 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(August 2024) |
Wenge Musica | |
|---|---|
 Wenge Musica in 1985 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Celio Stars |
| Origin | Kinshasa, DR Congo |
| Genres | Soukous |
| Years active | 1979–1997 |
| Labels |
|
| Spinoffs |
|
| Past members |
|
Wenge Musica (also known as Wenge Musica BCBG) were a Congolese soukous band formed by Didier Masela in 1981 and led by JB Mpiana from 1986 until their breakup, in 1997. [1] [2] [3]
In 1979, a number of school friends that included Aimé Buanga (guitar), Werrason (vocals), Didier Masela (guitar), Machiro Kifaya (vocals), Papy Sanji (vocals), and Kija Brown formed a group called Celio Stars. [4] In 1981, they renamed themselves Wenge Musica. [5] Their lineup initially remained the same, but they were later joined by Dede Masolo, Wes Koka, and Anicet Pandu on vocals, Alain "Docteur Zing" Mwanga, Alain Makaba, and Christian Zitu on guitars, [6] and Ladins Montana, Maradona, and Evo Nsiona on drums. In late 1982, singer JB Mpiana joined the band and brought another vocalist, Blaise Bula, along with him.
Wenge Musica gave their first concerts at the Moto Na Moto and Olympia bars around 1984. [7] They recorded an album at Studio Veve in 1986, containing the songs "Kin É Bougé", "Bébé", "Laura", "Sylvie", and "Césarine", but it went unreleased [8] The band experienced lineup changes during this time, with the departure of Pandu, Koka, Zitu, Masolo, Buanga, and Mwanga. At the end of the year, Wenge Musica consisted of Mpiana, Werrason, Bula, Makaba, Masela, Maradona, and Nsiona, as well as new members Adolphe Dominguez (vocals), Ricoco Bulambemba (vocals), Alain Mpela (vocals), Djolina (guitar), and Blaise Kombo (guitar). They also added their first atalaku, Full King. Aimé Buanga and Alain Mwanga moved to Paris, France, to study, and there they formed an offshoot of the group, called Wenge Musica Aile Paris.[ citation needed ]
The group's first official album, Bouger Bouger Makinzu, recorded in 1987, was released on the Bisel label the following year. It was reissued in 1994 on the English label Natari, with two additional tracks. [9] Bouger Bouger Makinzu includes the band's first hit, "Mulolo", composed by JB Mpiana. [10]
In 1989, Wenge Musica appeared in the "Zaire" episode of the BBC documentary series Under African Skies, about African music. [11] [12]
In 1991, Wenge Musica released their second album, Kin É Bougé. Several members of the band, including Ricoco, joined Wenge Musica Aile Paris, and a rift occurred between the sister groups. [13]
In 1993, Wenge Musica published the album Kala-Yi-Boeing, which spawned the hits "Danico", "Voyage Mboso", and "Kala-Yi-Boeing". At this point, the group included new members Aimelia Biakondile on vocals, Tutu Callugi as atalaku, and Burkina Faso as soloist.[ citation needed ]
In 1997, after JB Mpiana issued his solo album Feux De L'Amour, the band split into two separate factions: Wenge BCBG, led by Mpiana, and Wenge Musica Maison Mère, led by Werrason.[ citation needed ]
| | This section needs additional citations for verification .(August 2024) |
Congolese music is one of the most influential music forms of the African continent. Since the 1930s, Congolese musicians have had a huge impact on the African musical scene and elsewhere. Many contemporary genres of music, such as Kenyan Benga and Colombian Champeta, have been heavily influenced by Congolese music. In 2021, Congolese rumba joined other living traditions such as Jamaican reggae music and Cuban rumba on UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list.
Scream is an American hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C.; they originally formed in the suburb of Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia. Scream originally formed in 1981 within the vanguard of the Washington Hardcore explosion. In 2009, the band reunited, and as of January 2012 were on tour in Europe. As of 2017, the band was still touring in both America and the United Kingdom.
Ange is a French progressive rock band formed in September 1969 by the Décamps brothers, Francis (keyboards) and Christian.
Zaïko Langa Langa is a Congolese rumba band formed in Kinshasa, in December 1969. Established by D.V. Moanda, Henri Mongombe, Marcellin Delo and André Bita, the band evolved from the Orchestre Bel Guide National, which is seen as Zaïko's predecessor.
Marie-Claire Mboyo Moseka, known professionally as M'bilia Bel, is a Congolese singer and songwriter. Dubbed the "Queen of African Rumba" and "Queen Cleopatra", she is regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Congolese and African popular music. Her music is a blend of traditional Congolese rumba, soukous, rap, and zouk, with lyrics that often delve into themes of love, politics, hedonism, militancy, jealousy, sentimentality, and education.
Ndombolo, also known as dombolo, is a genre of dance music originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Derived from soukous in the 1990s, with fast-paced hip-swaying dance rhythms, often accompanied by upbeat, percussion-driven music, the style became widespread in the mid-1990s and the subsequent decade, dominating dancefloors in central, eastern, and western Africa. It inspired West African popular music, coupé-décalé, Kuduro, and East African dance music.
Pascal Lokua Kanza, known professionally as Lokua Kanza, is a Congolese singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, philanthropist, and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his soulful, folksy sound, which is atypical of the dancefloor-friendly African rumba music. He sings in French, Swahili, Lingala, Portuguese, English, and Wolof. He was a member of the coaching panel of the Voice Afrique Francophone from 2016 to 2017.
Congolese rumba, also known as African rumba, is a dance music genre originating from the Republic of the Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo. With its rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, Congolese rumba has gained global recognition and remains an integral part of African music heritage. In December 2021, it was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
Éric Gaudibert was a Swiss composer.
Elán is a Slovak pop rock band founded in 1968 by elementary school classmates Jožo Ráž, Vašo Patejdl, Juraj Farkaš, and Zdeno Baláž. They became one of the most popular Czechoslovak bands during the 1980s, releasing ten successful albums between 1981 and 1991. In 1993, the group represented Slovakia in the preliminary round of the Eurovision Song Contest but having finished in fourth place, failed to qualify for the finals in Ireland. Elán performed at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec, Czech Republic, as part of the championship's entertainment festivities. The band has toured internationally throughout their career. They have produced many well-known hits and won several awards, such as the Slávik Awards, Slávik, and Zlatý slavík, which they won four years in a row.
Ndolo Michel Mathieu Kongulu Mobutu, often shortened to Kongolo Mobutu and also known by his nickname Saddam Hussein, was a son of Mobutu Sese Seko, the president of Zaire, and an officer in the Special Presidential Division (DSP).
La Sombra de Chicago or La Sombra de Tony Guerrero or the Windy City Boys is a Tejano band founded by Tony Guerrero. Originally from the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois, the group gained national acclaim and success after moving to Corpus Christi, Texas, the headquarters of their label, Freddie Records.
Noël Ngiama Makanda, known professionally as Werrason, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, composer, producer, philanthropist, and the bandleader of Wenge Musica Maison Mère. He was a co-founding member of Wenge Musica, a musical group that played a pivotal role in the development of the ndombolo dance music genre during the 1990s.
Danza Invisible are a Spanish new wave band founded in 1981 in Torremolinos, Spain, by Ricardo Texidó from the group Cámara, together with Chris Navas and Manolo Rubio from the punk group Adrenalina. Shortly after, Antonio Gil joined the guitar section. The last to join the band was Javier Ojeda, who replaced Ricardo Texidó as lead vocalist.
Hervé Gola Bataringe, known professionally as Ferré Gola, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. Revered as "Jésus de Nuances", he is known for his tenor vocals and is considered a central figure in the evolution of fifth-generation Congolese rumba. His lyrics predominantly revolve around themes of love, social support, and interpersonal relationships.
Héritier Bondongo Kabeya, known professionally as Héritier Watanabe or simply Héritier Wata, is a Congolese singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, and bandleader. He is the founder of the Kinshasa-based orchestra Team Wata. An influential figure in fifth-generation Congolese rumba, Kabeya began singing at 10 years old and soon joined JB Mpiana's Wenge BCBG for practice and public appearances, seeking membership but was eventually repudiated.
Wenge Musica Maison Mère, also spelled as WMMM, is a musical band founded in December 1997, by musicians Werrason, Didier Masela and Adolphe Dominguez, after the split of their original band, Wenge Musica, created in 1981. Since its foundation, the band has had a rivalry with former bandmate JB Mpiana's Wenge BCBG. Under the leadership of Werrason, the group developed stars such as vocalists Ferré Gola, Héritier Watanabe, Fabregas le Métis Noir and Bill Clinton Kalonji. The band faced its first split after Ferré, Bill Clinton and JDT Mulopwe left the band to found Les Marquis de Maison Mère in 2004.
Félix Nlandu Wazekwa, known professionally as Félix Wazekwa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, author, filmmaker, dancer, and bandleader. Known for his Lingala deep lyrics and baritone voice, he is regarded as an influential figure in soukous and Congolese rumba music and one of the most prominent lyricists of his generation.
Nippon Banzai is a 1986 studio album by Congolese band Zaïko Langa Langa, released on their ProZal label. The album followed band's pioneering tour of Japan in October 1986, positioning them as the second Congolese musical collective to perform in the country, after Papa Wemba and his band Viva La Musica, who had toured Japan earlier that same year.
Christelle Dionge, known professionally as Kristy Diamond, is a Congolese singer, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised in Kinshasa, Dionge began her music career in a local church choir, eventually leading her to join the acclaimed Gospel Paradis Music group. After moving to France and taking a hiatus to focus on family life, she returned to the music scene with her 2018 debut studio album Tshueke Tshueke.