Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Tabu Ley Rochereau

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Tabu Ley Rochereau
(Congo-Kinshasa)

Back to Musiques d'Afrique
retour aux Musiques d'Afrique
Back to Musiques du Congo-Kinshasa

Tabu Ley Rochereau also known as "Le Seigneur" is one of the nestors of African music in general and of Congolese music in particular. He started his career in Joseph "Grand Kalle" Kabasele's African Jazz in 1959. Four years later, an important defection took place, and Tabu Ley left to create l'African Fiesta tegether with guitar hero Docteur Nico and Dechaud. Tabu and Nico didn't work together for long, and Tabu continued with African Fiesta National (Dr. Nico went along with his African Fiesta Sukisa faction). By the mid-1960s, the Congolese music scene was at its most prolific, and numerous spin-off bands from either the modern 'international' African jazz clan or the rootsier OK Jazz clan appeared (cf. Ewens 1994).
Tabu Ley constantly innovated through introducing elements from salsa, soul and disco, but also makossa and zouk to the Congolese rumba and he sung sometimes in French or English, unlike his rival and contemporary Franco Luambo Makiadi. He also toured extensively on the African continent outside Congo and after renaming his band in Afrisa International in 1970 he travelled to Paris to perform in the prestigious Olympia venue. This international success reflected on his popularity back home where he was feted as a national hero (cf. Graham, 1989).

In the 1970s, Tabu Ley continued to tour, he recruted the brilliant Sam Mangwana and increased the size of the Afrisa band. He added les Rocherettes, a group of female dancers and singers, one of them, M'bilia Bel would become a solo singer within Afrisa later on. Another highlight of that decade was the FESTAC 1977 performance, released on a double album. In the 1980s, Tabu Ley established his own production company and label Genidia, and several albums were released, some in duet with Mbilia Bel, with whom he was married until 1988. In that year, Tabu Ley introduced a young female singer, Faya Tess. Kiesse Diambu joined the band at the begin of the decade, but left in 1983 for OK Jazz joining his brother Ntesa Dalienst.

In the 1990s, international success was achieved with albums such as « Babeti Soukous », « Muzina », and « Exil Ley ». Still backed by vocalists Faya Tess, Bonane Wawali, Munoko Dodo Gisalu, Beyou Ciel, Lukombo Djeffard Mayemba and guitarist Nseka Huit Kilos, Afrisa has lost some of its outstanding members but they benefited from the World Music vague. Tabu Ley has lived abroad for several years (USA, Brussels, Paris), because he was not on good terms with President Mobutu. Since the ending of the Mobutu era in Congo, Tabu Ley returned to his country, and entered politics but he still occasionally tours. Some of his band members (such as Nseka Huit Kilos) stayed in the United States.

Picture: Phillip Gould

Sources:
Ewens, Graeme (1994) Congo Colossus, Buku Press.
Graham, Ronnie (1989), Stern's Guide to Contemporary African Music. Pluto Press.
www.kenyapage.net [external link];

Born: 13 November 1940, as Pascal Sinamoyi (Tabu and Ley were his parents' names, he adopted them during the Authenticité campaign), in Bagata, Bandundu province
Style: rumba, odemba, soukous, African jazz.

A Selective CD Discography (under construction!):

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
L'intégral de l'Olympia	2007	Syllart 823448	Live recording 1970
The Voice of Lightness (1961-1977)	2007	Stern's STCD3027-28	Compilation, 2CD
Classic Titles	2006	Cantos	Compilation
Sorozo - 1977/1978	2006	Syllart 823435	Compilation, with Afrisa International
Jolie Elie	2006	Syllart 823434	Compilation
Pitié - 1971/1972/1973	2006	Syllart 823433	Compilation
Rochereau et l'African Fiesta - 1968-1969	2006	Syllart 823431	Compilation
Rochereau et l'African Fiesta - 1966/1969	2006	Syllart 823430	Compilation
Nico - Rochereau - Kwamy & l'African Fiesta	2006	Syllart 823428	Compilation
Kaful Mayay - 1973/1974/1975	2006	Syllart 823427	Compilation
Rochereau & l'African Fiesta - 1964/1965/1966	2006	Syllart 823426	Compilation
Rochereau, Mujos & Nico: Maria Chantal	2006	Syllart 823425	Compilation
Sacramento avec Canta Nyboma	2006	Syllart 823424	Compilation
Tete Nakozonga 1972-1973	2006	Syllart 823423	Compilation
Rochereau, Sam Mangwana & l'African Fiesta National	2006	Syllart 823422	Compilation
Rochereau et Franco: Lisanga Ya Banganga	2006	Syllart 823421	2CD Compilation
Rochereau et l'Afrisa International - 1971/1977	2006	Syllart 823420	Compilation
A l'Olympia (Paris) - 1970	2006	Syllart 823419	Studio recording with fake audience applause
Rochereau et l'African Fiesta National 1966/1967/1968	2006	Syllart 823418	Compilation
African Fiesta - Nico / Rochereau: Makila Eyina Nzoto	2006	Syllart 823417	Compilation
Nico, Kwamy, Rochereau et l'African Fiesta	2006	Syllart 823416	Compilation
Tempelo	2002	Sono CDS8989
Kebo Beat	1997	Sonima SMCD 1190
Africa Worldwide (35th Anniversary Album)	1996	Rounder Records CD 5039
Baby Pancake - Aba! (with Bopol & Syran)	1995	Sonodisc CDS6829 / African Music Gallery AMG-012-CD
Muzina	1994	Rounder Records CD 5059
Exil-Ley	1993	Tamaris CD 92019
Feux d'artifice	1992	Sonodisc CDS 5505	With Pepe Kalle
Babeti Soukous	1989	Real World RWCD5
LP's:
Faya Tess: Moto Akokufa	1988	Genidia GEN 125
Beyou Ciel: Ebouroumounkoue	1988	Genidia GEN 124
Tabu Ley lance Faya Tess	1987	Genidia GEN 123
Le seigneur Rochereau dans la musique congolaise de variétés	1970	ISA R 102
Merveilles du passé African Fiesta 1962/1963	1987	African 360.163	With Nico, Rochereau, Izedi, Dechaud, Mujos and Depuissant
Merveilles du passé African Fiesta 1962/1963	1987	African 360.162	With Nico, Rochereau, Izedi
Merveilles du passé 1963	1987	African 360.161	With Nico, Rochereau, Dechaud, Mizele & African Fiesta