Did I tell you that I’m learning Spanish? A second visit to South America this summer confirmed my desire to one day live in Buenos Aires, or possibly Santiago.. or, hey, Colombia. Why not. Anyway, in honour of my (painfully slow, despite the French) adoption of a new language, let’s play some Colombian criolla music.. champeta, to be exact.

Benn loxo has a surprising number of listeners in Barranquilla, Colombia. Ok, not so many; there are three, as far as I know. But that’s more than I’d expect.

Benn loxo’s Barranquillan readers has sent me lots of music over the last year, mostly champeta, with a splash of cumbia here and there. Before you read any further you should check-out the wonderfully translated Wikipedia article on champeta. It’s clear to me now that the word champeta “makes reference to the knife, used in the work, in the kitchen and as defense and offensive weapon of this culture of he himself name.”

The African origins of champeta are immediately clear. Much of it sounds like a very slightly South Americanized soukous. It has a very different sound from the majority of South American styles, including the music by Belizean-African musicians that you might have heard here before.

The first couple tracks today come off a World Network release by Colombiafrica – The Mystic Orchestra, called Voodoo Love Inna Champeta Land. It’s a collaboration between Colombian champeta musicians and several well-known West African musicians, including members of Kékélé and Bembeya Jazz, Diblo Dibala, Rigo Star and others. Wow, that first song.

The second couple are reader contributed champeta tracks straight from the source. Unfortunately I don’t know who they’re by. Please let me know in the comments. Thanks, Fabian and Farid, for hooking us up with the artist names.

Respect to all the champeta fans out there who tune in to Benn loxo, and thanks for the promos and musical discoveries.

Colombiafrica / The Mystic Orchestra – Sambangole / Tres Golpes Na’ Mas
Colombiafrica / The Mystic Orchestra – Mini Kusuto
Dogard Disc – Quedo En Las Tablas
Charles King – Echale Tierra

It wasn’t a great BBC quiz week for me. Only 3 right. I guess that’s understandable considering I’ve been working long hours recently, preparing for something I probably won’t do anyway. (I was hoping to do a rugby series on Benn loxo like I did when I was working at the football world cup, complete with pitch-side African classics. We’ll see.)

Anyway, since my work plans for the next six weeks hang in the balance it’s appropriate that I do Benn loxo listener, Fabian, a favour and post a mystery song that he’d like to know more about.

If you know the composer, singer, language or any other detail about today’s song please leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

I’ll also include a second track by Jean Raph Loumbet sent my way by Fabian some time ago. I love the lyrics and the driving beat on this one.

Loumbet and his band, Les Zoulous, were apparently the first Ivoirians to produce Congolese soukous. The style had long been popular in the country, and mixing with a hint of post-Djedje Ivoirianess sounds great. Today’s track comes off his 1981 release, Renaissance Volume 1.

Speaking of Côte d’Ivoire, does anyone have a copy of Eba Aka Jerome’s single, Trahison?

Unknown – Patricia
Jean Raph Loumbet – Mbonge

Today we have a guest post from Benn loxo listener, CC Smith, in memory of Madilu System:

Bialu Makiese, better known as Madilu System, died suddenly on Aug. 11 in Kinshasa from complications of diabetes. He was 57 years old.

A member of the beefy front line of singers of TPOK Jazz since 1980, Madilu was known as Franco’s favorite singer, and his husky, nuanced baritone was heard on many of Franco’s greatest songs of that era, most notably supplying the lead on “Mario.” (This worldwide hit from 1986 was beautifully reprised by Africando on the 2006 Ketukuba album, again with Madilu on lead vocal.)

Following the death of Franco in 1989 and the dissolution of OK Jazz, Madilu proceeded with a solo career and had just released a new recording, La Bonne Humeur, in Paris this summer. He was also an exceptional harmony vocalist, and frequently joined other singers such as Nyboma, Josky and Malage in duets and lush choral arrangements.

His warm cameo “Tapale” on Kekele’s Kinavana album is one of the delights of that production. But my favorite song by Madilu is “Ya Jean” from his Sans Commentaire album of 1994, a gorgeous heartfelt tribute to Franco Luambo Makiadi with Rigo Star providing the lead guitar on the first section, and Syran Mbenza standing in for the ghost of Franco on the second part, channeling the Grand Maitre’s signature guitar lines as Madilu pours out an anguished wail from the depths of his soul.

CC Smith
The Beat Magazine

Madilu System – Ya Jean

Benn loxo reader and contributor, Fabián, comes through again with some great music by Congolese musicians living in Kenya during the 1970s. I’ve also included a few tracks from my own collection to beef-up the post.

I love reading the stories about how all these bands and the personalities behind them are connected. This is especially true when you’re talking about a relatively small group, Conogolese musicians living in Nairobi during the 1970s and early 80s.

Pepelepe was formed by ex-members of Baba Gaston’s Baba Nationale who had recently moved to Nairobi from Zaire in the early 1970s.

Jim Monimambo formed the Boma Liwanza offshoot, Special Liwanza, in Nairobi in 1976. I would love to get some more Boma Liwanza music. Anyone up for a trade?

Monimambo also wrote and performed for Orchestra Shika Shika, another group that had formed in 1980s in the aftermath of Boma Liwanza’s break-up.

I’ve included some Orchestra Mazemba since they were one of the leading Congolese bands in Kenya during the 1970s and 80s.

Finally, something from the Kenya and Tanzania natives, Simba Wanyika, so we can hear how it wasn’t just the Congolese playing that pre-benga, early soukous style in 1970s Nairobi.

Thanks to Benn loxo reader, Cheeku, and Matt over at Matsuli Music for first introducing me to Shika Shika and the various Liwanzas. And thanks, Fabián, for the continuing contributions.

You can find more info by people who know a lot more about this era than I do here and here.

Orchestre Pepelepe – Mulambo
Orchestre Special Liwanza – Mwale parts 1 & 2
Orchestre Shika Shika – Diabanza
Orchestre Shika Shika – Ivete parts 1 & 2
Orchestre Super Mazembe – Kassongo
Simba Wanyika – Shilingi maua tena maua

Last week I got back from an 11-day trip in Cuba. I spent about a week in Havana plus a few days time in the west of the country, seeing Pinar del Rio, Vinales and finally the beaches and underwater life at Maria la Gorda.

It goes without saying that Cuban music, both old and new, is amazing. I heard the tourist-ringed but high-quality live salsa and rumba on every corner in Havana Vieja, Santaria rumba with the Conjunto folklórico, Afro-Cuban jazz at La Zorra y El Cuelvo, late nights, hard reggaeton and I-wish-I-could-dance-like them action at numerous clubs in Miramar and Vedado, sub-par big-name salsa at La Casa de la Musica and much more.

I try my best not to get political on this site, but let me say that visiting Cuba is a bit like going to a maximum security prison on the beach, snapping pictures of friendly inmates as they go about their business.

Most Cubans aren’t allowed to travel at all, even inter-city within their own country. The average monthly cash take-home is about 15 Euros a month. Prostitution is a disturbingly tolerated practice on a scale that outstrips Nigerian oil bars and Senegalese nightclubs. There are no boats on the water or in the harbour aside from patrols and tourists, not even for fishing. The vast majority of people aren’t allowed to own a car or pretty much anything else. If you’re a Cuban and have a relationship with a foreigner living in Cuba you will usually kiss your chances of getting a travel permit goodbye. The whole system is setup to reward those who play by the rules and punish those who don’t. Never question Fidel and you might get a TV. Organize enough anti-US parades and you might just get a job at a hotel… and the tips that come with it.

As I said to a friend earlier today, Cuba is a beautiful, fascinating… and ultimately very sad place. Any positive things I had thought about certain aspects of Fidel’s Cuba, such as good medicare, innovative urban agriculture policies, etc, went out the window. All of that is worthless if you have absolutely no freedom. And for all those who keep telling me “it was good you went before he dies” – no hurry, it’s not going to change anytime soon. If anything, rules are tightening these days. State-appointed company heads are being replaced with pro-Revolution activists by the dozen and authorities are cracking down on previously overlooked practices. I saw a bunch of “Viva Raul” signs around Havana, albeit small ones not quite ready for the prime time.

Anyway… very glad I went.

And as this is an African music web site I thought I’d post a song by a Congo-born Angolan who has been heavily influenced by Cuban music, salsa in particular. We can all thank Benn loxo listener, CC Smith of The Beat Magazine in San Francisco, for today’s music. I’ll share some real Havana Afro-Cuban later in the week.

Ricardo Lemvo combines salsa, soukous and some Afro-Portuguese elements into his music. He’s lived in the States since he was 15, but was born in Congo to parents of Angolan descent. He normally records with Makina Loca, but he’s also done some work with Africando.

Lemvo’s latest album, Isabela, was released this month. I’ve had it on repeat this afternoon while I cook a spicy, end of winter chilli con carne.

Ricardo Lemva & Makina Loca – Kasongo Boogaloo