, featuring lyrics, photographs and context. Details below.

Tracklistings:

1. Mama Ndonga

2. Satchmo Okuka Lokole

3. Naboyi Ba Jumelle

4. Guidado Colamano

5. Miso Emona Makambo

6. African Bana Ya Kin

7. Aya-Ya

8. Wachiwara

9. Matata Masila Na Congo

10. To Yokana Tolimbisana Na Congo

11. Ma-Zo ! Dégagez

12. Oyeme Querida

13. Bana Ya Nwa

14. Promenade African Jazz

15. Kalejoph Surboum

16. Longonia Yaya

17. Clair De Lune

18. Twist À Leo

19. Pachismotou

20. Ambiance

21. Pasi Die Senorita

22. Mutatshi Wa Yombo

23. Mwamba Wa Mpatu

24. Georgette Ye Ndeko

25. Ba Tata Bakenda Kala

26. Amor Perdido

27. Luna Nokero

28. Le Lion Est Mort

29. Hallelouia

Planet Ilunga continues its mission to uncover and highlight the overlooked yet epic achievements in the world of Congolese rumba. This time to tell the most spectacular story of all. This is the story of the creation of Surboum African Jazz, the first Congolese music label founded by a Congolese.

Surboum African Jazz was owned and managed by the best singer of all time, Joseph Kabasele, alias Grand Kallé. The label’s catalog during the period 1960–63 is largely dominated by Grand Kallé’s band African Jazz in its various formations. The band, which could rely in 1961 and 1962 on a real dream team of musicians (Docteur Nico, Dechaud, Rochereau, Manu Dibango, Roger Izeidi and Mujos among others), released in this period at least 212 songs. The second largest source of music for the label is Franco’s band O.K. Jazz with at least 136 released songs. Next, with at least 34 released songs comes Manu Dibango with his different formations. These were the first ever published songs of the late Manu Dibango. For this compilation we chose an original selection of songs recorded by African Jazz in 1961 and 1962. We also included a few songs of Dibango’s bands in the final selection, in order to showcase the diversity and universal philosophy of Grand Kallé’s label.

This adventurous music which was recorded in Brussels (Belgium) in the months and years after Congo’s independence is nothing less than post-colonial glory wrapped around popular music. It’s a collection of proud name-dropping songs, political and patriotic lyrics, euphoric declarations of love and explorations towards new and universal impulses and styles. The releases on Surboum African Jazz are for many Congolese the icing on the cake in the iconic history of Congolese rumba. They are a time capsule of the longing of Congolese society to be absorbed in the momentum of the nations. At the same time they are a testimonial of the musical excellence of the African Jazz musicians.

The vinyl edition of this first ever double LP anthology of Surboum African Jazz comes with a large, thoroughly researched and well-illustrated 32-page booklet telling the whole story of this label. Included in the book, among other content, is a text by Alan Brain (director of The Rumba Kings) with never before published information and photos about the epic Table Ronde tour of African Jazz in Belgium, France and The Netherlands in the winter and spring of 1960. This text is the fruit of a research Alan initiated, and then further developed in collaboration with the Congolese author and scholar Manda Tchebwa. Furthermore, you can find in the book a detailed documentation of the recording tours in Brussels in 1961 and 1962, besides a discography of the Surboum African Jazz label and many testimonials of the Congolese community about the first Congolese music label founded by a Congolese.