Album review

Wendo Kolosoy

Botyiaki Ntembe

Paris 

31/03/2011 - 

Sold together in a single box entitled Botyiaki Ntembe, and remastered for the occasion, the two albums, Nani Akoleka Wendo? and Banaya papa Wendo by the singer Wendo Kolosoy were both key pieces in the career of the Congolese singer, who died in 2008 at the age of 83.

For his Congolese compatriots, Wendo’s name has become synonymous with the 1950s. “Tango Ya ba Wendo” as the expression goes in Lingala, or “In Wendo’s time”. The formula was used as a title for a 1966 song by Franco and his TP OK Jazz band, which moved in to take advantage of the way opened up by Wendo Kolosoy. Franco’s goal was to pay tribute to this pioneer whose exit from the scene was precipitated by his own rise.

The expression was also the name of a programme on the Zairean state TV channel, as well as a 1993 film co-produced by Mirko Popovitch and Kwami Mambu Zinga. The movie did a lot to help bring the recognised father of Congolese rumba back into fashion, with its photographic reminder of the role he played, and the opportunity it gave him to bring out a new album, Nani Akoleka Wendo?

The album was recorded during filming, mostly in old studios in Kinshasa, and represents something of a resurrection. “I’ve heard that everywhere in Kinshasa people say Wendo is dead,” sang the artist – who went on to die in 2008 – his voice heavy with sadness in Bakosi Liwa Ya Wendo. Rumba in its traditional form came back to life in the record. Fluid and simple, the accompanying guitar work is both skilful and light, and the rhythm comes from a percussion instrument that sounds like someone drumming on a Primus bottle.

Marie Louise also takes pride of place on the CD. This founding hit of African rumba, now an emblematic track, originally came out in 1948 but its author later did many versions. Composed by Henry Bowane (who went on to be his artistic half during an intense recording period for the Ngoma label), the title plays on the well-known theme of a lover rejected by his future father-in-law. In reality, according to Wendo, it was written to thank Henri Bowane’s sister for the lunches she provided them every day!

The live performance of Botyiaki Ntembe with Pepe Kalle, which is included as a bonus, shows that Old Wendo wasn’t completely forgotten by those who represented the Congolese scene back in vogue in the early 90s.

The other half of the box is occupied by the artist’s last album Banaya Papa Wendo, dating from 2004.  In the meantime, the ex-sailor and boxer had secured a status more in keeping with his senior position. A new film was made about him, called On the Rumba River, shot by Jacques Sarasin in the Congolese capital. A few months’ earlier, he had taken advantage of a trip to Europe for a concert to spend a couple of days in the studio and set down a dozen songs with his team of musicians.

Wendo Kolosoy Botyiaki Ntembe (Cristal Records/Harmonia Mundi) 2011

Bertrand  Lavaine