Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Extra Musica

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Extra Musica
(Congo-Brazzaville)

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Extra Musica has been the major music band from Congo Brazzaville of the mid 1990s. They are making a modern, very dancable, soukous. Their first albums were the most successful ones

Under the leadership of drummer Ramatoulaye and guitarist Roga Roga, Extra Musica has been successful for many years. After a few years, problems of financial and managerial nature were felt by various members of the original band. After the departure of Guy Guy Fall in 1996, others left to create off-shoots such as Extra Musica International under the leadership of Quentin Mouyasko, with guitarist Arnaud Laguna, and Z1 International by Régis Touba, with Pinochet Thierry, Durell Loemba and Cyrille Malonga.

The original group under Roga's leadership is now called Extra Musica Zangul. After the 2001 album « Trop c'est trop », there was a long silence but a new album « Obligatoire » has come out early 2004. Later that year, Doudou Copa decided to leave for a solo career, and in 2005, singer Oxygène decided to leave Extra Musica to create Universal Zangul. Oxygene's departure has been perceived as a heavy blow to the original band. Nevertheless, a new album was released in December 2006.

Established: in Brazzaville, 1993
Style: soukous.

Musicians on "Etat-Major" (1998):
Vocals: Oxygène (Mbon Sylvain), Doudou (Elenga Laka Bienvenu Dominique), Abilissi (Samba Brice) & Herman.
Animation: Kila Mbongo (Mazikou Ghislain).
Animation d'ensemble: Ramatoulaye, Sonor, Espé, Herman, Oxygène, Doudou, Abilissi.
Solo & rhythm guitar: Roga Roga (Ibambi Okombi Rogatien).
Bass: Espé Bass, Sonor.
Keyboards & horns: Christian Kingstall, Roga Roga.
Drums: Ramatoulaye (Ngolali G.).
Tumbas: Gildas Pozzi, Emery Mbonda.
Cabasa: Roga Roga.
Maracas: Roga Roga, Espé Bass, & Rama.

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
La main noire	2006	Sonima	2 CD
Obligatoire	2004	JPS Production CDJPS 240
Trop c'est trop	2001	JPS Production CDJPS 150
Anthologie 2000	1999	Globe Music	Les meilleurs tubes "non-stop"
Best of Extra Musica - La Legende Congolaise	1999	T.B.E. TBE006
Shalai	1999	JPS Production CDJPS 048
Etat-major	1998	Blue Silver 50689-2
Ouaragan (Champions d'Afrique)	1997	Blue Silver 50660-2
Confirmation	1996	Sonodisc CD 61409
Les nouveaux missiles	1995	Blue Silver 50488-2
Extra Musica International (Quentin Moyascko):
Virgule	2006	Qemi
Super Helico	2003?	Simon Music-SIPE
Merci	2001	Qemi 01
Guy-Guy Fall & Extra Musica:
Côte Ouest	1998	Sonodisc-Denide CD87809