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  Sona Jobarteh: FASIYA
  
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  David Rudder: Random Notes
  
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All Reviews >>

Antoine Moundanda sings in a rough, beefy tenor reminiscent of Congo music legend Franco in his prime. Moundanda's music also has the grand swing of Franco's rumba orchestra, TPOK Jazz. The difference is that Moundanda is not leading a modern orchestra full of guitars, drums, horns and singer, but rather a small trio consisting only of large traditional thumb pianos, likembés. The literature about Congo music contains intriguing speculation about the influence of likembés or sanza traditions on development of modern Congo music, especially the guitar parts. This remarkable, pumping live set from the MASA festival in Abidjan in 1997 puts some meat on the bones of that argument.

Moundanda was born in 1928. He started this band in the early 50s and recorded 30 albums for the Ngoma label. Likembé Géant went under during the 60s when Africa was in the grip of electric bands. But they had a comeback near the end of the decade and have remained together ever since. When you hear the tangled chatter of plucked metallic notes--including low ones that sound spot on like the marche militaire bass lines of modern soukous music--you're apt to do a double take. Of course, by the time the band gave this performance, these musicians too had been washed over by wave after wave of modern Congo music. The instruments may be ancient, but the influences of Afro-Cuban music, Congo rumba, and soukous have all shaped the sound. Nowhere is that more evident than in the trio's smooth, mellifluous vocal arrangements. But even the music, for all its rootsy overtones, tells a modern story. Just one example, "Havachibora," unfolds using the classic 1-4-5-4 chord progression (think "Guantalamera" or "La Bamba"), found throughout Cuban and Congolese pop and early rock `n roll.

Fans of southern African marimba and mbira music won't want to miss this one. Even roots purists, who may find the overt modern influences here a little gimmicky, will have to admire the instrumental musicianship and vocal prowess. Not too many traditional trios can produce such a big, swinging sound. And there is one 6/8 instrumental, "Liwa," that suggest what these instruments might have been playing before the likes of Franco came along.
Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org