Hello my followers. I am back a little bit. Just got back in the mood of school and it will take more time for some while. I am going to cover the trio edition of three stars that did sing together during their earlier careers and one was clearly the star of the trio.
I am speaking the trio-ship of Kester Emeneya "King Kester", Koffi Olomide "Mopao Mokonzi" and Papa Wemba "Vieux Bokul". These three stars of DRC Congo "Zaire" are very known in the Congolese Community of today in Congo and Diaspora alike. However some have no idea that actually they were all together at one point. Papa Wemba has had his group Viva La Musica since 1977. When Papa Wemba was 28 years old. He was a member of Zaiko Langa Langa before doing Yokele and eventually doing his home base of Viva La Musica which is Spanish for Music Lives or Long Live Music or Live Music. Two of the many members of this band are known legends today. Kester Emeneya and Koffi Olomide. Both came to the band in 1977. Well Kester came from University of Lubumbashi and Koffi was a struggling songwriter who was not accepted by his idol Tabu Ley and Franco. Once they came to Viva La Musica, they were big in the group. In fact they contributed the most compare to other important members like Djuna Djanana, Dindo Yogo, Esperent Kisangani, Fafa de Molaki and Debaba. Kester Emeneya went on to form his band Victoria Elesien. Koffi Olomide and Debaba would come to form Historia Musica before Koffi found his base with Quartier Latin. But unfortunately these three stars's relationship was never the same and they would enter into big conflicts. Kester Emeneya, Koffi Olomide and Papa Wemba all had a fallout with each-other. But Kester and Koffi had strong hatred for Papa Wemba. KOFFI OLOMIDE VS PAPA WEMBA Koffi Olomide and Papa Wemba, it is known that they are not good friends anymore and have not since 1996. Their feud started when Koffi claimed that Wemba took all the money of the success of their album Wake Up. Of course Wemba was rightfully mad. Also Koffi was spreading rumors that Wemba envied him and wanted to be him. Papa Wemba had enough and harshly attacked him on his album "Fula Ngenge" where he got the name "Mzee Fula Ngenge". Koffi responded on the album Attenant which the generique mocked him and others as well. Their feud never and has not ended at all. In fact recently in 2009, A Koffi Olomide person sued Papa Wemba over "defamation" and money issues. Koffi Olomide and Papa Wemba were fighting in court several times. They resolved in late 2009. But clearly as far as having friendships, it is pretty much over and they will stay as enemies. KESTER EMENEYA VS PAPA WEMBA Kester Emeneya and Papa Wemba were beefing primarily because Papa Wemba was becoming adventurous and Wemba was not focused on being the leader. I mean that must have been the feeling of Kester Emeneya. After all, Djuna Djanana and Dindo Yogo left to join Langa Langa Stars of the overrated star Evoloko Jocker. When Wemba did his adventure with Franco and Wendo Kolosoy, Kester Emeneya decided to make his group with other unhappy Viva La Musica musicians to form Victoria Elesien. But for Wemba, Kester's departure was little to none as he got other singers that would be more useful in Wemba's eyes. They were Luciana, Stino Mubi, and Remmy Amisi. In fact Stino Mubi and Reddy Amisi would become the important faces of the Viva La Musica when Papa Wemba would not be around. However their relation never improved. In fact I personally believe that Kester Emeneya's song Okosi Ngai Mfumu is a reference to Wemba. It is the idea that Wemba deceived him into believing that everything would be great when it turned out to be total mess. Kester Emeneya must have held a big grudge for Papa Wemba. He had some good reasons. As it turns out that one of the ex wives of Kester slept with Wemba. Oh boy. For years, Kester would throw some jabs at Papa Wemba. But Papa Wemba never responded. In fact Wemba tried to reconcile several times. But it had no success. Kester never wanted to reconcile with Wemba since he felt that Wemba hurted him so bad. They ended in pretty bad terms. When Kester died, Papa Wemba made a tribute song for him called Blessure. It must have hurted Wemba since he could never reconcile truly with his singer Kester Emeneya. KESTER EMENEYA VS KOFFI OLOMIDE Although this one is minor, there was a definite fallout between Kester Emeneya and Koffi Olomide. After Koffi began to get fame around 1988 period, it seemed that their relation slowly but surely began to take a wrong turn. Koffi Olomide attacked many artists in general in his song Attenant. Though Kester was never mentioned, it did not help that Koffi became more arrogant. He accused all Congolese Artists of envying him. Kester Emeneya clearly saw Koffi as an enemy as well. Some years before his death, he diced both Wemba and Koffi. As he said that their music is rubbish and they have evilness in their heart. FPK'S OPINION My opinion is this: I am not surprised to see this story. As we know, many artists have big egos and they allow their egos to take over them. Kester Emeneya, Koffi Olomide and Papa Wemba had big egos and believed that they were superior to one another. As result, they entered into a big conflict. It is sad because I could have imagined that they had better control of their egos, I could have seen more songs of them together. All together. Regardless, I loved the fact that Kester Emeneya, Koffi Olomide and Papa Wemba sang a few songs together.
During this Madilu tribute that I am doing. I am going to focus on one thing about another wish for Madilu: I wish that Madilu had done more songs with Dindo Yogo. It would have been great. Even further, I know Dindo Yogo and Madilu would have been a beast together if they were both in Zaiko in the same time. I have noticed and have been saying to many that Madilu's music is much more with Zaiko Langa Langa than OK Jazz. Listen to Madilu's songs during 1990s, you will see that it is highly similar to Zaiko. Don't believe about Madilu would have been special with Zaiko Langa Langa. Listen to these three songs which another was with a Zaiko nzingzong work.
Dindo Yogo and Madilu System were singers who were so gifted and they worked at their craft to make their voices so golden. That came into effect during the 1980s. In reality Dindo Yogo and Madilu System did work together. Dindo Yogo appeared on Madilu's 1995 album. Yogo sang on Maria and Pardon. Both songs, Dindo Yogo's voice was strong and on point. Pardon, you saw some melody of Dindo Yogo and Madilu System. It was magic in my ears. But I wish, they had done more duets. I think we would have some enjoyment with them together. If they had done more, I think Neo Rumba listeners would see how genius their voices are together. Also the Zaiko songs would be banger on their own terms. I will try to get more Duets posts coming. So busy these days.
Josky Kiambukuta, Madilu System "Jean Bialu Madilu", and Pepe Ndombe "Ndombe Opetum". At the time around the 8th anniversary death of Madilu System. I am going to do something that I have wanted to do but now I am going to release of OK Jazz fans. I love duets and I am going to get more duets coming up soon. Right now too occupied by family, women and work. No kidding women want to see left and right. But I also love trios as well. This is going to be first post dealing with trio. But this post will do one thing: speak on a lack of a trio. I am speaking about three singers that I like a lot. Especially being in OK Jazz and their own careers. I am speaking of Josky Kiambukuta, Madilu System and Pepe Ndombe. These are singers that had their impact on OK Jazz in unique ways. I don't like the fact that there were few songs that had the voices of Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe. Especially when Madilu came into OKJ in 1980, I wish that Franco or Simaro would have tried to get Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe to get a few songs together. Like it occurred with Aime Kiwakana, Josky Kiambukuta, Lokombe Ntal, and Madilu System. Or Simaro and Franco could have founded ways to get Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe to alternate with Wuta Mayi, Djo Mpoyi, Diatho Lukoki, or Aime Kiwakana. Here is why I say this: Listen to these songs. Baby and Serrer-Serrer on Josky' s 1991 classic LP As for the opinion of this LP. Look at this link here Baby 1991
You realize how great these songs were. Really because of Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe alone. As you can see, the fourth person can just come in to make the song even more classic. As you notice on Baby, you hear Djo Mpoyi but with Serrer Serrer, you hear Aime Kiwakana. But really it is due to the great voices of Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe. Even better when you listen to the song Ofela which was on OK Jazz's last album before its unfortunate split. I mean you can hear the medley of Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe alone just together. No fourth person. I MEAN NO FOURTH PERSON IN THAT SONG. So this song makes my case of how much less of we had of these three people singing together. Most of the time, it would be Josky-Ndombe effect as well as Josky-Madilu effect. Hardly we had much of Madilu-Ndombe effect. Josky/Ndombe and Josky/Madilu was more in common than Madilu/Ndombe. I hate to use this analogy but this would be like "TRIO KADIMA" crew or as the three men of Empire Bakuba. Dilu Dilumona, Papy Tex, and Pepe Kalle. Dilu Dilumona and Pepe Kalle had very similar voices. But hey they managed to meld well with Papy Tex. Guess who had similiar voices? Madilu and Ndombe. They were both I call the "Rochereau Logos" as they sounded pretty similar to Tabu Ley Rochereau. They both happened to play with Tabu Ley (though Ndombe actually got to sing with Tabu Ley and I don't think Madilu ever had a chance as Tabu Ley preferred Papa Wemba). In many ways, their voices are very similar that sometimes you get confused who is who. So I could see why often Madilu and Ndombe would not sing together. But at the other hand, since we had Dilu Dilumona and Pepe Kalle, I feel that we could have had some more of Madilu/Ndombe moments. This is also why I'm stunned when in 1988 when Ndombe released a solo album with OK Jazz, he made no song with Josky's voice but one song of his two songs having Madilu's voice. Interesting but then again as I stated, we often had Josky/Ndombe, Josky/Madilu and then occasionally Madilu/Ndombe. It was rare for Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe to sing together as a trio. I believe as them as a trio, we only had five songs of them together. I mean only FIVE. So disappointing. That is why when I hear songs that had Josky, Madilu, and Ndombe together, I have so much joy since they are few in between. The chemistry of their voices together were perfect and on point. This is also why I wished this trio would have been used in the earlier years like early 1980s to make some classic songs because it would have been also even more fun for the younger fans of OK Jazz. To see a old veteran, a great experienced singer with a younger singer would have given OK Jazz fans (I mean younger ones) some great fun when they got tired of Ntesa, Diatho, Wuta Mayi, and Djo Mpoyi and want something different. I hate that their great moments were during the later years of OK Jazz when basically people prefer Empire Bakuba and Zaiko Langa Langa. Well it also goes into my announcement: I am going to some Trio singers that I wished came together. I will continue the duet series of course but now I will add the trio class.
MBOTE BANDEKO NA NGAI. NAZOMONA BINO NA BASUSU PEMBENI NGAI. KASI LELO NAKOLOBA BAMUZISIEN MIBALE BANANI BAZALI BAGUITARISTE MINENE PONA KONGO. REPUBLIKI DEMOCRATIKI YA KONGO PELAMOKO ZAIRE. BABETAKA MAKASI MINGI PONA BISO. LELO NAKOPESA LOKUMU MONENE PONA BANGO. (mbote bandeko na ngai. nazomona bino na basusu pembeni ngai. kasi lelo nakoloba bamuzisien mibale banani bazali baguitariste minene pona konho. republiki democratiki ya kongo pelamoko zaire. babetaka makasi mingi pona biso. lelo nakopesa lokumu monene pona bango). (Mbote bandeko na ngai. Nazomona bino na basusu pembeni ngai. Kasi lelo nakoloba bamuzisien mibale banani bazali baguitariste minene pona Kongo. Republiki Democratiki ya Kongo pelamoko Zaire. Babetaka makasi mingi pona biso. Lelo nakopesa lokumu monene pona bango). I just introduced you in Lingala which I putted in three different of the same words that I just said. That I putted the way you desired. Anyway I am going to focus on two guitarists. My idol Franco and Dr. Nico. I am going to say that is not popular. Franco actually made one mistake that I find. It was not getting Dr. Nico. I know this is not a popular but I have actual reasons why Franco should gotten Nico in his band. I am speaking after 1972. I have some reasons. I'll give you six reasons 1) Franco was clearly number one 2) Nico had nothing to do after 1970 3) Franco was already used to difficult personalities. 4) Franco liked different personalities musically speaking. 5) I think Nico would have discovered something new about himself. After all, usually Franco brings the best in you in many cases. But reason six is where I am talk more about. As mentioned, after the departure of Vicky Longomba, Franco decided to change the music of OK Jazz radically. By 1972, he introduced the music known as "African Jazz" style or more accurately the "AFRISA EFFECT" in the music of OK Jazz. As result, we get acts like Ntesa Dalienst, Josky, Sam Mangwana, Michelino, and others that come into the fold. This is how OK Jazz began to actually become even more popular than they were before. Franco and Nico in my opinion were made for each other. Since they are two different people, that is what makes musical heaven. As often said, "Opposites attract each other". Franco and Nico were the ones who could have done it and done it well. Furthermore, Nico and Franco would be able to show their personalities on stage and I know many people would love the performances that they would have thrown. PS: I will show you songs of Franco and Nico, that would have putted these two legends right together. I will do it soon.
