Dream Duet: Solo Sita and Tabu Ley

 

We got a dream duet edition of dedication of Tabu Ley Rochereau. We got two people that I think Tabu Ley should have sung with. This is the second edition. Who is the second act that should have sung with Tabu Ley. This man sang with soukous legends Kanda Bongo Man and Pepe Kalle. He was a major member of Empire Bakuba during the 1980s. Who is the individual that I am speaking about? 

I am speaking about Solo Sita. He was a major singer of Empire Bakuba. Empire Bakuba was under the hands of Pepe Kalle. When Pepe Kalle wanted to expand her band, he decided to add some younger singers. Among them was Solo Sita. Solo Sita would very good in choirs in harmonizing with Papy Tex. Solo Sita worked with Kanda Bongo Man. He did a collaboration album with Shimita as well. Solo Sita is kind of the combination of Madilu and Pepe Kalle.  

Since Solo Sita sounds like Pepe Kalle, he should have sung with Tabu Ley. Solo Sita would have fitted well Tabu Ley's music very well. Since Solo has a style that makes Tabu Ley's ears happy, any given song would have been well done for Tabu Ley's pleasure. 

I will give you four songs that Solo Sita and Tabu Ley would have been strong together. 

Simplicite by Solo Sita during his time in Empire Bakuba 

Monsieur Malonga by Tabu Ley during the early 1980s 

Original version of Ponce Pilate by Tabu Ley

Choisis by Solo Sita with his side project with Freddy de Majunga and Shimita. 

Chiffon by Pepe Kalle and Tabu Ley

Unforunately I cannot find any connection for the song Chiffon by Pepe Kalle and Tabu Ley. 

I choose these songs beacuse it would have shown the strong harmony between Solo Sita and Tabu Ley. Being a Pepe Kalle prototype, I think Solo Sita would have putted a more classical sound that Tabu Ley was himself. These two classic sounding singers in two different ranges make a sweet sound for people. For example, on the song Chiffon, you would have seen much better following from Solo Sita's voice than you had from Pepe Kalle's voice since he is a bit more smooth. Solo Sita is a bit aggressive just like Tabu Ley was. 

I know that soukous and Tabu Ley fans would have had great joy to see and hear these two men working together and making great harmonies as well as great animations. Solo Sita was a very effective animator as well as a singer. Tabu Ley could do some moves as an animator. 

This is the end of the Tabu Ley edition of the dream duet special. We return to Franco. Two Zaiko products with him. 

Dream Duets: Nyoka Longo and Tabu Ley

 

We got a dream duet edition of dedication of Tabu Ley Rochereau. We got two people that I think Tabu Ley should have sung with. This is the first edition. Who is the first act that should have sung with Tabu Ley. This man is one of the co-founders of Zaiko Langa Langa. This man has made Zaiko a special band. Who is the individual that I am speaking about? 

I am speaking about Nyoka Longo who is the current president of Zaiko Langa Langa. Nyoka Longo is very popular current with his Zaiko faction. Nyoka Longo came from afar. He was very lucky that Papa Wemba, Evoloko and Mavuela Somo left and also he managed to get rid of Pepe Felly. Had these men remained, I am not sure if Nyoka Longo would have even had a place. 

But Nyoka Longo is a good complementary singer. If you listen to Amour Suicide that he sung with Likinga Redo and Malage de Lugendo, you will see how good that he is. I wonder why Nyoka Longo never sang with Tabu Ley especially both could play sebenes pleasing their fans enormously.  Also, they have great soloists who knew how to make their signatures that stays in our heads for a long time. Nyoka Longo would mix well with a Tabu Ley because Tabu Ley has a romantic voice like Likinga and Malage had. 

Nyoka Longo and Tabu Ley would have a perfect combination because you would have the music of Zaiko Langa Langa with a singing style of Africa Jazz . That is the absolute truth of this collaboration had it occurred. Perhaps you would put Beniko Popolipo on solo, Dino Vangu on misolo, Pele Simba on rhythm and Oncle Bapuis on bass. 

I will give two songs that would fitted these two singers together. 

Nyoka Longo's song Le tout neige 

Tabu Ley's classic hit Sorozo

These songs would show the strong chemistry between these two great stars. Nyoka Longo and Tabu Ley would have done some strong animations. They were both pretty good animators. These two men knew how to make great sebenes and it would have shown with these men together in those two songs that I mentioned. 

That is why I am shocked that Nyoka Longo and Tabu Ley never worked considering they seemed to have a cordial relationship and Tabu Ley enjoyed Zaiko a lot. Also Nyoka had some influence of Afrisa in his singing as well as singing of others. 

There will be a second Tabu Ley post of Dream Duet. 

Dream Duet: Franco and Grand Kalle

 

This duet should have occurred especially since both of them sung with Tabu Ley. I will do two duet posts of Tabu Ley with a former Empire Bakuba leader and one of the co-founders of Zaiko Langa Langa. Who are the two men that I am speaking of whom sung with Tabu Ley. 

I am speaking of Grand Maitre Franco and Pere de la rumba Grand Kalle. These two men made their remark in Congolese Rumba. Rumba music that has gone throughout much of Africa in much thanks to these two men. 

I am upset that Franco did not do an actual duet with Grand Kalle. If there was anyone Franco should have sung with let alone do a duet album with was Grand Kalle. Grand Kalle was the one who trained the voice of Pepe Kalle who Franco loved so much. Unlike Pepe, Grand was also a tenor singer. Grand Kalle was a perfect tenor singer. He never had a bad day vocally speaking. The songs speak for itself. 

Franco and Grand Kalle would have been perfect because listen to the song Ngungi that Franco sang with Tabu Ley. Had Franco sung a song like that with Grand Kalle, it would have been fire. Franco has a wild expressive voice while Grand Kalle has a sweet tenor romantic voice. That gives people something to work with. 

In fact I got twenty songs that would be perfect between Franco and Grand Kalle 

1) La simplicité de bulundwe by Franco 

2) Finga Mama Munu by Mujos 

3) Liwa ya Wech by Franco

4) Mbanda na Ngai by Kwamy Munsi 

5) Miwela Miwela by Grand Kalle

6) Connaissance Koyebana by Tabu Ley 

7) Bougie ya Motema by Dr. Nico (Nico Kasanda) 

8) Zadio by Dr. Nico (Nico Kasanda)

9) Maseke ya Meme by Bavon Marie Marie 

10) Republique du Zaire by Kwamy Munsi

11) Garie a Marie by Franco

12) Loboko ya Litema by Grand Kalle

13) Mosala Mibali ya Bato by Franco

14) Tomesani Zonga Coco by Vicky 

15) Bana OK Jazz by Franco

16) Moussa Muana ya Congo by Kwamy 

17) Ebale ya Kongo by Grand Kalle 

18) Kalle Catho by Grand Kalle

19) Bakoka te Financee by Bavon Marie Marie 

20) Essous Spiritou by Grand Kalle

These songs would have demonstrated the great chemistry between Franco and Grand Kalle. If Franco was perfect with Tabu Ley, you would have seen more fire with Grand Kalle and Franco himself. The best two examples where Franco and Grand Kalle would have been extraordinary for them would be the following:

MIWELA MIWELA 

MOSALA MIBALI YA BATO

These songs would have been the great chemistry between them especially the emotional tenor sound of Grand Kalle and also the strong baritone note of Franco. It would convince people that they were sincere in what they were singing about. I believe these songs would have been better done if these men had sung instead of singing it with Tabu Ley or Edo Nganga though they are exceptional singers.  

Franco and Grand Kalle would have been stronger as legends had they made a duet song or a duet album. 

Mbilia Bel Life

We are still in the Women's History Month and here I decided to make another post to a female artist. But this female artist is not from America. She is a popular artist in Africa (pacifically Congo).

I am speaking about Mbilia Bel. She was born in 1959 from Democratic Republic of Congo (Belgain Congo). Mbilia Bel always had some musicial abilities in her. She began her music career as back singer for Abeti Masikini and Sam Mangwana.

But Mbilia Bel really got her fame started when she was discovered by Tabu Ley in 1980. She would soon become Tabu Ley's valuable duet partner. Mbilia Bel's first record was "Mpeve Ya Longo" which is Kikongo version of HOLY SPIRIT. This song made Mbilia Bel go to major stardom. Then she got another song called Eswi Yo Wapi. That song was her banging record.

But her career highlight was the song Nairobi which was very popular in Kenya that even Kenya president at that time allowed other songs to be played there. Also the man who composed the song Tabu Ley. What a genius song.

Thanks to Mbilia Bel value to Afrisa International helped this band become a challanger (truly) to TPOK Jazz of Franco. We witnessed the duo competition. We had Franco & Madilu vs. Mbilia Bel & Tabu Ley. This made a perfect Congolese Music Scene.

But Mbilia Bel's relationship soon faded when she had a baby with him and Faya Tess joined Afrisa. This probably led Mbilia Bel leaving Afrisa in 1988 and began her solo career. But Mbilia Bel's solo career has had mixed results. Her popular albums are Welcome and Phenomen. She had calibrated with some people like Rigo Star, Lutumba Simaro, and Pepe Kalle. She released her latest album in 2010 called Diva. It had some guests like Dally Kimoko, Beniko, and Nyboma.

I love Mbilia Bel, and I apperciate her voice and I just wish more people knew Mbilia Bel.