Bakolo Music International au festival Africolor 2019.
Au même moment, au premier étage du bâtiment, dans les loges, un gang de papys indisciplinés apporte la touche finale à leurs costumes. L’un remet en place son borsalino, l’autre ajuste sa cravate, un autre encore se parfume, le dernier brique ses chaussures rutilantes… Ils ont, en moyenne, 70 ans et s’amusent comme des gamins. À croire que la rumba congolaise, ça conserve !
MusicinAfrica, 17 septembre 2018. Une soixantaine d’artistes ont déjà confirmé leur participation au WOMEX 2018. Parmi eux, on retrouve Lucibela (Cape-Vert), Bakolo Music International (RDC) et Nelida Karr (Guinée équatoriale). Le World Music Expo se tiendra du 24 au 28 octobre prochain aux Îles Canaries, au large de la côte nord-ouest de l’Afrique.
These 3 songs are awesome, and each one deserves its own story:
Philosophie
When Jean-Serge Essous from the Brazzavilian Bantous de la Capitale came back from his trip to the French Antilles, he brought with him some songs he rearranged on his own way. « Philosophie » is a Biguine song composed by Gérard Laviny and arranged by Jean-Serge Essous. It is said that a new musical style : Zouk, was originated during Jean-Serge Essous stay in the Antilles (1966-1971), from a spicy mix of Rumba, Biguine and Soukouss.
Ngange
Ngange is one of the last songs composed by Bikunda Nzofu, the leader of BMI. The song means « Fetichist » or « Sorcerer » in Teke language.
Awela Boruma
Composed by Willy Nzoku, this song is a tribute to Plump Ladies!
In Leopoldville, 1948, singer Antoine “Wendo” Kolosoyi formed a group he called Victoria Kin. The group recorded numerous 78 r.p.m. discs for the famous Ngoma Label Records, one of the first studios in Kinshasa.
70 years after, the group makes its come back with:
A European tour starting the 12th of May 2018 in Langonet, French Britain
The release of a full album in November
A brand new Bakolo documentary film, directed by Tom Vantorre, will be released in December
BMI underwent several name changes over the years, later known as Victoria Bakolo Miziki, and then Bakolo Miziki International under President Mobotu. In 1999, they returned to the stage with Wendo Kolosoy, who had since been rediscovered by Christian Mousset, and performed several world tours until his death in 2008. The group continued on in his memory and composed new songs.
Two films about the lives of Wendo Kolosoy and Bakolo Music International were produced in 1993 (Tango Ya Ba Wendo, Mirko Popovitch & Kwami Mambu Zinga) and 2007 (On the Rumba River – Wendo, Jacques Sarasin), and a third film is set for release in 2018 as the final chapter of the trilogy.
In 2016, the group recorded a single “Ngange” (meaning ‘sorcerer’ in Teke Language) and the band will release a full album in early 2018.
Bakolo Music International showcases the original roots rumba atmosphere and sounds found in Kinshasa in the 50s. Their music describes the adventures of a group of old friends who are still playing and composing old rumba melodies together, after having lived through hard and good times.
L’année 2018 commence par une bonne nouvelle! Nous sommes heureux de vous annoncer que le Fond Culturel Sud est partenaire du projet d’enregistrement du support sonore du plus ancien groupe de Rumba Congolaise encore actif à Kinshasa: Les Bakolo Music International. La sortie de l’album est prévue pour Novembre 2018.
Par le biais de garanties de déficit et de subventions aux projets, le Fonds culturel Sud soutient des productions et des manifestations impliquant des artistes en provenance d’Afrique, d’Asie, d’Amérique latine et d’Europe de l’Est (pays non membres de l’UE). L’objectif de ces activités de soutien est de faciliter aux artistes issus du Sud et de l’Est – en particulier de pays partenaires de la coopération au développement suisse – l’accès au marché culturel suisse ainsi qu’à un réseau professionnel.
Bakolo Music International is on the last Rhythm Passport compilation and we are delighted to share it with you!
« Santa’s elves have stuffed Santa’s bag full of great tunes and he’s just delivered 50 minutes of the freshest music from all over the world… and you know that when we say “all over the world”, we really mean it.
In fact, by downloading (for FREE) the 20th instalment of Rhythm Passport’s compilation, you’ll enjoy quintessential Nigerian Afrobeat, Venezuelan traditional singing, original Congolese rumba from the BAKOLO MUSIC INTERNATIONAL, Brazilian electro-Batucada (with an Italian twist), Malian electrified griot music, urban hip-hop with a Mexican dancy attitude, Jamaican rocksteady meets salsa, and much, much more. »
bakolomusicinternational.com 