OUTCAST

Hello fans of my blog Classic Ambiance. BTW I have made another blog exclusively for my fans or fans of Rumba or other music things. 

Here is the link

FAN VOICES 

Now you wondering: Why the post called Outcast. 

Well lately I have been having conflict all over. With my family, my social media life, and other things. I seem to always enter to conflict since I am not "normal". As if I ever was. 

Actually lately I have been asked over and over why I call myself Franco Pepe Kalle and not Pepe Kalle alone or Franco Tabu Ley or even Kanda Bongo Man Pepe Kalle and other names. 

This is Part Two 

Let me show Franco and Pepe Kalle in case you don't know. 

These are the two men that I consider my favorite musicians in this planet especially concerning Congolese music. 

This actually goes into my actual point of the real story. Well part of it. 

One of the major reasons why I am Franco Pepe Kalle:

I AM AN OUTCAST. 

What do I mean as outcast in my way:

I am misunderstood

I am very different from people my age

I cannot related to my own age group

I have few of wisdom of an older person

I am alone

I don't have someone that I can go for a refuge from my pain

I can relate to no one

I can never please any one

I am blamed for stupidity and other people's issues when often I have nothing to do with it.

When I was a kid, I was made fun of for being different and I was not able to communicate like others could. That is partially I was unable to make friends and most of my childhood until I was probably 10 years old, I was alone most of the time and I would do things by myself. Also I would play toys alone. Only social life I had was with younger brothers but they were so young and they wanted to hang with others. I was hardly exposed socially.


For 10 to 12 years, I did have a little "social" life. But here is one problem: "I have never belonged to one group". That was my situation. I hung out with different groups and different situations. That helped me get friends. 

But this plan went all wrong when I went into Junior High School and High School. I started to gain friends at the beginning but I started getting more disliked since I was different from the crowd. I started having and some of it my doing of "social problems". I was so caught in my ego and I wanted so bad to accepted by the popular and charming men. I started to overdo my love for girls and I would go in a extremely sexual way. So I would honestly focus on one area in particular. The booty. Or we would say "Butt". I would judge women mostly on their booty. I would make some stupid remarks of the booty or even the breasts and I got in trouble more than once. I went so far that I went to the principal office. I know that was some time ago but it is still painful because it happened to ME. I never imagined happening in million of years. 

Then all the private school kids came and I thought I would get more people to accept me. I was a dumbass at this time and I had not learned that this was a lie. I got a rude awakening from this after 10th grade. Afterwards, my social life went downhill and it affected my school performance. I probably had a meltdown. I had no friends and I was alone most of my time. Most around me could not understand me. 

I hated rumors a lot when I was younger. The frequent accusations that I had was that I was either a great upcoming rapist, or I was a sex addict or worse that I was a closeted homosexual. These rumors made me angry and I wanted to beat up someone because these accusations in itself disgusting. I find them to be so low and classless in my opinion. 

This affected even my college life. Though it was not bad but I could not find someone that I could really open with since they had their "crew". Social Media was not bad really until I was expressing my feelings and I realized that I need to be more careful with those that I know. 

This explains how I got into YouTube. Since I was hardly excepted into the real world, I thought social media would be nicer. Boy I turned out to be wrong. Part of it being my fault because I was voicing my anger on others and others got mad at me. To this day, I regret those actions deeply but some will never forgive me and that is their choice. I will not name anyone that I had issues or have issues right now. What the fuck would I gain doing that anyway really? 

Why did I become Franco Pepe Kalle?
Because of being an Outcast. Franco and Pepe Kalle are actual outcasts of Congolese Music. I know this to be true. For years, despite the great overload of works that Franco and Pepe Kalle produced during their times, it is largely unnoticed. Actually the most stunning thing is that actually Grand Kalle is more known with younger people than Franco and Pepe Kalle. I am not saying that it is bad but I am saying that is alarming that Franco and Pepe Kalle don't get their dues. They still get their dues. Often people argue that Franco and Pepe Kalle are overrated and they had too much help from others. My reaction is this?

Are you serious. Yes Franco and Pepe Kalle had help but little compare to the rest of the crowd. But people forget that Verckys, Tabu Ley, Koffi Olomide, Papa Wemba, and others were much helped than Franco and Pepe Kalle. Case in point Koffi Olomide who would be in the Pepe Kalle generation (though more in the Wenge generation), his fans insist that he was the one responsible for the Papa Wemba and he is "self-made" man. Are you kidding me? 

Koffi Olomide was not even popular with Franco and his idol Tabu Ley wanted nothing to do with him. Funny huh how his fans seem not to remember. Who wanted to help him? PAPA WEMBA. Look at songs like Anibo and Synza. Yes Koffi composed them but who made them popular as they are? Papa Wemba. 
Look at even at my posts here 

So Koffi fans, stop telling me that Koffi had everything done by himself. 

Yes Franco got help from Dewayon and Vicky Longomba to be where he would be. Yes Pepe Kalle had help from Verckys but as soon as Franco and Pepe Kalle became the legends and the kings, they showed their greatness. 

Despite Franco and Pepe Kalle accomplishments, people try to diminish their works and mostly make them to just nobodies who were "Lucky". 

This is why I call myself "Franco Pepe Kalle" 
Because I need to remind people that Franco and Pepe Kalle did a lot of work and it was not just for money but it came from hard work and determination. That is why Franco and Pepe Kalle respected each other because they made their way into the Congolese music. 

Now as result, I make my declaration. In my books, I find two kings only in Congolese Music. We have Rumba Music and Soukous Music. 

Franco is the Rumba King
Pepe Kalle is the Soukous King 

This is my final post of 2015. I will see what to do in 2016.

Actually this post goes perfectly in my upcoming post:
NEW EMPIRE BAKUBA VS NEW OK JAZZ 

I will make my views about the revivals of Empire Bakuba and OK Jazz. 

Pepe Kalle's important growth during the 1970s

These days I have been listening to older music of Pepe Kalle. I enjoy the 1980s and 1990s time of Pepe Kalle. I call Pepe Kalle "King of Soukous". I call Franco "King of Rumba". As I would put it, if you want Rumba, you get Franco. If you want Soukous, you get Pepe Kalle. 

1970s are one other period that demonstrate the making of the king of Soukous. The mid and late 1970s, you see when Pepe Kalle start to insert his music more and more, you are seeing the making "Soukous genre". Pepe Kalle would become important but more in the Soukous department. 

One great example of this was his song "Trahison Hadas". His voice is more "Pepe Kalle" like than the other songs. You start to see Pepe Kalle make his way of singing more prominent as he become the superstar that he was destined to be. 

Early 1980s also gave you the great growth of Pepe Kalle. You can see that Pepe Kalle has almost reach his ceiling as soon as Soukous was about to give some Rumba some serious competition. 

During the 1976-82 period, You start to see the guitars become more creative alongside with "real" voice of Pepe Kalle. Now you discovered Pepe Kalle as a special star in his own right. 

This is why I am a big Pepe Kalle fanatic today. Not just his famous songs but his songs that show the great growth that led to his superstar fame later on in his life. 

Why so little use of Ana Carolina and Ivete Sangalo

I am so belittled at the fact, I have noticed very little to almost no performance or actual record between these legendary artists from Brazil. 

I am speaking about Ana Carolina and Ivete Sangalo. I have seen mostly really old videos of them together. The only times that come was in 2002 and 2007 which makes me piss off. 

I may be mean but I am so angry at the fact that Ana Carolina and Ivete Sangalo have not tried to perform more than they actually did. I mean these two artists are the ideal ones that I believe should have done more together. 

Remember the phrase: Opposites attract. 

These two singers are so different from one another. Ana Carolina is a more muscular woman with a build body and has a more masculine tone with her voice and she does more acoustic base music. Tries to be almost like Rumba was supposed to be in African Music. Ana Carolina seems more shy and soft with her personality and is not too amused by attention. At the other hand, Ivete Sangalo has more salsa type of music which involves lots of hip shaking and your body must move a lot. Also, Ivete Sangalo has a strong voice that is aggressive but very feminine and has some soft elements behind her voice. Ivete Sangalo is nice but a very flamboyant woman. This goes well into a great duet. Many people like two people that are so different from one another. 

This is precisely I am stunned that there is very little work or performances between Ana Carolina and Ivete Sangalo. Also, it does not look like their fans really want them together either. I know their music styles are not the same and I know they may not come from the inner circle. But I still hate that they don't or did not do much together.

Since this is reality, I can see that Ana Carolina and Ivete Sangalo have nothing to gain if they work together more than they did. Plus I guess they would not be a strong reaction to them being together as they would be if they heard of Ana Carolina and Chiara Civello vs Ivete Sangalo and her rival Claudia Leitte. Sucks but I guess that is life. 

I do hope in the feature, I can see performances of Ana Carolina and Ivete Sangalo together again. 

Claudia Leitte vs Ivete Sangalo

  












Hello everyone, as you can see, there is photos of two different artists. They are both from Brazil. The first seven photos are Claudia Leitte. The second seven photos are Ivete Sangalo. If you are a Brazilian and you like Brazilian music a lot, you are probably aware of these two female acts. I guess based on what I have heard and listened and read, there is a big rivarily now between Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo. It is very true. In fact Claudie Leitte's fans and Ivete Sangalo's fans hate each other. What is interesting is that these two artists should have been familiar with me. They both have international background. With Leitte, she appeared on the song "we are one" which she was with Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull. Funny she worked with Jennifer Lopez, because in some ways, she is very much like JLO especially since she really likes to move her hips quite bit which is something Jennifer Lopez does a lot and I mean so often. Now with Sangalo, turns out she was part of the group "Avon Voices" which was a musical contest for female singers to show their thing. This was going on around 2010 to 2011. It was formed by singer of Black Eyed Peas Stacy Ferguson better known as Fergie. I happen to be a fan of Fergie. I love her voice. It is rough and sexy. Sorry for my confession but I am being honest there. Avon Voices had judges like Fergie of USA, Natasha Bedingfield of UK, Delta Goodrem of Australia, Ivete Sangalo of Brazil, Valeriya of Russia. I guessing that they had to know English. It is quite a diverse list I must say. 

While in Brazil, it does seem very likely that Ivete Sangalo is the most popular but internationally, it looks like Claudia Leitte has a upper hand. Just now I recieved news that Claudia Leitte joined the label Roc Nation which is owned and founded by Jay-Z who was once a big rapper in US. Claudia Leitte is apparently preparing her first English speaking album. I hope there is not too much swear words but I won't hold my breath since vulgar words seem more popular than proper words. Some Ivete's fans are so mad because they feel like Claudia Leitte is a piece of shit and ain't worth anything. Claudia's fans are going nuts as they feel that she has been overdue and has to work too hard to get something from the west such as the US. 
Here is the article 
Claudia Leitte joins RocNation

Claudia Leitte is a judge of the Brazil version of the US based show "The Voice" which would be called in Portuguese "A Voz". It also includes Lulu Santos, Michel Telo, and Carlinhos Brown. It also had a man name "Daniel". 

But here is where I actually begin to laugh. There is this claim by both camps that they are so different on everything. Meaning they have nothing in common. I think this rivalry is so ridiculous in some ways. It is ridiculous that they claim that they are so different and they are no good if they are together. Like I said, I know the rivalry between Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo is alive but I need to say concerning the claim that they are "completely" different. I actually believe that they have somethings or lots of things in common. 
Just look at some photos that I find. 

 

I am telling that they have similarity in clothes. I mean they do copy each other in some ways concerning fashion. But their voices are different. Claudia Leitte is much more jolly like and relaxed. Ivete Sangalo has an aggressive overtone with some tender angel like elements. That is probably why I get so memorized when I hear her sing. 

Apparently, Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo sometimes hate each other. It has been known for years that they sometimes don't see eye to eye. Recently, there was a show that Ivete tried to ignore Claudia as she seemed scared of her. It is all gossip but there is some truth behind this. After all, they have a strong rivalry and they compete to get bigger fans in Brazil and around the world. Finally, they seem to look at each-other like enemies at times. 

But don't get twisted, they have somethings in common. They have worked with the same artists. Let me give you list of which artists they have both worked with. 
Gilberto Gil
Carlinhos Brown
Luan Santana
Thiaguinho 
Daniela Mercury
Pablo
Margareth Menezes
Marcia Freire
Mariene de Castro
Sarajane
Preta Gil 
Wesley Salfado
Anitta
Aline Rosa
Netinho
Luizza Possi 
and 
others

But this rivalry is different from the rivalries that we are used to. I mean in Europe, South America, USA, Canada, and others alike. Actually since they are rivals, it is surprising to see that these two do things "together". Yes together. Not at different events. Actually in some cases, they love each other. Weird, right? I know, it so weird. But then again, these two artists are who they are. Apparently they love each other. They have performed a few times and have done commercials. So much so that they did a song for their commercial that they do. Again, weird but a good PR move. 

It turns out that some of their incomes comes from their commercial that they joined together. In fact I am talking about Venus which is a pretty popular channel in United States of America, my country I add. It is one popular thing for women to have clear legs. This is something that is promotion from Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo. So many people love this since many like these two artists but their strong fans must be piss since they don't like the artists of the other side. 

However, it does look like Ivete Sangalo was the biggest fan of Claudia Leitte. Leitte was a member of a big group Babado Novo which was part of the band for 7 years before leaving the band in 2008. From the looks the minute Claudia went solo, it was Ivete who made some "connection" for Claudia Leitte to get good footing as a solo artist. 

Furthermore they clearly love performing together and they seem to bring some emotions out of each other that another artist can never do. Also, they bring their soft side when they are together. They hardly give digs in stage together.

Conclusion about Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo.

I actually find this rivalry to be annoying which is actually is why I am going to say the unthinkable: I actually wish there was more performances of Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo. I know this will never be reality but I do wish to happen. Actually there are some good reasons behind it. 

- Ivete Sangalo gave a lot connections to Claudia Leitte
- Claudia Leitte does kind of envy Ivete since she has a better voice than her in a sense
- Both are very confident with their bodies 
- They love to do fast pace music 
- Their voices are lovely to hear 
- Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo have unbearable chemistry. 

Those are reasons why I would love to see Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo much more than we do though granted we have seen together more than expected. But they should be together more often because their fans need to understand that they love to be expressive with themselves. 

I finish with this:
Fans of Claudia Leitte and fans of Ivete Sangalo, they are much more alike than you think. Just understand this. 

I wish Franco and Mayaula Mayoni made few songs of them singing together

Franco 



Mayaula Mayoni 

I never even wanted to consider because I really Franco and Mayaula Mayoni as guitarists especially Mayaula Mayoni. Mayaula Mayoni, I wanted to focus on his songs and his guitar. He was an incredible rhythmist but he was also good with Mi-Solo guitar. Not like Franco, but he was pretty good. 

Then I listened to the songs realizing that I am listening to Mayaula Mayoni either in the background (which was usually the case) or lead concerning vocals. I used to not make much of it until I listened to the Bikini album. His vocals were the best. What is weird that Mayoni's voice got better as he got old. I wish Mayoni had sang more in his last album Bikini. His voice was really good. 

What song that got me with his voice was a song that Tshala Muana sang. Nasi Nabali which Mayoni composed. In fact it was the songs that Mayoni sang with Tshala Muana, I began to appreciate the voice of Mayaula Mayoni. 

Mayaula Mayoni sang with some others. Think of Carlyto Lassa, Pembe Sheiro, Abby Suriya, Luciana, Aime Kikwana, Sam Mangwana, and of course his lookalike Madilu System. I love that Madilu and Mayaula sang together on the second take of Bon Anniversaire. Their voices were so damn similar that I could not tell who was Mayoni and who was Madilu. Heck they look like brothers. I am surprised that they are not cousins. 

I think if Mayaula could sing with Madilu, he could have sang with Franco. He was capable to doing some medium high notes with Franco himself. The best case of them together is that Mayoni himself always preferred to sing in the background rather than sing lead. Since Franco had a strong voice, he could use his low notes with Mayaula's high notes into a song. 

Let me show the songs that Franco and Mayaula Mayoni would be into beautiful songs. 
Here is from Franco 

Now from Mayaula Mayoni

Hear those four songs, tell me whether you could see Franco and Mayaula Mayoni singing together. 

Dream Duet: Mayaula Mayoni and Pepe Kalle

I have no idea how producers could not have find a collaboration between these men. They would have been perfect in a sense. I mean these two men. 
 

Mayaula Mayoni a former soccer player and former Bella Bella associate Pepe Kalle together. 

First of all, Mayoni kept saying "Empireeeeooo"
Why does Mayoni keep saying. Just saying this out of nowhere. I think he was giving tribute to Empire Bakuba for their music that they gave us. It was on Mayaula Mayoni's album Bikini which was released in 2000 which could be 1999 or 2001, I don't know exactly when. Mayoni's music in some ways came more Bakuba like in some ways starting the mid 1980s. 

Another reason is that they happen to have two singers that they worked with. 
Carlyto Lassa and Malage de Lugendo. 

Since these two singers are the ones that they sang with, I wonder how producers or Mayaula himself not find a way to include Pepe Kalle in it. Because Pepe Kalle's voices molds well with Malage and Carlyto. It can be proven on Simaro's 1989 album "Pepe Kalle chante Simaro" which I did my own post about. 
Link here 
Pepe Kalle chante Simaro 

In addition, I believe Mayaula and Pepe would meld together just like Pepe did with his idol Tabu Ley Rochereau. Believe they sounded very similar. But Mayaula Mayoni sounds more like much more masculine with his voice. Pepe Kalle was very capable of reaching medium high notes. Mayaula can remain taking more lower notes which he usually does best I guess. Better, if you wanted a great Soukous song, you can have Mayaula Mayoni sing the song and then have animations of Pepe Kalle. Pepe Kalle was the man of animations which is why I call him the King of Soukous. Period. 

Those things are reason why a Mayaula Mayoni and Pepe Kalle duet should have happened. 

My take on Gilberto Gil

I am speaking about Gilberto Gil. 


Here is my take on Mr. Gilberto Gil. The great singer of Brazil. 

He is a great singer. His voice is eternal and he will always have a good voice even as he getting old. He is pretty old. But his energy and his voice remains with him. That is largely a good thing. He has been in the music scene in Brazil and world for a long time. 

He was born in 1942. He was destined to become a big star. He started to get noticed and got some big songs. He became close to fellow Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso. They met in 1963. So now it is 52 years of friendship. That is forever great relationship compare most friendships. Gilberto Gil became more a community based singer rather really trying to be "the star". He was working with other artists more often. In fact he found his first solo success in 1969 with his song "Aquele Abraco".

But he and his friend Veloso would be arrested by Brazilian government and would live in London for 3 years. There probably Gil began to develop more English than he would have known in his native country Brazil. 

After 1972, Gilbero Gil started to go more international and his music became a combination of Caribbean and Afro-pop music together. This would lead to him find more attention from many people. This would lead an good collaboration with reggae legend Jimmy Cliff. They did a cover of Bob Marley's song "No Woman Cry". It was in 1980 which was a year before the death of Bob Marley. This song would get major popularity with many people. 

During the 1990s and 2000s, Gilberto Gil was just able to reaffirm that he is the official legend and he would become important for then upcoming Brazilian artists. 

Gilberto Gil also entered more deeply into politics during his music career. During the presidency of Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, he became the minister of culture for 5 years before he left in 2008 to to regain his focus on his music. 


Here is my opinion of Gilberto Gil. He is someone who clearly has a feel of diversity. Heck he may know some French. In 1988, he actually made a song "Ne touche pas mon pote". Gilberto Gil has well access of English since he lived in England for three years. I am happy that I know his music. He really has concern for all humanity. 

He has a dynamic voice that I enjoy and his ability to slightly hit high notes hits me because usually we don't expect that too much out of male singers. But he is Gilberto after all. So I can enjoy his music. I wish Brazil government would allow more activities from Gilberto and other Brazilian artists. 

Finally, I think more Brazilian musicians should take notes from Gilberto Gil and try to emulate what he did. Understand him and his music and try to make his sound into their own. 

Doces Barbaros

Wow just as I am discovering Brazilian Music, I found a sup-group that had its moment in Brazilian music in a certain period. I mean more like 1970s. 

It was a nzingzong group "Doces Barbaros" 
It consisted of four big stars in Brazil in that time. It was Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania, Gilbeto Gil and Gal Costa. 
Look at some pictures 










Here is Caetano Veloso 


Here is Maria Bethania 


Here is Gilberto Gil 


Here is Gal Costa 


Now this was a group in Brazil that began to get together when these four stars decided that they wanted to do some songs more in unity rather than only "collaboration" as we would call it. As I added, this was around the mid 1970s. 

In 1976, they released an album called the group itself. This was the only album that they released as a group. However this album turned to be one of the biggest albums in Brazilian music history. In fact Rolling Stones ranked this album the top 100 all time great Brazilian albums. I mean this is something. 

I have listened to some of their performances together. I love it. I mean that I enjoy it. Because their voices actually melded well together. I mean Gilberto Gil, Caetano Vesto, Maria Bethania and Gal Costa voices manage to find their way into a lovely melody. That way they can able to sing together without being wrong at all. 

This album helped people see that not all big stars have a big ego where it can not be managed. Actually these four stars did not have a big ego and they could manage it. More importantly, I suppose they were close friends which explains why they enjoyed performing together. 

So enjoyment that they decided for a reunion in 1994 for some fun with Samba dance. Man people went nuts and they were so happy to see them together again performing. It was a major success. I think they should do another reunion again at some point now. 

I mean these four stars are alive and well. They are still popular though people like folks like Thiaguinho, Juan Santana, Ana Carolina, Luiza Possi, Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo are more popular. But they still have their base from many people.