Franco- FABRICE (1983)

 

Hello everyone. I want to do a post on this classic work. 

It is Chez Fabrice a Bruxxelles. It is a great work from Franco and Le TPOK Jazz. It was released in 1983. This album is a important for three reasons.

1) Some notable OKJ singers left. I mean Ndombe Opetum, Djo Mpoyi, Diatho Lukoki and Wuta Mayi. Wuta Mayi would go to form a band with Nyboma called 4 Etoiles. Djo Mpoyi would go to do some solo adventure and do some songs with Diatho of a side band Tiers Monde. Ndombe would form Tiers Cooperation with Sam Mangwana before Diatho and Djo would join Ndombe on that band after Sam went for another adventure. 

2) Franco rediscovered a passion in making duets with the song Non. 

3) It was beginning of the star of Madilu System.

This album was where Madilu System would finally breakthrough after years of having no luck with end of Bakuba Mayopi. But on this song, Madilu restarted his stardom and fans of OKJ began to notice him. They enjoyed his voice a lot. When you listen to Non, you notice it sounds a little different from his usual style. Well it was designed that way. If Franco had it his way, no way Madilu would have sung this song. In fact he made this song for another individual. Who was it? Josky Kiambukuta. Wait? JOSKY, Really? Yes. Well according to Madilu anyway. He claimed that he wanted this song to be for Josky. Very interesting but then again Josky was nicknamed Djosex for love songs. After all, Josky was Franco's favorite singer for a long time. He often selected Josky to sing in his songs. I mean Josky even co-sang lead Franco's TOKOMA BACAMARADE. So I can see why Franco wanted Josky. But Josky surprisingly refused. Also, he did not look for Ntesa Dalienst which is shocking considering that Ntesa and Franco had a great complimentary sound together. Franco was apparently mad because he could not get a singer. Funny enough, Madilu said Franco even wanted Nyboma and Wuta Mayi who then formed 4 Etoiles as I mentioned before with Syran Mbenza and Bopol. Then, Madilu said that he sung a little vocal but Franco wanted Tabu Ley but thanks to Franco's wife, the song officially went to Madilu as Franco's duet partner. You know the rest is history for the beginning of Madilu's reign on OKJ after 1983.

Also comes the good harmony of Josky Kiambukuta, Madilu System and Ntesa Dalienst. It would be showed on the songs Freins a main (handbrake) and Second Version of Fabrice which is known as 5 Ans Ya Fabrice (5 years of Fabric). These songs also showed Franco's ability to give storytelling while singing at the same time. I saw the great emotion and passion of Josky, Madilu and Ntesa in the choirs. This showed how good Franco was at assembling great singers together. He did once with Josky, Ndombe and Ntesa or Josky, Pepe Ndombe and Youlou Mabiala or Diatho Lukoki, Josky and Ntesa. This one was no exception. Franco was a great musical genius not only on guitar but also getting great singers in order to great harmony for all OKJ fans to enjoy.  

Another part of Madilu's rise into OKJ had a part of another individual who people often compare Madilu to. Well vocally speaking anyway. Also this man really was loved by Franco. I am speaking about Pepe Kalle. Pepe Kalle was a big star in Congo at the time and he was impressing big stars. While Franco pretended to be scared of Zaiko Langa Langa, in reality he feared Pepe Kalle much more that he attempted to actually get him into OKJ. But the problem was that Pepe Kalle wanted to be his own man and respectfully declined to join OK Jazz. Franco was very angry about this that he was determined to find a "Pepe Kalle" prototype. He would get his wish after finding Madilu and getting success with him on the song Non. Madilu's star rose as Pepe Kalle started to make noise around the periods of 1985 to 1988. Franco and Pepe Kalle found that they had a lot of things in common. Papy Tex had remarked that Franco and Pepe Kalle would do some games together while Papy Tex would not want to participate. Also Franco preferred Empire Bakuba over Zaiko Langa Langa behind the scenes. THAT IS THE TRUTH. According to Papy Tex, Franco was a important partner to Empire Bakuba and he did a lot for them to get more access. 

That leads to my series that I am going to do? Should Pepe Kalle have joined OK Jazz? That is a tough question. Yes and No. It is really 50 and 50. I did often say that Dr. Nico should have joined Franco (and I insist on it today) because Franco could handle anyone. I am sure Franco could have managed Pepe Kalle very well. 

I will give two sides of the coin. Seven reasons why Pepe Kalle should not have joined OK Jazz and Seven reasons why Pepe Kalle should have joined OK Jazz. 

Ndombe Opetum song: YOUYOU

One song from Pepe Ndombe that I found to be a classic song was the song from OK Jazz. That picture above you see is when Ndombe Opetum was a member of Afrisa with Tabu Ley. Ndombe definitely knew how to shine.

Now the song I am going to inform about from the late Pepe Ndombe was the song called YOUYOU. This was Ndombe's great song during the early 1980s when OK Jazz was reaching its peak as a band alongside Afrisa International. Ndombe really shined in this song and he showed how much of a genius he actually was a singer. He also gave a inner passion that we often don't see often from a musician. I see other singers support him with Lukoki Diatho, late Ntesa Dalienst & Wuta Mayi.

Ndombe Opetum was showing you how good of a singer he was in this performance. Not only that but he tried to tell Youyou how important she was to him. So you have a perfect song made here. I hope others will be able to hear this great song.

FABRICE

This is a day that I may be more happier. Doing better and getting better academicly speaking. Things are getting better for me as I am goin in the right course. Thanks to my parents, now I am in a great path which only makes me more happier than ever.

To get it started, I am starting with a song that many Franco fans now should probably know somewhat. I am speaking of the great song that is a unique Franco song. This song is the one that Franco would follow up in the later 1980s. That song I am talking about is Fabrice. This song I am speaking of is the first version of Fabrice. The original song. There was three Fabrices that Franco did in the 1980s.

This song is the original version. It is just simply called FABRICE. This song is about fashion as the other two. But on this one, Franco here praises people with he thinks are valuable fashion. He mentions name. He even mentions Fabien which is a great name. I have a personal connection to that. Fabian was my grandpa who was a Congolese Activist who loved Congo with all of his heart. I share his vision big time. He also mentions others even Verkys who had his own band LE VEVE. He also mentions Simaro, Ndombe, and also Josky.

This song is very unique singing wise too. We have some great vocals of Ndombe Opetum, Lola Checain, and Wuta Mayi. These three men were perfect together with Franco's great lead vocals. I mean that is great. Better guitar team as well with Gege Mangaya, Mpupi Decca, and Papa Noel. This song was great because Franco's great 5 minute solo. It is one of Franco's perfect solos I have seen for a while. Genius song.

People need to hear this song big time.

madilu's great song

Now I can enjoy something for this weekend for what I have. I should have done some important work but I had so much fun during the weekend. For some reason, I had a great weekend which is good and bad, Good because I am in a good and positive mood. Bad because I can be so damn lazy.

The song that I can not stop playing and overplay so much is the song done by late Madilu System. This song is a song that I consider a masterpiece from Madilu System. The song comes from the album called "Album 95". That is such a genius material. The song is called Shamita. The song itself sounds so good. It has the beginning of the acoustic guitar of Maika Munan. That man knew how to make that beautiful acoustic guitar.

Then comes the vocals that are even greater which I witness the great singers with Nyboma, Luciana Demingogo, Wuta Mayi, and of course Madilu. Luciana is the person who stood out to me because he sang so well and he sounded like himself and could handle himself so well. Madilu also sang this song so well and made the song unique. Nyboma and Wuta Mayi were just perfect back up singers.

Then comes Rigo Star who plays Solo and Mi-Solo guitar and does both of those roles perfectly. We have a strong sebene banger with Madilu on the animations and that sounds like a genius being made. Then comes the bass from Lofombo which is basically Empire Bakuba's finest man Gode Lofombo who is one of the greatest bass players ever, The song was so legendary.

More Madilu posts to follow up soon.