Videos Of Congolese Rumba Music & Dance By Four Of Congolese Rumba's Greatest Artists

Chubb Dandy's, April 15, 2021Only Uploading To Hopefully Help Out The Film And Spread The Word! -snip-
The narration in this video is in French and the captions in this video are in English. 

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on Congolese rumba music and dance.

This pancocojams post showcases five videos of Congolese rumba music and dance. The first video is a trailer for a film about Congolese rumba. The remaining videos showcases four of Congolese rumba's greatest artists (given in no particular order: Franco, Pepe Kalle, Fally Ipupa,
and Koffi Olomide.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/04/some-of-history-of-congolese-rumba.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents two YouTube videos about the history of the Congolese rumba music and dance.

This post also includes some information about Congolese rumba from a reprint of an online article, from the transcription of one of these showcase videos, and from the comments from the discussion thread of one of these showcase videos. 

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all these Congolese artists who are showcased in this video for their musical legacies. Thanks to all those who are associated with these YouTube videos that are embedded in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/04/cuban-rumba-guaguanco-music-and-dance.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "Cuban Rumba Guaguanco Music And Dance (information & Videos)".

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS

Except for Video #1, these videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #1
This video which is embedded at the top of this post is a trailer about Congolese rumba. 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Pepe Kalle LA RUMBA Huge Success In Africa

manachester11, Mar 27, 2009

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - Fally Ipupa - Eloko Oyo (Clip officiel)



Fally Ipupa, Apr 7, 2017
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from an article about this record:
https://www.afrovibes.com/articles/2019/04/26/fally-ipupa-eloko-oyo/ "New Music: Fally Ipupa - Eloko Oyo", by Adeyemi A.  April 26, 2019
"Eloko oyo,” meaning "here it is," is a word from the Lingala (or Ngala) language native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo. The song, "Eloko Oyo,” was originally released by the Congolese icon, Mabele Elisi, who has inspired several people through his musical talent - one of those people is Fally Ipupa. Fally Ipupa is a popular Congolese singer-songwriter and producer who modified the song and released a completely different version of “Eloko Oyo” in 2017.

Throughout the song, Fally Ipupa expresses his achievements and the good works he has been able to achieve through music. Fally Ipupa’s version of the song quickly became popular so we thought to share the lyrics and the song’s meaning"..
-snip-
This article continues with this song's lyrics and their English translations.
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People from the Congos and other Africans, please excuse my ignorance, but is the dancing in this Fally Ipupa - Eloko Oyo (Clip officiel) a form of Congolese rumba? If not, what type of dancing is it?

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4- Koffi Olomide - Andrada (Clip Officiel)

KINDULE, Jan 10, 2019

"Andrada" issu de l'album "V12" de Koffi Olomidé sorti en 1995.
-snip-
Click https://www.facebook.com/LingalaAndRhumbaKenyaFans/posts/koffi-olomide-andradatcha-tcho-eza-mayi-ehtchatcho-is-waterle-roi-de-betesthe-ki/1262078417136317/ Lingala and Rhumba Kenya Fans,  June 11, 2016 for lyrics to this song in Lingala with English translation.

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SHOWCASE #5 - Franco & Le TP OK Jazz - Mario (English subtitles)

Pan African Music, Oct 10, 2019

Pensez à activer les sous-titres pour avoir les paroles ↗️ Nous sommes à la Cité de La voix du Zaïre, où sont regroupées la radio et la télévision du pays. Franco est au studio Maman Angebi, qui porte le nom d’une grande dame de la télévision zaïroise. Il est l’invité de la célèbre émission « Variété Samedi Soir ».

Présenté par Lukunku Sampu, vedette de la télévision zaïroise (une sorte de Michel Drucker, pour le public français). Le tube Mario (une quinzaine de minutes) est sorti en 1985 et ce live à la télé peut-être de la même année, sinon de 1986. C’est peut-être le moment où Franco présente le Madilu, confirmé comme chanteur majeur du groupe à Bruxelles un peu auparavant.

Mario, tout le monde a chanté son nom, fredonnant l’air de la chanson, aux quatre coins du continent. Ceux qui ne parlent pas lingala ont retenu le nom, mais bien peu en ont compris le sens. Mario est une manière de gigolo qui vit aux crochets d’une femme qui a réussi et l’entretient. Mais elle se plaint de lui : de ses abus, de son machisme (alors qu’il vit à ses dépens) de sa brutalité et de son irresponsabilité. C’est les reproches de cette femme fatiguée (na lembi, en lingala) qui sont au cœur de la chanson. Madilu lui prête sa voix. Quant à Franco ici, il admoneste Mario et se fait l’interprète de la malheureuse. 

Qui est Mario ? Il y a eu beaucoup de spéculations. Franco ayant été le peintre de la société, nombreux sont ceux qui ont cru reconnaître des connaissances ou des célébrités. Mais comme personne ne savait clairement qui était ce gigolo que l’on dénonce, Franco a laissé grandir le suspense, ce qui a créé ce qu’on appellerait aujourd’hui « le buzz » : mais qui est donc Mario ?

Traduit pour PAM par Kerwin Mayizo.
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Google translate from French to English:
"Remember to activate the subtitles to have the words ↗️ We are at the Cité de La Voix du Zaire, where the country's radio and television are grouped. Franco is at the Maman Angebi studio, which bears the name of a great lady of Zairian television. He is the guest of the famous show “Variété Samedi Soir”.

Presented by Lukunku Sampu, star of Zairian television (a sort of Michel Drucker, for the French public). The hit Mario (around fifteen minutes) was released in 1985 and this live on TV perhaps from the same year, if not 1986. This is perhaps the moment when Franco presents Madilu, confirmed as a major singer of the group in Brussels a little before.

Mario, everyone sang his name, humming the tune of the song, in the four corners of the continent. Those who do not speak Lingala have remembered the name, but few have understood its meaning. Mario is a sort of gigolo who lives off and supports a successful woman. But she complains about him: his abuse, his machismo (while he lives at her expense), his brutality and his irresponsibility. It is the reproaches of this tired woman (na lembi, in Lingala) which are at the heart of the song. Madilu lends him his voice. As for Franco here, he admonishes Mario and acts as the unfortunate woman's interpreter.

Who is Mario? There has been a lot of speculation. Franco having been the painter of society, many people thought they recognized acquaintances or celebrities. But as no one clearly knew who this gigolo that was being denounced was, Franco let the suspense build, which created what we would call today “the buzz”: but who is Mario?

Translated for PAM by Kerwin Mayizo.

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Congolese Rumba: From The Congo to Cuba And Back To The Congo (videos & information)

Bigckson, Aug 27, 2019  #fally #koffi
-snip-
This video has French narration and French captions.

The summary to this video that is given in French followed by an English translation is presented below along with its Google translate results (from French to English). 

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on Congolese rumba music and dance.

This pancocojams post presents two YouTube videos about the history of the Congolese rumba music and dance.

This post also includes some information about Congolese rumba from a reprint of an online article, from the transcription of one of these showcase videos, and from the comments from the discussion thread of one of these showcase videos. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/04/youtube-videos-of-congolese-rumba-music.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases five videos of Congolese rumba music and dance.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are associated with these YouTube videos that are embedded in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/04/cuban-rumba-guaguanco-music-and-dance.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "Cuban Rumba Guaguanco Music And Dance (information & Videos)".

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THE SUMMARY STATEMENT OF THE VIDEO THAT IS EMBEDDED AT THE TOP OF THIS POST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw0n3BMib1I&t=515s

La source de la rumba congolaise

Bigckson, Aug 27, 2019  #fally #koffi
"La ” Nkoumba ” appelée plus tard à Cuba Rumba est une danse de nombril qui prend sa source en l’Afrique Centrale, plus précisément dans le Royaume Kongo et en République Centrafricaine chez ” Mbati “, un groupe ethnique du sud ouest du pays. En ” Mbati “, tout comme en ” Moukongo “, ” Nkoumba ” désigne le nombril. Chez les “Bakongo” groupe ethnique situé au sud du Congo Démocratique de l’Angola et chez les ” Mbati ” de Centrafrique, la danse de nombril est une expression folklorique charnelle permettant à un couple de danseurs de se produire nombril contre nombril.

Lorsque les esclaves noirs Africains débarquent à Cuba il y a 5 siècles avec la danse ” Nkoumba “, le colonisateur Espagnol supprime l’Africanité de cette expression culturelle, populaire et la baptise Rumba pour l’approprier. Du point de vue linguistique, Cuba conserve à ce jour plusieurs mots d’origine Africaine, et ce en dépit de nombreuses transformations constatées dans l’héritage culturel des anciens esclaves. La Rumba conserve à ce jour quelques mots bantou et yoruba dont on entend dans certaines chansons Cubaines. Lorsque la Rumba est revenue en Afrique entre les années 40 et 50, après avoir été longtemps un moyen d’expression artistique et de revendication des noirs qui dénoncent l’injustice dont ils sont victimes à Cuba, elle a été réappropriée par les Africains. Avec l’évolution du temps, les musiciens Africains intègrent leur folklore dans ce riche patrimoine culturel et l’enrichissent d’autres courants musicaux.#koffi #fally"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English
"The “Nkoumba” later called in Cuba Rumba is a navel dance which has its source in Central Africa, more precisely in the Kongo Kingdom and in the Central African Republic among “Mbati”, an ethnic group in the southwest of the country. In “Mbati”, just like in “Moukongo”, “Nkoumba” designates the navel. Among the “Bakongo” ethnic group located in the south of the Democratic Congo of Angola and among the “Mbati” of Central Africa, the navel dance is a carnal folkloric expression allowing a couple of dancers to perform navel to navel.

When black African slaves arrived in Cuba 5 centuries ago with the “Nkoumba” dance, the Spanish colonizer removed the Africanness from this popular cultural expression and named it Rumba to make it his own. From a linguistic point of view, Cuba retains to this day several words of African origin, despite numerous transformations noted in the cultural heritage of former slaves. Rumba retains to this day some Bantu and Yoruba words which we hear in certain Cuban songs. When Rumba returned to Africa between the 1940s and 1950s, after having long been a means of artistic expression and protest by blacks who denounced the injustice of which they were victims in Cuba, it was re-appropriated by Africans. With the evolution of time, African musicians integrate their folklore into this rich cultural heritage and enrich it with other musical trends.#koffi #fally"

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A REPRINT OF AN ARTICLE ABOUT CONGOLESE RUMBA
From https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/nkumba-rumba-rich-intangible-cultural-heritage-congos "From Nkumba to Rumba: the Rich Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Congos
"The often-untold story of Congolese rumba displays how resilient Africans have shown to been through adversity.

25 March 2022

Last update:20 April 2023

Rumba or “nkumba” (navel in kikongo) in its original form, describes the joining and rubbing of the navels, a dance which marked the celebrations for the populations of the Kingdom of Kongo (which extended over what we know today as Angola, the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Modern Congolese Rumba, however, is much more than a simple dance or musical style. It embodies the creativity, spirit, philosophies, and culture of the Congolese. It is the legacy of slaves, forced to leave their country for the Americas with nothing but their essence to connect them to the continent. It is the product of a back-and-forth between the two Congos and Cuba, and later a cry for the liberation movements.

It is to the sound of Le Grand Kallé’s “Independence cha cha” that most Congolese celebrated their independence. The song, which was largely broadcasted in the 1960s recounts the events that preceded the independence process. Viewed as one of the first Pan-African hits and Congolese rumbas, this song embodies the power and importance of Congolese Rumba throughout history. Congolese rumba has also helped bridge the gap between the two Congos, strengthening their cultural identities while paving the way for the creation of other musical styles.

More recently, Congolese rumba, with its undeniable contribution to music worldwide but also to Pan-African values and African memory, has been recognized by UNESCO as World Intangible Cultural Heritage. This nomination promises to be a big step forward in bringing Congolese rumba to light, fostering employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the music industry as well as the transmission of cultural values in the region.”

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Rumba Music History - African Music History and Culture

Rhythm In Africa, Mar 22, 2021

Welcome to the first African Rumba music lesson... Enjoy
-snip-
The narration in this video and the caption feature for this video are in English. 

Here's an almost complete* "as is" version of the auto-generated transcription for this video, given without timestamps and with punctuations that I added and corrected spelling as well as a few words that are given in brackets that clarify the narrator's statements. Although I prefer the referent "enslaved people" to the referent "slave", I didn't change that word in this transcription. I also retained the word "uh" and other such words in this "as is" form of that transcription.  

*I didn't include the blogger's request that people subscribe to his channel, although I did subscribe and recommend that people interested in this subject also do so.

Additions and corrections are welcome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMRZ5DAkWgo

"Intro

Hello everyone. Welcome to Rhythm in Africa and the first African rumba episode.

Let's roll.

So rumba is associated with dancing because of the culture where there's almost no distinction between the performers and the consumers or the fans of the music. So this means whenever the music is performed, everyone is performing. And everyone is dancing because they believe that every single person has musical talent. So everyone would be able to dance because this collective participation in
music involved babies that would be at their mother's backs while they're dancing or even in their mother's wombs.

Okay,  so let's go back to the Afro-Cuban culture beginning now. So during the trans-Atlantic slave trade that lasted over 200 years. Uh a wide range of ethnic groups were brought into Cuba and [it] is this random groupings of Africans uh African slaves uh that led to a culture which was called the Afro-Cuban culture. And is this culture that created what we call rumba music.

The origin of Rumba

So what made Cuba unique was its laws that allowed slaves to work for their masters until they could buy their freedom. So this means [that] almost no one was born into slavery which means Cuba had to keep on importing slaves from Africa up to 1885, a year before the abolishment of the slave trade. So there were many slaves who had just been recently shipped from Africa to Cuba. 

And, instead of getting more into the slave communities of Cuba,  they were more inclined to go back to Africa to their friends and families. And it's this particular group of Africans who brought rumba from Cuba back to Africa. So rumba is [has] a very strong African essence since it was developed by former African slaves.

So when it got to Africa, it caught on very quickly and rapidly spread across Africa to become the most uh played music in sub-Saharan Africa.

Banning Rumba

Interestingly. in the 2000s there were attempts by the Angolan, Kenyan, and Congolese governments to abolish rumba because of its lyrics and dances which were viewed to be culturally incorrect or immoral. So laws were enacted to ban any radio and tv stations from playing rumba, but this had an opposite effect because you know how people are - the more something is banned, the more interesting it becomes.  And then rumba spread even more across Africa. 

So a key feature of rumba is the use of plain speech usually done in a deep voice like "Loi" popularized by Koffi Olomide and also plain speech done in a loud announcement type of way.

So African rumba dancing can be done solo or with a partner just like Cuban rumba. But [it] is mostly choreographed involving large groups of people because of the culture remember. And these people are usually wearing matching clothing.

So some rumba greats include Franco, Pepe, Wenge Musica, Fally Ipupa,  and a lot more. And not forgetting of course Koffi Olomide, who's been a huge influence in shaping and Africanizing rumba and also up bringing a lot of rumba and I mean rumba artists into the rumba scene. And and I wonder why Koffi Olomide seems like he always has things in his pocket. Uh if someone knows please put it in the comments.

Okay, so let's go to the music now

[Music]

Outro

So in the next rumba episode we'll look at the theory behind African rumba music and how the 
instruments are played and what instruments are used and all that."...
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Here are all of the comments that have been published as of this date [April 26, 2024] on this video's discussion thread. Numbers have been added for referencing purposes only:

1.@BrothaEnock, 2021
"There’s a difference between rumba, soukous, & ndombolo"

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2. @RhythmInAfrica, 2021
"That's true. Will make another Rumba episode and add that. Thanks."

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3. @jayobrienKM, 2022
"Did you realize that you named literally all Congolese artist and you didn’t simply highlight that African Rumba is from Congo 🇨🇩 Credit should be given where it’s due"

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Reply
4. @RhythmInAfrica, 2022
"True, I didn't realize that."

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5. @YotamPiano, 2023
"VERY interesting. I have known for some time about the Cuban Rumba and its African origin but had NO idea it was brought back to Africa by former slaves! Going to watch the next episode now :)"

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6. @RBB8S, 2023
"Beginning in the 1940s, Afro-Cuban [son] groups such as Septeto Habanero and Trio Matamoros gained widespread popularity in the Congo region as a result of airplay over Radio Congo Belge, a powerful radio station based in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa DRC). A proliferation of music clubs, recording studios, and concert appearances of Cuban bands in Léopoldville spurred on the Cuban music trend during the late 1940s and 1950s."

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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Awilo Longomba featuring Jocelyne Béroard - "Coupé Bibamba" (1998 Congolese mega-hit record video, information, & comments))

Awilo Longomba, August 8, 2020
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Total views for this video as of April 2, 2023 at 11:50 AM = 526,241
Note: This is one of multiple YouTube videos of this song. The view count for all of these videos is well past 3 million.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of Awilo Longomba's 1998 mega "Coupe Bibamba".

This post presents information about Awilo Longomba and Jocelyne Beroard as well as information about the "Coupé Bibamba" record. In addition, This post includes selected comments from this YouTube video's discussion thread.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Awilo Longomba for his musical legacy. Thanks also to Jocelyne Béroard for her musical legacy and thanks to all those who are associated with the "Coupé Bibamba" song and video. Also, thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. 
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-sability-other-nigerian-pidgin.html for the pancocojams post entitled "What "Sability" & Other Nigerian Pidgin English Words Mean In Ayra Starr's Hit 2023 Afrobeats Song "Sability".That song samples Awilo Longomba's mega-hit "Coupé Bibamba"

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INFORMATION ABOUT AWILO LONGOMBA 
Excerpt #1
From https://sonichits.com/video/Awilo_Longomba/coupe_bibamba
"Awilo Longomba was born in Kinshasa (formally, Léopoldville). His father was from the Mongo region of the Ecuador and his mother was also from the Ecuador region of Ngombe and Congo Brazzaville. His father, Vicky Longomba, was the famous lead singer and founder of “Tout puissant OK Jazz” during the golden age of Congolese rumba, had a big influence on our artist. Since childhood, Awilo spent every waking moment in the music scenes attending his father’s rehearsals. Very quickly his passion for music grew, and instead of going to classes, he started drumming for various groups of Kinshasa, including “l’orchestre de Lita Bembo. He joined the orchestra “Viva La Musica” led by the great Papa Wemba as a drummer, and Awilo had his real first taste of live performance on his first international tour in Europe and to Japan in 1985 and 1986.

As the fever he caught during his tour grew stronger, he decided to pursue his artistic carrier and moved to France. His reputation as one of the best drummers in France spread very quickly. This allowed him to collaborate on numerous records and toured worldwide with several African artists such as Tshala Muana, Oliver Ngoma, Kanda Bongo Man just to name a few.

But Awilo’s ambition didn't stop there. In 1992 he decided to leave “Viva La Musica” and formed his own group “La Nouvelle Génération” of which he became the leader. This new band became very popular in Europe and produced several albums.

In 1995, the career of Awilo, the singer, took off and he left “La Nouvelle Génération”. He released his first solo album “Moto Pamba” in which he was the composer, the lead singer and of course the drummer. The Techno-Soukous star was born. His success couldn’t be ignored! He finally put the drums down and decided to concentrate on his singing and started touring in East Africa and in Europe. This first CD landed him the “Best Central Africa Artist Awards” at the KORA AWARDS 1996 and 1997 (All Africa Music Awards, held in Sun City, South Africa)"...

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Excerpt #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE7MgLdyc8o [summary]
"Awilo Longomba is a Congolese musician who was a drummer in Viva la Musica, Stukas, Nouvelle Generation and Loketo. In 1995, he finally quit drumming for singing and released his first album Moto Pamba ....

His second CD, Coupe Bibamba (1998) made him known throughout Africa, Europe and America. This was followed by Kafou Kafou (2001) and an album, Mondongo (2004), which features Japponais, Dally Kimoko, Caen Madoka, Djudjuchet, Josky Kiambukuta and Simaro Lutumba. He is also credited as an atalaku (animateur) on some soukous records. Awilo now lives in London City, United Kingdom and is married to Paradis Kacharelle and they have a son called Lovy Believe Church Awilo Longomba."
-snip-
The English meaning of the French word "animateur" when used in this context, is "group leader", "host", "organizer". (These meanings are from various online dictionary sites). 

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Excerpt #3
From https://africa.businessinsider.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-these-classic-songs-tell-the-african-story-better-than-most/cl6fvz1 "These classic songs tell the African story better than most", written by Berlinda Entsie,  July 24, 2017
"In 1998, Awilo Longomba, a popular Congolese musician, released the song “Coupe Bibamba,” which propelled him to the top of the African music industry. It is one of the most-played lingala songs in Africa. Even today, if this song doesn’t play, it is not a party."

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "COUPE BIBAMBA"
Pancocojams Editor's Note: I haven't found a complete English translation of this song. Here are two excerpts about this song: 
Excerpt #1
From https://sonichits.com/video/Awilo_Longomba/coupe_bibamba
"His [Awilo Longomba] second round in the studio validated his popularity. He released “Coupé Bibamba”, in 1998 with the collaboration of Jocelyne Bérouard. The controversial title cut “Coupé Bibamba” that denounces poverty in Africa with catchy song lines: Comment tu t'appelles? Je m'appelle... Coupé Coupé Bibamba! The title hits the number 1 spot on the African and European charts very quick and stayed for several weeks. Several titles from the same CD followed."...

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Excerpt #2
From https://www.ipsnews.net/2000/09/arts-entertainment-music-nigeria-central-african-rhythm-takes/
"Central African Rhythm Takes Country Storm" by IPS Correspondents by By Toye Olori LAGOS, Sep 26 2000 
" A crowd of students and some unemployed youths gather in front of a car-wash centre near the University of Lagos here. Shuffling their feet they wriggle their waists and move to the beat of the Makossa music blaring from overhead loudspeakers.

For the past year the fast rhythm ‘Makossa, Soukous or Kwansakwansa’ beats, originating in East and Central African nations, have been making waves all across Nigeria.

The fast beat Central African musicians making waves in Nigeria, include Koffi Olumide, Papa Wemba, Awilo Mogonba and Albachino Offensive Generale.

However, the musician who made Makossa popular among Nigerians is Awilo Logonba, whose album “Coupe Bibamba” has taken the country by storm.

The track, ‘Coupe Bibamba’, with its lyrics “Comon ci ta pelle? Je ma pelle. Coupe coupe bibamba”, in French and a mixture of a Cameroonian dialect, has been bastardised by his non-French speaking fans and given meanings in their native Yoruba language spoken widely in the southwest and the pidgin English spoken generally in Nigeria and West Africa.

“I buy kulikuli dey no give me change o. If you no give me change e go turn to wahala. O ma te, gbogoyin ma te” (I bought kulikuli – a delicacy made from groundnut – you refused to give me change, if you don’t give me my change, you will be disgraced. Yes you will be disgraced)."...

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INFORMATION ABOUT JOCELYN BEROARD
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyne_B%C3%A9roard
"Jocelyne Béroard (born 12 September 1954) is a Martinican singer and songwriter. She is one of the lead singers of the Zouk and Compas band Kassav'. As a solo artist, she helped create zouk Beton, a music genre started by Kassav'. The main members are from Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Béroard was born in Fort-de-France, Martinique, and studied in France, attending the National School of Fine Arts in Paris, before beginning to work with Caribbean artistes as a background singer in 1980.[1] She has served as a lead singer of Kassav' since 1983. She has also recorded several albums as a solo artist. In 1986, she won a Gold Disc for her album Siwo (the all-time biggest seller for an album by a female in the West Indies).[2] In 1987, she recorded a duet with Philippe Lavil, the hit single "Kolé séré", which peaked at number four in France. In 1999, she was made a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.[3]"...

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XWIPGBeY8M [This is the discussion thread for the video that is embedded in this pancocojams post.] 

1.Nnamdi Nnake, 2020
"A whole generation of Nigerians grew up with this song. Awilo the Legend ❤"

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Reply
2. Lukman Adegoke, 2022
"When I was growing up I thought awilo is Nigeria musician not until I grown up I realized is not Nigerian"

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Reply
3. ivy crystal, 2022
"Pretty much all Africa"

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4. AL-Kinani, 2020
"Awilo is unrepeatable legend , Love from Sudan 🇸🇩"

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5. Misgana Tessema, 2020
"Every Ethiopian who goes to Gym knows this song!"

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6. afunah dixy, 2020
"Uganda's second National Anthem!"

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Reply
7. Awilo Longomba, 2020
"Big up to all my Ugandan fans"

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8. Nabwile linet, 2020
"I like your music since but that snake noooo"

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Reply
9. Reuben Aanomah, 2020
"Its a royal python."

**
10. Franck Fendi, 2020
"Awilo tu es parmi les grands en Afrique merci pour la bonne humeur 😄😄😎💪🏽👍🏽"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English:
"Awilo you are among the greats in Africa thank you for the good mood 😄😄😎💪🏽👍🏽"

**
11. Atuhurire Solomon, 2020
"I was 8 years I used to dance this on my grand father's disco those days in Uganda great memories

**
12. Nicholas Chigozie, 2021
"I loved this song more than food 16 yrs ago. Still love it even though I don't know it's meaning. These guys were first to dance in erotic ways back in those days..."

**
12. Isaac Machara, 2021
"But what was the use of a snake in this song💯"

**
Reply 
13. beautyesthetics, 2021
"In order to show his power...."

**
14. Sarah Gachugi, 2021
"This song is so nostalgic taking us all the way back👌👌👌👌Trully an African classic!!!!"

**
15. Nwasokwu Emmanuel, 2023
"Here again after ayra starr sampled this legendary song on her SABILITY........ Great song🎶"

**
16. Henry Echeozor, 2023
"We didn't understand a single  word from this masterpiece  but we loved it with every fibre in us

**
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome. 

 

 

Five YouTube Videos Of Congolese Soukous Gospel Music (with some information about Soukous music)

Asaph du ciel, Jan 10, 2017

Pasteur Asaph du ciel
-snip-
Google results from French English: "La Louange des aigles" = "The Praise of the Eagles"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5dcczS2GsE

Total # of views as of September 12, 2022 at 8:26 AM ET= 25,434,695
****

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Soukous music>>

This post also showcases five YouTube videos of Congolese Soukous Gospel music and dance.
Selected comments from one of these video's discussion threads are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all those who produced and published these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/congolese-sebene-seben-music-dance.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "Congolese Sebene (Seben) Music & Dance (videos and information)"

****
INFORMATION ABOUT SOUKOUS MUSIC
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soukous
"Soukous (from French secousse, "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music from Congo-Kinshasa and Congo-Brazzaville.[1] It derived from Congolese rumba in the 1960s, becoming known for its fast dance rhythms and intricate guitar improvisation,[2] and gained popularity in the 1980s in France.[3] Although often used by journalists as a synonym for Congolese rumba, both the music and dance associated with soukous differ from more traditional rumba, especially in its higher tempo and longer dance sequences.[3] Notable performers of the genre include Franco Luambo, Papa Wemba, Sam Mangwana, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Pépé Kallé.[2]"
-snip-
Soukous music and dance can be non-religious (secular) or religious (Christian).

****
Excerpt #2
From https://www.masterclass.com/articles/soukous-music-guide Soukous Music Genre: A Brief History of Soukous Music, by MasterClass, Last updated: Aug 6, 2021

"What Is Soukous?

Soukous is a fast-paced, guitar-driven form of African dance music that originated in the former sovereign state of Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or Congo-Brazzaville, during the late 1960s. It derives its name from “secouer,” the French word for “shake,” a likely nod to the movement that the rhythmic musical form encourages.

Like many forms of popular African music, soukous is a hybrid of different global sounds: Congolese folk music, American rock ‘n’ roll and soul, and Latin and Caribbean jazz and dance rhythms. Soukous’s global reach extends beyond that of other African dance music styles due to the devoted following in Paris, France, and other European countries, as well as a mix of modern soukous stars, such as Kanda Bongo Man, Rigo Star, and Loketo, featuring guitarist Diblo Dibala and vocalist Aurlus Mabele.

West Africans refer to soukous as “congo music.” In Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, it’s known as “Lingala,” a reference to the Bantu language used for many soukous songs. Some countries, such as Zambia and Zimbabwe, still refer to soukous as Congolese rumba, rumba Lingala, or African rumba: a name given to Afro-Cuban music that Congolese bands in the DRC’s capital city of Kinshasa played in the 1930s and 1940s."

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Proclaim - Awesome Gospel



PROCLAIM MKC, Oct 27, 2015 Proclaim worship Experience 2014 -snip- Proclaim is a Gospel group from Uganda. The lead singer, some of the other membes of the group, and some of the musicians (such as the lead guitarist) are from the Congo. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/03/two-videos-of-awesome-god-by-proclaim.html for a 2017 pancocojams post showcasing two videos of Proclaim performing this song with selected comments. According to some of those comments, this song is sung in English, French, and Lingala or a similar Congolese language. -snip- Total # of views as of September 12, 2022 8:47 AM = 13,301,783 **** ****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: CONGOLESE GOSPEL DEBORAH LUKALU TENDA/CALL ME FAVOUR LIVE |OFFICIAL VIDEO|

Deborah LUKALU, Nov. 30, 2018
-snip-
Total # of views as of September 12, 2022 at 9:02 AM ET = 9,042,826 **** SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: We Are Zamar - Dance Like Never Before Praise - 2 April 2017(Seben)
We are Zamar, April 12, 2017 -snip-
Total # of views as of September 12, 2022 at 9:04 AM ET = 3,352,585 **** SHOWCASE #5: Emanuel - Sebene

ERICK MUKEBO TV, May 27, 2016
-snip- Is Emanuel the title of this song? What is the name of this music group? Total # of views as of September 12, 2022 at 9:24 AM ET = 756,342

Here's information about Sebene (also given as "Seben") From https://www.definitions.net/definition/sebene "The Sebene is a kind of instrumental bridge typically executed on the electric guitar and is a characteristic element of the Congolese rumba. The development of the sebene in congolese music has been credited to both Franco Luambo, but it predates both of them with Congolese guitarist Henri Bowane being the reputed inventor in the 1940s. In the sebene, one or more guitarists repeat short phrases, while the lead player improvises around the theme."

** From https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2018/12/the-roots-of-soukous Seben Heaven: The Roots of Soukous 

Mapping the evolution of a defining Congolese sound, from Cuban origins through to its accelerated final form

December 7, 2018 By Morgan Greenstreet
..." The influence of Cuban Son is clear on the massive hit “Marie Louise,” recorded in 1948 by Wendo Kolosoy and Henri Bowane. Bowane’s brief but energetic guitar solos hint at developments to come, invoking the sound of traditional likembe thumb pianos – best known worldwide as a mbira – and stringed instruments played across the region. In the bars of Kinshasa, Bowane reportedly stretched these solos into an extended dancing section, which became known locally as seben(e)."...
-snip- This portion of that sentence is given in italic to highlight it.

-snip-

Here are a few comments from this video's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:

1. Emmanuel Mwania, 2016
"First class seben.That drummer is good."

**
2. Wendy Rych, 2017
"love congolese people and their worship to God"

**
3. Business Logistics, 2017
"Erick what a different rendering of "Emmanuel" this one is. I have never heard this version. What is he saying?

**
Reply
4. Peacefull king, 2017 
He is singing it in Tshiluba with some add-on stuffs

**
5. elkanah ongeri, 2019
"Always blessed with this great praising of God"

**
6. Hash P Mwarumba, 2019
"Its really awesome. I love Congolese music. Good seben. Let God be glorified."

**
7. Mic Reuben, 2019
"Bass is so good my the might God bless you"

**
8. Mireille Kepko, 2020
"J’aime cette chanson et cet homme en rouge il a de l’onction.... very nice song 👏👏"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English:
"I like this song and this man in red he has anointing.... very nice song 👏👏"
-snip-
This comment refers to a man in the audiencedancing

**
9.  Purity Chepngeno, 2022
"Blessings all the way....."

**
10. Nico John, 2022
"Congolese are great musicians and dancers!"

**** Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.

How Congolese Soukous Guitarist Burkina Faso (Mboka Liya) Got His Stage Name & Other Information (with YouTube videos & sound file)

Odhis Jahburu, Feb. 9, 2013
 
Burkina Faso! Burkina Faso! Mboka Liya!!! live with JB and Wenge BCBG -snip- A commenter wrote that this performance may have occurred in 2006. **** Edited by Azizi Powell This pancocojams presents four YouTube videos and one sound file of the very highly regarded Congolese Soukous guitarist Burkina Faso (Mboka Liya). The summary statements from some of these YouTube videos/sound files present some historical information about how Burkina Faso including got his nickname.

 (Unfortunately, there isn't a Wikipedia page on Mboka Liya as of September 10, 2022 although he is mentioned in a few other Wikipedia pages such as 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenge_Musica .)

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to Burkina Faso (Mboka Liya) for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who published these showcased videos/sound files on YouTube and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. **** PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE Here's a brief excerpt about the African nation named "Burkina Faso" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkina_Faso :

[Burkina Faso] "is a landlocked country in West Africa [that is] bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and the Ivory Coast to the southwest. It has a population of 20,321,378.[10] Previously called Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984), it was renamed Burkina Faso by President Thomas Sankara. Its citizens are known as Burkinabè (/bɜːrˈkiːnəbeɪ/ bur-KEE-nə-beh), and its capital and largest city is Ouagadougou.

The largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso is the Mossi people, who settled the area in the 11th and 13th centuries. They established powerful kingdoms such as the Ouagadougou, Tenkodogo, and Yatenga. In 1896, it was colonized by the French as part of French West Africa; in 1958, Upper Volta became a self-governing colony within the French Community. In 1960, it gained full independence with Maurice Yaméogo as President."...

-end of quote-  https://www.britannica.com/place/Burkina-Faso indicates that "The name Burkina Faso, which means “Land of Incorruptible People”.
-end of quote-

Based on what I've read*, musician Malembe Chant gave the Congolese guitarist Vincent Kasongo the nickname "Burkina Faso" because Kasongo [had come] "fresh from the village" shortly before Malembe Chant happened upon him playing his guitar in the streets. Burkina Faso is a small, poor West African nation that Malembe Chant obviously considered "country" * compared to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

To support this position about why the now very highly regarded Congolese guitarist was given the nickname "Burkina Faso" and is also called "Mboka Liya", according to Google translate the Lingala meaning for "mboka" is "country". Google translate from Lingala to English doesn't give any results for "liya" or "lia". ("Mboka Liya" is also given as "Mboka Lia").

*One meaning for the adjective "country" to describe people is "people from rural areas who aren't sophisticated (cosmopolitan) like people from the city". Read the information about how Vincent Kasongo was given the name "Burkina Faso" in the summary for the sound file that is immediately below.

Additions and corrections are very welcome.

**** SHOWCASE YOUTUBE SOUND FILE - 🎸Bourkina Faso Mboka Liya🎸 Wenge Guitar Melodies 🎶(1990's-2000's)🎶



Afro World Musique🎶, Sep 13, 2017 [This sound file is slightly more than 2 hours in length).

FEATURING THE BEST OF MBOKA LIYA!!! Good Congolese Music!!

Helloooo! Bonjour!! Holla!!!!! Welcome to the volume of Sebenology, this time featuring the talented Bourkina Faso Mboka Liya! In 1986 at Kingasani, he was a cabri seller. One day, he will be surprised by Malembe Chant (musician of victoria Eleison) playing guitar. He was invited by Malembe Chant to join his band Select Musica where he mentored the young musicians of his neighborhood Kisangani but Serge Kasongo refused, according to him he risked being ridiculed by the Kinois as he came fresh from the village and his accent "Lingala" was not Kinois.

After being convinced by Malembe Chant, Serge Kasongo will join select Musica where he will be christened Burkinafaso Le Mugu Mugamba by Malembe Chant.    

Under the supervision of Malambe Chant, Burkinafaso will become a great guitarist in Kingasani before being known throughout the city of Kinshasa. 

When he opted to play in a large orchestra, he preferred Choc stars of Ben Nyamabo. He is from Bandundu, his whereabouts, some say Bayanzi, some say Muyaka, its a never-ending mystery lol.  In the mid-late 1990's, he started "le pigeon voyageur" he went back in forth between Defao's Big Stars (Amour Interdit, Sala Noki, Les Carlots, Amour Scolaire) and Wenge BCBG (Titanic, Zenith, Olympia, T.H., Pentagone, Boston Live, Abidjan Live). He also played with Bozi Boziana's Anti Choc at a couple time (Ma Raison d'Etre; Heros Ya Congo).

Around 2000, he left Wenge BCBG for Wenge Maison Mere de Werrason and was featured in the successful Bercy concert. Atalaku Bill Clinton Kalondji was enthusiastic by his style that he coined specific animations just for him on "Terrain Eza Mine" (2000). Burkina and Maison Mere participated couple of concerts related to the release of Werrason's solo album "Kibuisa Mpimpa/Operation Dragon" (2001) where he plays on Operation Dragon generique, Annie and Le Vent de Soir. In 2004, he will return to Wenge BCBG and be featured on Anti Terro and featured in some concerts. Again "Le Pigeon Voyageur", he's always looking for some projects to work. Currently settled in London, England, he accompanies artists on concerts such as Kanda Bongo Man, Renato Mundele (also played with Defao), Jeannot Bell (check out the channel Soukous Congo), Nzaya Nzayadio (also was in Choc Stars), etc. Plesir!"...

**** SHOWCASE YOUTUBE VIDEO #2: THE CRAFT OF SOUKOUS GUITAR BY BURKINA FASO MBOKA LIYA

Stv Pro, July 5, 2012

This is 1:40 Hour tutorial DVD, 20 gruelling Exercises plus lots of professional advice ,In this tutorial DVD Mr Mboka is demonstrating slowly how he played those famous solo guitar (licks) Burkina Faso whose real name is Vincent Kasongo Kiamfu. One day while playing guitar Malembe Chant saw him and invited him to join his band Select Musica. Malembe Chant finally convinced him and he joined the band, Malembe baptised him Burkina Faso Mugu Mugamba. It is well-known Master of the Congolese music. Later he joined Choc Stars and with them he made his first recording, it was Debaba's song Pafuti. He also played for a while with Anti Choc and Defao & Big Stars and he recorded the song ( L'Amour Scolaire in 1992).As well as Madilu System , Gataux Beven and Many More ... In 1994 Fataki Tabou left Wenge Musica 4x4 for Viva la Musica and Burkina Faso left Big Stars to replace him, Mbokaliya and Alain Makaba were two top class guitarists . When Wenge split he joined Werrason in Maison Mere but later re-joined JB Mpiana in BCBG. Burkina Faso had already played songs like Kapita, Pacte du vin, Nazareth and many others of JB Mpiana and BCBG while he was with Select Musica, these songs were later sold to JB Mpiana's band by a former member of Select Musica called Senado, an older brother of Chai Ngenge. Being restless he also left JB Mpiana and created his own band Wenge Tout Terrain which he left in the middle of the recording of a maxi single to join Nouvelle Ecriture as a third guitarist. For his band members this was a big disillusion and his fans were angry as well, they hoped he would not last long with Papa Wemba. With wengeBCBG he played on some songs on " feux de l'amour" and also some important concerts in Europe and USA , Canada and Africa . Now Burkina Faso is based in London- England as freelance session and Private guitar teacher. -snip-
I reformatted this summary to increase its readability.

****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE VIDEO #3: Seben Burkina Faso

MAT A DIT ET TOI?, Jun 16, 2018

**** SHOWCASE YOUTUBE VIDEO #4: 👉BURKINAFASSO MBOKALIYA : MES ŒUVRES PARLENT À MA PLACE💥

Papy Masuta HD, Oct 21, 2020

nous poursuivons notre rubrique sur les artistes dont le role a parfois été ignoré. j'aimerais aujourdhui vous parler d'un autre soliste pas comme les autres, au nom de Serge Kasongo Mbokaliya, plus connu sous le pseudo de Burkinafaso. C'est l'un des plus grands solistes guitaristes de la RDCONGO de la génération wenge musica 4x4 en 1994, viva la musica, proche de choc stars, anti choc, big stars, wenge bcbg, wenge maison mére, minzoto wela wela etc, abonnez-vous gratuitement sur papy masuta hd. -snip-
Google translate from French to English:
"we continue our column on artists whose role has sometimes been overlooked. Today I would like to talk to you about another soloist like no other, in the name of Serge Kasongo Mbokaliya, better known under the pseudonym Burkinafaso. He is one of the greatest guitar soloists of the DRCONGO of the wenge musica 4x4 generation in 1994, viva la musica, close to choc stars, anti choc, big stars, wenge bcbg, wenge maison mére, minzoto wela wela etc, subscribe for free on papy masuta hd. "
**** Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.

Congolese Sebene (Seben) Music & Dance (videos and information)

label Jeericho, Jun 20, 2015 Nouveau titre de ferre Gola à découvrir !!! -snip- Google translate from French to English: "New title of ferre Gola to discover!!!" total # of views as of Sept. 9, 2022 at 10:12 AM ET = 4,052,000 ****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases fIve videos of Congolese Sebene (also known as "Seben") music and dance.

This post also presents information about Sebene music.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, educational, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who helped create Congolese Sebene music and dance. Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this pancocojams post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/five-youtube-videos-of-congolese.html for a closely related pancocojams post entitled "Five YouTube Videos Of Congolese Soukous Gospel Music (with some information about Soukous music)".

**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Sebene Music Congolese By Jonathan TSHITAMBA



JSS Records, Nov 4, 2016 

Celebrating 4 years as a young musician
-snip-
Total # of views as of September 9, 2022 at   AM ET = 749,922

**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #3:  ASAPH DU CIEL - La Louange des aigles (CLIP OFFICIEL)

Asaph du Ciel, Jan 10, 2017

Pasteur Asaph du ciel -snip-
This is an example of Sebene Gospel music. This video has a total # of 25,369,656 views as of September 7, 2022 at 10:05 AM ET. **** SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: Auguy Nyembo - SEBEN CONGO au studio.(Official Video)

Augustin Nyembo Official, Dec 26, 2019  Une séance d’enregistrement avec les amis [Google translate from French to English: "A recording session with friends"]

Drum & Percussion : Auguy Nyembo

Guitar: Alfred solo

Bass: Jim Bass -snip- # of views as of September 9, 2022 at 11:15 AM ET= 182,085 -snip- Here are three comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only.] 1. Yinka Oluwole, 2020 "Whenever I listen to a soukous/makossa song, I always look forward to the guitar solo, I just love good seben guitar work...

In addition to that, I have ultimate respect for bass guitarists too, in my head I think of them like a father who puts his son(the solo guitar) on a bicycle and say "Go ahead son, be creative, have all the fun you want, but you can always trust that I won't let you fall cos I'm behind you all the time"..

Amazing work, fellas.. 👏🏾👏🏾 ** 2. Blessing Angel, 2020 "Ça c'est mon bassiste congolais. Bassiste de Michel Bakenda 🙏

Demeure béni big man" -snip- Google translate from French to English: "That's my Congolese bassist. Bassist of Michel Bakenda 🙏 Abide blessed big man"

** 3. Misheck Mudiayi, 2021 "Pure seben nice sound"

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Acceleration (SEBENE) Congolese Wedding Entrance | WAKALI

K.K.T Productions, Oct 1, 2020 

#WEDDINGENTRANCE#WAKALI#KKT -snip- Total # of views as of September 9, 2022 at 10:59 AM ET = 135,050 My guess is that "Acceleration" is the name of the group that performed this music.  Notice the custom that is shown in this video of "spraying" ("showering") the dancers with paper money. I think that this custom started in Nigeria, but it is done in a number of African nations. For instance, during wedding celebrations the bride and groom are sprayed with paper money and in the midst of their performances, singers are sprayed with paper money. **** SOME INFORMATION ABOUT SEBENE MUSIC These excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only. Excerpt #1 From https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2018/12/the-roots-of-soukous Seben Heaven: The Roots of Soukous

Mapping the evolution of a defining Congolese sound, from Cuban origins through to its accelerated final form

 December 7, 2018 By Morgan Greenstreet
…."Congolese music had been popular across the African continent for over three decades before it made much of an impact in Europe. Early examples are often slow in tempo, featuring close harmony singing, bouncy light percussion and, perhaps most importantly, virtuosic guitar playing. This unique style of local popular music was simultaneously developed in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) and Brazzaville, the capital cities of the Belgian and French colonies on either side of the Malembo pool of the Congo river.

In the ’30s, local amateurs began taking inspiration from traditional music, French popular music and American jazz. Son cubano records heard floating through Radio Congo Belge, and imported physically on the G.V. series, played an especially key role. By the late ’40s local labels including Ngoma, Longingisa and Opika – all run by Greek immigrant entrepreneurs – began recording Congolese musicians and exporting their records internationally. The musicians often sang in phonetic Spanish or French, the language of the oppressor, but increasingly preferred Lingala, a trade language that crossed ethnic and regional barriers. Lingala has a sweetness and flexibility that lends itself to poetry which helped push the music far beyond the twin cities on river.

This music became known as rumba Congolaise because the imported records of Sexteto Habanero and Trio Matamoros were mislabeled rumba, an entirely different Afro-Cuban folkloric music. The influence of Cuban Son is clear on the massive hit “Marie Louise,” recorded in 1948 by Wendo Kolosoy and Henri Bowane. Bowane’s brief but energetic guitar solos hint at developments to come, invoking the sound of traditional likembe thumb pianos – best known worldwide as a mbira – and stringed instruments played across the region. In the bars of Kinshasa, Bowane reportedly stretched these solos into an extended dancing section, which became known locally as seben(e).

Once the seben arrived, there was no going back to the verse, similar to how the montuno functions in salsa music.

The prevailing theory is that the word seben entered Lingala at the same time as the acoustic guitar, introduced to the region by a community of sailors and dockworkers from Sierra Leone, Dahomey (now Benin) and Ghana, who came to the Congo basin in the ’20s and ’30s. Seventh chords were commonplace in their proto-Highlife, even barking out ”seven” to signal the musical changes in the solo section. The seben became more central to Congolese music as early pioneers reconfigured and revolutionized their relationship with the instruments in their hands.

[…]

Just as ‘Afrobeats’ today is used as an umbrella marketing term to promote different styles of popular African music to Western audiences, ‘soukous’ was chosen by Island Records producer Ben Mandelson and Togolese entrepreneur Richard Dick as the title of a 1982 compilation, Sound D'Afrique II: Soukous. The compilation included music from Mali and Cameroon alongside “Madeleina,” a tune off Pablo ‘Porthos’ Lubadika’s 1981 album Ma Coco, which had been a head-turner in Europe. The tempo is hot from beginning to end, with a steady kick underpinning sizzling hi-hats, and guitars that are bright as the midday sun..”…
-snip-
I added italics to these portions of this excerpt to highlight them.

Sebene (also given as "Seben") is found in both secular and religious Congolese music.

****
Excerpt #2
From https://www.definitions.net/definition/sebene#:~:text=Wikipedia-,Sebene,element%20of%20the%20Congolese%20rumba.
"Sebene

The Sebene is a kind of instrumental bridge typically executed on the electric guitar and is a characteristic element of the Congolese rumba. The development of the sebene in congolese music has been credited to both Franco Luambo, but it predates both of them with Congolese guitarist Henri Bowane being the reputed inventor in the 1940s. In the sebene, one or more guitarists repeat short phrases, while the lead player improvises around the theme."

****
Excerpt #3
From https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.738.1531&rep=rep1&type=pdf McGuinness, Sara E. (2011) Grupo Lokito: a practice-based investigation into contemporary links between Congolese and Cuban popular music. PhD Thesis. SOAS, University of London
[page] 19

…"T.2.2 Congolese Music

When talking about the structure of Congolese music there are two versions of the spelling for the term referring to last part of the song, the seben. I have chosen to spell the word ‘seben’. I have observed that older writings on Congolese music use ‘sebene’, which I believe must be a French spelling of the word. In a recent work on music-making in Kinshasa (White, 2008), Bob W. White opted for ‘seben’. I concur with White as ‘sebene’ is not a Lingala spelling of the word and, in my experience of working with Congolese musicians, communication has been in Lingala. Indeed several of the musicians have little or

[page] 20

no French. I have always heard the word pronounced ‘SE-ben’, with the emphasis slightly on the first syllable. In Lingala, ‘sebene’ would be pronounced ‘se-ben-ay’, which I have only heard in the 1948 recording of Marie Louise by Henri Bowane and Wendo Kolossoyi. The consensus among the modern-day Congolese musicians I canvassed, indeed their adamant opinion, suggests the spelling should be ‘seben’."...

****
Excerpt #4
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo
"Congolese music is one of the most influential music of the African continent since the 1930s. Congolese musicians had a huge impact on the African musical scene and outside. Many contemporary genres of music were created or heavily influenced by Congolese music. As the genre of music in Kenya Benga or in Colombia Champeta. Democratic republic of Congo and (Republic of Congo ) are contemporary hub music in Africa since the 1930s /50s. Congolese rumba joined in 2021, other living traditions such as Jamaican reggae music and Cuban rumba on Unesco's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list. Music of the Democratic Republic of the Congo varies in its different forms. Outside Africa, most music from the Democratic Republic of Congo is called Soukous, which most accurately refers instead to a dance popular in the late 1960s. The term rumba or rock-rumba is also used generically to refer to Congolese music, though neither is precise nor accurately descriptive.

People from the Congo have no single term for their own music per se, although muziki na biso ("our music") was used until the late 1970s, and now the most common name is ndule, which simply means music in the Lingala language; most songs from the Democratic Republic of the Congo are sung in Lingala.

[…]

Big bands (c. 1950–70)

Into the 1950s, Kinshasa and Brazzaville became culturally linked, and many musicians moved back and forth between them, most importantly Nino Malapet and one of the founders of OK Jazz, Jean Serge Essous. Recording technology had evolved to allow for longer playing times, and the musicians focused on the seben, an instrumental percussion break with a swift tempo that was common in rumba. Both OK Jazz and African Jazz continued performing throughout the decade until African Jazz broke up in the mid-1960s, TPOK Jazz with Franco Luambo Makiadi[1] at the helm dominated soukous music for the next 20 years.”…
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