Simaro's unknown CD: Shako

I have a opportunity to give you something to enjoy during the summer. This is a good time for me. 

I am speaking of the album by the genius poet himself Simaro Lutumba. This album is called Shako. But this album is unique because this album has two combinations. Let focus on the last four songs before I go into the two songs. 

I am going on the other four songs that come from the Simaro and TPOK Jazz album. This is work from OK Jazz likely from 1988-89 period because we hear the voice of Malage de Lugendo. I also hear the voice of Djo Mpoyi, Josky Kiambukuta, and Madilu System. This work I don't believe involve any rhythm guitar of Simaro Lutumba himself. It is said that these four songs have no composition from Simaro. The songs that I am talking about are Eliana, Nakosenga, Kiwelelele, and Toweli.  Three of those songs give you the idea of the dance Mayeno and Djo Mpoyi was the important man because he was all apparent in all four songs. Notice also there are more studio musicians than OK Jazz musicians. I see some composers are Al Zimbi bass man and Do Akongo the rhythm man. So that is the idea behind. Regardless, it is known that Franco had no part of this project since he was not well and was mostly residing in Belgium. 

Now let's get into the two songs that Simaro ACTUALLY was part of. I am talking two songs. They are Shako and Tshitshi. Shako is a interesting song because it premiers the voice of the woman Natalie who would participate in some Bana OK songs until 2001. Her voice is jolly and enjoyable. She was able to capture some youth sound out of her. That is a good song. It also includes Mr. Elba A formerly of Youlou Mabiala's group Kamikaze and Lokombe. Then comes Tshitshi. This song is just a genius because the strong voice of Ndombe Opetum. His voice is amazing and they are able to sound perfect. His strong voice with others are able to the song so strong. That is definition of real music and not the junk that we are used to every day. But the bands are different. Shako was definitely with Bana OK since Elba A is totally audible. The second song was with TPOK Jazz. The guitar sounds like it and more importantly, I think the unreconginsible voice with the other man and Ndombe is Madilu System. Since Madilu was never in Bana OK, then it must be OK Jazz. 

This is one of the best work for Simaro. It is a genius work. People should get this album as soon as they have a chance. 

Mayeno, oh Mayeno Mayeno is, Mayeno will be, what is about Mayeno

Hello my fellow people. I am sorry, I had posts ready before my college courses demanded more of my time. I have had led little opportunities of doing some good posts. Also I have been debate with friends and family whether to start getting money from this blog. I don't want to because I don't need to do that. I want to be everyone else and work. Who knows. At least not know. I don't want to do it now. 

Another thing in my way is one of my brother has a graduation party tomorrow and it is not going great. We cannot agree on anything. My brother wants his mostly western songs and my parents want no English speaking songs or English songs that are so lame. Worse my parents are obsessed with one particular style of music. This makes me the middle person because I had to decide. I put more this style that I would have like to. 

Now what does the second part have anything to do with the post. It is very related. In fact this conflict leads to the post that I am going to touch. What my parents will want at this party is the dance that is a dance. It is the dance that was a clear alternative to Kwasa Kwasa. It was not from Afrisa. It comes from OK Jazz. That dance became Mayeno. Who popularized the dance. I am speaking of Madilu System. Mayeno is a dance that is pretty known in the area of Matadi full of Bakongo Congolese folks. But the dance was not known around Congo up until 1986 when Madilu officially launched this dance as a attempt to counter Empire Bakuba's Kwasa Kwasa. This dance is the one that my parents really want to play more than necessarily at a party. My brother does not give one living shit about Mayeno. 

Madilu

Here is my actual opinion on the dance Mayeno. I actually do like the dance Mayeno very much. It has its good and bad. 

Let me do the bad first 

- It was more soukous music

- It was nothing really related to OK Jazz

- It was a OK Jazz version of Kwasa Kwasa

- It had quite sexual elements (often more perverted than Empire Bakuba's Kwasa Kwasa)

- It was a less dirty version of Zaiko Langa Langa's dance "Etutana, Yango Na Yango"

- Often it had unnecessary noises

- It fulfilled the great narcissism that is Madilu System

- It became too centered around Madilu

- It poisoned the original OK Jazz odemba music that made Franco such a legend (case in example Franco's great classic Les Rumeurs was done in Mayeno dance). 

- It was the contributing factor behind the division in OK Jazz since it was essentially Madilu's dance. 

benefits

- It made the legend of Madilu System

- It gave OK Jazz to attract young people who were wanting the music of Pepe Kalle

- It gave Kwasa Kwasa dance its run for money

- It was a traditional dance becoming mainstream

- It made people move in many ways that were not possible

- Madilu knew how to make great lines especially with just MAYENO

- It gave Madilu more attention 

- It helped OK Jazz have some success during the early 1990s before its demise

- It made people recognise the importance of Madilu

- It remake the emphasis of the diversity in the OK Jazz music

- Madilu was able to get Pepe Kalle to notice him

- Madilu had the ability to always redo the style and sounds of Mayeno

As you can notice I see the good and bad of this dance. This dance was known in Matadi community. Madilu was a great dance. He created a dance that has been popularized. Since Madilu never had his due early in his career, he was able to become a genius for this great dance. Mayeno gives people a chance to enjoy the dance and see how they feel about this dance. As I said, Mayeno is one dance that some Congolese will definitely remember. 

What do you think about Mayeno.