Samba Mapangala
Orchestre Virunga
Ujumbe
Stern's Africa,
Earthworks, 2001
In this bittersweet new set from Samba Mapangala, the Congo-born singer
pays tribute to a list of colleagues who have died in recent years,
including the great Pepe Kalle. But if the inspiration is sad, the music
is as uplifting as ever-sensuous, guitar-driven rumba, graced by round alto
saxophone melodies and gorgeous vocal arrangements. "Siri-Secret" opens
things up with the classic Virunga sound, mid-tempo and melodious in a
minor key.
Mapangala has lived in Uganda, Kenya, the U.K., and now the United States.
His band lineup has evolved accordingly, but he manages to keep a
consistent sound. Keyboards never crowd out guitars. The alto sax makes
its presence knows regularly. And vocals are at center stage on every
tune. This time, Congo guitar veteran Bopol Mansiamina heads up the band,
spinning out irresistible seben guitar lines on track after track.
There's not much new ground broken here, except for a choice acoustic
number, "Muniache" ("Leave me Alone.") The standout track is "Dunia Tuna
Pita," ("We are Merely Passing Through This World"). There's nothing quite
like the sound of Mapangala's clear, slightly horn-like tenor soaring over
the chunking and chiming of a spot-on Congo guitar section. Congo music is
in bit of a rut these days. So while this release may not point the
genre's way to the future, at least it understands what made the past so
great.
Banning Eyre
Contributed by: Banning Eyre
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