Yesterday I realized that in 322 posts about African music we’ve never heard any Bonga on Benn loxo. For the sake of completion and out of respect for Angola’s most famous musician, here you are.

One thing I just learned about Bonga is that after exiling himself from Angola following his role in fighting for independence, he became a professional football/soccer player for Lisbon’s Benfica club and also a champion 400m runner. Talk about multi-talented. His status as professional athlete allowed him to travel easily throughout Europe.

What most would consider his best recordings were made in Paris during the early 70s. He recorded several solo albums and performed with high-profile African musicians living in Paris at the time like Manu Dibango. He’s still recording today having released successful albums right up to 2005, though they sound a bit too polished for my taste.

You can find today’s track on Bonga’s legendary 1972 recording re-released by Lusafrica ten years ago.

Bonga – Balumukeno