Bandeko,
This hiatus is taking a bit longer than expected. But I see that my Cavacha Express! YouTube videos don’t have many views, so I hope you can give me some LOVE and LISTEN in the meantime!
And check out this lovely article on Congolese music recently published by Chimurenga, a publication for pan-African writing, art, and politics.
AND speaking of Chimurenga, starting tomorrow in Paris they will have a pop-up Pan African Space Station with performances by Congolese musicians, including my beloved Nyboma. This is part of the exhibition, “Beauté Congo – 1926-2015 – Congo Kitoko” at the Fondation Cartier. Ah, what I would give to be in Paris this week! Okay, so it appears we can stream in, but still!!!
xoxoxo,
Kimi
Cavacha Express! Classic congolese hits 
Hi Kimi!
I must tell you that I’m absolutely enchanted by your Blog, your interest in Congolese Music and your comments. And that I was absolutely disappointed when I saw the number of people who have visited your Website. Don’t let it bring you down! Maybe people just don’t find the Cavacha Express and if they only knew there would be much more viewers, especially among Africans. I myself stumbled over your Website more or less by chance. I read in one of the many comments on Congolese Music on YouTube that the early hits from the 70s are called “Cavacha”, googled and – there I was.
Just a few words on myself. I’m René, German from Düsseldorf, but in the last two years have been living in Krosno, a very charming little town in the southeast of Poland, where my wife comes from. Please excuse my English, it dates back from school and that’s a very long time, as I’m already 60 years of age. My liaison with Cavacha began 1976, when I made a trip through Africa that would be impossible today, in an open truck from west to east, from Lagos to Nairobi, crossing Cameroun, Republique Centrafricaine, among others. It was an adventure and beautiful and everywhere, also from the radio of our truck (we were 6 Germans + two Belgian ladies) we would hear this beautiful and ravishing music, the intertwined singing guitars, reminding me a little bit of Jerry Garcia.
I even didn’t know then that it was Congolese, thought it was called “Highlife”. Back in Germany there was no way in those days to buy this Music, but in 1981 I came to Kinshasa (this time by ship down the east coast, Senegal, Guinea, Benin, Togo, Gabun, Matadi and from there by bus, another adventure!)
Well, in Kinshasa, of course, the same sounds everywhere, an absolutely fascinating city, by the way. Maybe not exactly the same music, in my opinion decline and decadence started in the 80s like in Reggae, Funk, Fela Kutis Afrobeat etc – at least as I see it today. Anyway, I went to the part of the huge dusty market, where music was sold in countless little open air shops and was led by a growing crowd to a girl that obviously was regarded as a great expert, worthy of choosing some 45s for that tall and friendly fair-skinned guy. I was given six 45s, all of them classics, among them Viva la Musica’s brillant “Ngonda”, “Sonia” and “Analengo”. The rest not worse, and I will put them all on youtube when I’m back in Germany.
There would be a lot more to say, of course, for example about the music. I heard a lot of Franco and for that reason am a little bit overfed (is this correct?) with his Rumba Congolaise. Great, of course, also the recordings from the 60’s, Paris 1966 etc. But the Golden Age must be what I’ve heard back in 1976, how much is lost? Great groups like Minzoto Wella Wella and Kiam are just not available on CD and on YouTube only a few tracks in awful sound quality. Maybe you can buy original 45s on the net, but then – you can`t listen to them in advance. Anyway, “Cavacha” to me is where the inspiration is fresh and you can hear it, Lipua Lipua, Bella Bella,Shama Shama and all the others, including “Les Noirs”, “Tchiku” (love that track). Just like in Beat Music between 1964 and 1966. The Africans call that time (1970 – 1980) “Belle Epoque” in their comments on youtube, there was Mobutu, but conditions were relatively stable and they had a music, which was completely their own. Belle époque, not only the first letters “CA” remind me of Can Can, it is the esprit, the speed, the lightness, the ravishing atmosphere of this Congolese. Great, how the singers mix French and Lingala.
Enough and too much said. By the way, I like the way you pronounce French, absolutely perfect!
Very kind regards from Poland René
LikeLike
Dear René,
Thank you so, so, so much for your support and all your kind words! It’s people like you who remind me that there are so many others out there who cherish this music, and this gives me inspiration to keep the show going. For you and anyone else out there who can’t get access to vinyls of this music, I highly recommend checking out the blog, Global Groovers: http://globalgroovers.com/
LikeLike
Hey, you defintely have Not to stop (means something ??)…
God, Congolese Rumba is lilke the most beautiful music created. We need more support like you.
Be sure greats legends like Sam Mangwana, Dino Vangu, Nyboma are still in the game, so…
If those people, who are like, between 60 and 70 years old are there, why thinkin about leave ?
🙂
La Rumba vivra !!!!
LikeLike
Hello Petit,
Thanks so much for your support!! Nakosuka te. Vive la rumba congolaise!!
Kim
LikeLike
Pingback: Franco was Here | Cavacha Express! Classic congolese hits