WENDO KOLOSOY On the Rumba River
May 28th, 2008
Wendo is now up to three albums since his return to performing in 1999. An orphan who was kicked out of the Belgian church school for his verses, Wendo worked on the riverboats and had a career as a prize fighter before recording “Marie Louise” in 1948 and becoming a top performer. He is the last survivor from the roots of rumba and has assembled some great sidemen nearing his own age (he is 82) to perform in the style he first popularized 60 years ago: the acoustic precursor of rumba Congolaise. He stretches to the high notes and with his shaved brown head he does look like a tortoise. Read more…
KEKELE LIVE: TOURNEE AMERICAINE & CANADIENNE
May 28th, 2008
by Alastair Johnston
(only available from CD Baby as a download)
For the first time I have bought a CD as a download (though I admit I have snaggled a few on the sly, most recently Neil Young in Amsterdam, which is worth seeking out). C.C. Smith, editor of The BEAT sent me the link to a live Kékélé concert: I checked out the sound on the CD Bébé site, which is board quality, so immediately grabbed it. C.C. has also started the inevitable myspace page for the band and if you check their friends there’s a link to Quatre Etoiles. As I said in my review of their show in San Rafael from this 2005-6 tour, they were a lot hotter live than on the CDs. On tour they had Rigo Star instead of Papa Noel on second guitar and three singers which kept it focussed. Syran decided to authorize the sale of the concert tape on line. Read more…
Brazilian Explosion!
May 23rd, 2008Spring 2008 = great Brazilian music. Why? Beats the heck out of me, but there it is. Something about feijoada and caiparinhas maybe? Whatever the reason, the meeting of classic Brazilian sounds with modern production and psychedelia is bearing the most fruit of any kind of music around, it seems. The overall direction of modern pop from that part of the world has already been somewhat established (not least of which by local label Six Degrees), but three new discs really exemplify what’s best about the modern Brazilian sound. Read more…