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Kékélé
is a Lingala word for a fibrous vine that climbs trees in the
tropical forests of the Congo River basin. Ropes woven from kékélé
are still used in some places to build bridges across forest
streams. By calling their group Kékélé, then, perhaps, Papa Noel,
Syran Mbenza, Wuta-Mayi, Nyboma Mwan Dido, Jean-Papy Ramazani, Loko
Massengo, Bumba Massa and Yves Ndjock are thinking of their long
career paths as strands woven together to make something strong,
something that spans divisions - geography, generations, genres -
and allows musicians to continue on their journey, and to return
home to their musical origins: Congolese Rumba.
The golden era
for Rumba Congolaise - an irresistible mix of Cuban rumba and
African rhythms - was in the sixties, when it reflected the optimism
of the newly independent African nations. Kékélé has succeeded in
bringing this sound back to life, featuring many of the musicians
from the classic orchestras of that era. Enchanting vocals,
vivacious
rhythms and spellbinding guitar-based dance make the Congolese Rumba
totally uplifting and joyous. This is the classic Congo sound before
the rhythmic intensity of soukous overpowered its subtlety.
In Congolese
terms, this is a "supergroup," comprised of true
luminaries. Both singers, Bumba Massa and Loko Massengo, have
careers dating back to the '60s, while the rest of the vocal
contingent were founders of the soukous group "Les Quatre
Étoiles" in the '80s, and lead guitarist Papa Noel has a
pedigree going back to his days as instrumental foil for the late
great Franco. Qualifications simply don't come any higher. While
many of the performers had worked together in different combinations
before, and obviously knew each other through the burgeoning Paris
world music scene, in most cases they'd never recorded together,
although Mayi and Noel had released a duet album in the mid-'90s.
It had been a
long time since the musical climate had been open to the throwback
style of Congolese rumba where they had started their musical
careers. Gentle and laid back, it had been superseded by the more
frantic and danceable soukous, which had given everyone a living.
However, the time had come for a revival. Kékélé had never
thought of it that way; it wasn't a calculated commercial
enterprise. The idea for a band - or at least a record - came
together slowly, over casual jam sessions at apartments and houses
in 1999. The material which would form their debut disc, Rumba
Congo, came from those times, established slowly, out of love and a
return to roots. When they were finally ready to commit their sound
to tape, they teamed up with another veteran, Ivory Coast-based
producer, Ibrahim Sylla. In 2001, Kékélé released their first
album.
With the 2003
release of their second album, Congo Life, Kékélé is ready to
conquer North America in person - for the first time ever - with
their undeniable charm and infectious rhythms.
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