JOSEPH KABASELE AND THE CREATION OF SURBOUM AFRICAN JAZZ /1960 -1963

いや〜、サイコーですね!久しぶりに夏が来た、という感じのお天気だったんで、お客さんたちとビール呑みながら、たっぷり、大きい音で聴かせていただきましたよ、音質もイイし!
グラン・カレこと、ジョセフ・カバセレ&アフリカン・ジャズの、ラテン・フレイヴァーたっぷりルンバ・コンゴレーズ、なによりドクトゥール・ニコのギターとマヌ・ディヴァンゴのサックス(&ピアノ、クラリネットも?)を擁した この時期の録音、聴いたこともない曲ばかり27曲 !! サイコーの贈りものですよ。
あのコンゴ独立を決めた1960年のブリュッセルの円卓会議で演奏されたという、まさしく歴史的な名曲 “インデペンデンス・チャ・チャ” は皆さんご存知の通り、あの名曲に続く録音群、コンゴ人自らの手によって( by ジョセフ・カバセレ自身)初めて設立されたコンゴのレコード・レーベル、これまでキチンと復刻されることもなかった  “SURBOUM AFRICAN JAZZ(シュブーン・アフリカン・ジャズ、と読むんでしょうか?)” に録音された数々のシングル・トラック名演が収められた本盤ということになります。
とはいえ、独立後のコンゴ現地録音、ということではなく、61〜62年に主にベルギーをツアーもしたジョセフ・カバセレ&アフリカン・ジャズなので、ブリュッセル録音を多く含む1960〜63年音源の復刻コレクションですね。その辺の経緯はレコジャケ・サイズ、P.32の特大ブックレット(英仏文)にて、あの、日本公開があるのかどうか、皆さんをヤキモキさせているドキュメンタリー映画『ルンバ・キングス』を撮り終えたアラン・ブレイン氏&そして、プラネット・イルンガ主催、バート・カタート氏によるジョセフ・カバセレの遺子や関係者への取材と照らし合わせた新事実網羅の詳しい解説でキッチリ確認できるでしょう。

余談、それにしても、今はなき 仏 SONO DISC 中心に、欧州でリリースされたLPやCDには全く収録されていなかった曲ばかりLP2枚分、全然OKじゃん!というか、何で、こんなイイ曲、カットしたんだろう?と、疑問はつのるばかりですね…。
で、想像を逞しくするなら、SONO DISC 選曲は、もしかしたら、どちらかと言えば、キューバ系ラテンの影響が如実に顕れた曲は除外する傾向があったんじゃないか、ということですね。北米の SEECO や FANIA系列、あるいは WS LATINO と言ったレーベルの過去録音も長らくフランス盤LPとして紹介して来た SONO DISC のこと、いわゆる “ラテン” との差別化をはかって、過去のルンバ・コンゴレーズを商品化していこうという意図があったのかも知れません。というのは、ま、もちろん想像でしかありませんけれど…。
そんなわけで、SONO DISC の復刻コレクションから漏れた曲を救い上げてくれた同プラネット・イルンガのこれまでの2LP復刻コレクションの中でも、ルンバ・コンゴレーズがキューバ系ラテン・フレイヴァーと最も密だった時期の音源が満載された2LPじゃないかと思えるこのアフリカン・ジャズです。とにかく、夏向き!コンゴ音楽の真髄の一つの典型を達成したこの録音群、是非、お楽しみ下さい。
>こちらで紹介されました(無断リンク陳謝&感謝)!

>★ >★ >★

 

INTRODUCING THE FASCINATING SAGA OF SURBOUM AFRICAN JAZZ IN A LARGE 32-PAGE BOOKLET WITH INTERVIEWS, TESTIMONIALS AND NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE TEXTS.
with previously unpublished information and photos

Congo Newspaper of April 23, 1960

After the two previous O.K. Jazz compilation releases, Planet Ilunga continues its mission to uncover and highlight the overlooked yet epic achievements in the world of Congolese rumba. This time to tell the most spectacular story of all. This is the story of the creation of Surboum African Jazz, the first Congolese music label founded by a Congolese. Despite a few releases of Sonodisc on LP and CD, published many moons ago, which included some important parts of the back catalogue of the label, there is still a large part of the repertoire of Surboum African Jazz that remains completely hidden from the fans. That’s why Planet Ilunga associated with the children of Joseph Kabasele Tshamala (Grand Kallé) and Catherine Ingombo (Kale Kato) to compile 29 songs that were originally released on the label in the early sixties.

 

Label owner Grand Kallé, alias Joseph Kabasele, the best signer of all time

Surboum African Jazz is the first Congolese music label founded by a Congolese; it was owned and managed by the best singer of all time, Joseph Kabasele, alias Grand Kallé. The recordings mainly happened in Brussels, Belgium. The label’s catalog during the period 1960–63 is largely dominated by Grand Kallé’s band African Jazz in its various formations. The band, which could rely in 1961 and 1962 on a real dream team of musicians (Docteur Nico, Dechaud, Rochereau, Manu Dibango, Roger Izeidi and Mujos among others), released in this period at least 212 songs. The second largest source of music for the label is Franco’s band O.K. Jazz with at least 136 released songs. Next, with at least 34 released songs comes Manu Dibango with his different formations. These were the first ever published songs of the late Manu Dibango. For this compilation we chose an original selection of songs recorded by African Jazz in 1961 and 1962. We also included a few songs of Dibango’s bands in the final selection, in order to showcase the diversity and universal philosophy of Grand Kallé’s label.

 

Indépendance Cha-Cha (AJ. 1), the start of an editorial independence

This adventurous music which was recorded in Brussels in the months and years after Congo’s independence is nothing less than post-colonial glory wrapped around popular music. It’s a collection of proud name-dropping songs, political and patriotic lyrics, euphoric declarations of love and explorations towards new and universal impulses and styles. The releases on Surboum African Jazz are for many Congolese the icing on the cake in the iconic history of Congolese rumba. They are a time capsule of the longing of Congolese society to be absorbed in the momentum of the nations. At the same time they are a testimonial of the musical excellence of the African Jazz musicians. 

THIS IS THE STORY OF THE CREATION OF SURBOUM AFRICAN JAZZ, THE FIRST CONGOLESE MUSIC LABEL FOUNDED BY A CONGOLESE.

 

Actualités africaines newspaper of February 8, 1960

This first ever double LP anthology of Surboum African Jazz comes with a large, thoroughly researched and well-illustrated 32-page booklet telling the whole story of this label. Included in the book, among other content, is a text by Alan Brain (director of The Rumba Kings) with never before published information and photos about the epic Table Ronde tour of African Jazz in Belgium, France and The Netherlands in the winter and spring of 1960. This text is the fruit of a research Alan initiated, and then further developed in collaboration with the Congolese author and scholar Manda Tchebwa. Furthermore, you can find in the book a detailed documentation of the recording tours in Brussels in 1961 and 1962, besides a discography of the Surboum African Jazz label and many testimonials of the Congolese community about the first Congolese music label founded by a Congolese.

A1 Kale-Roger / Mama Ndonga 2:48
  Composed By  Casino
A2 Kale-Roger / Satchmo Okuka Lokole 2:50
  Composed By  Kallé
A3 Kale-Roger / Naboyi Ba Jumelle 2:30
  Composed By  Tino Baroza
A4 Kale-Roger / Guidado Colamano2:44
  Composed By  Enrique Jorrín
A5 Kale-Roger / Miso Emona Makambo 2:44
  Composed By  Roger Izeidi
A6 Kale-Roger / African Bana Ya Kin 2:35
  Composed By  Lutula
A7 Kale-Roger / Aya-Ya 2:31
  Composed By  Tino Baroza
 
B1 Dibango & Pepito Et Leur Formation / Wachiwara 2:49
  Composed By  D. Gillespie
B2 L’African Jazz / Matata Masila Na Congo 2:51
  Composed By  Kallé
B3 L’African Jazz / To Yokana Tolimbisana Na Congo 2:46
  Composed By  Kallé
B4 L’African Jazz / Ma-Zo ! Dégagez 2:53
  Composed By  Roger Izeidi
B5 L’African Jazz / Oyeme Querida 2:41
  Composed By  Rochereau
B6 L’African Jazz / Bana Ya Nwa 2:46
  Composed By  Dechaud
B7 L’African Jazz / Promenade African Jazz 2:29
  Composed By  Nico
 
C1 L’African Jazz / Kalejoph Surboum 2:45
  Composed By  Kallé
C2 L’African Jazz / Longonia Yaya 2:48
  Composed By  Kallé
C3 Manu Dibango Et Son Orchestre / Clair De Lune 2:31
  Composed By  P. Perrin
C4 Manu Dibango Et Son Orchestre / Twist À Leo  2:33
  Composed By  Manu Dibango
C5 L’African Jazz / Pachismotou 2:48
  Composed By  Kallé, R. Touzer
C6 L’African Jazz / Ambiance 2:49
  Composed By  Kallé
C7 L’African Jazz / Pasi Die Senorita 2:38
  Composed By  Rochereau
C8 L’African Jazz / Mutatshi Wa Yombo 2:45
  Composed By  Dechaud
 
D1 L’African Jazz / Mwamba Wa Mpatu 2:55
  Composed By  Kallé
D2 L’African Jazz / Georgette Ye Ndeko 2:43
  Composed By  Kallé
D3 L’African Jazz / Ba Tata Bakenda Kala 2:52
  Composed By  Nico
D4 L’African Jazz / Amor Perdido 2:51
  Composed By  Rochereau
D5 L’African Jazz Luna Nukero 2:56
  Composed By  Mujos
D6 Manu Dibango Et Son African Soul / Le Lion Est Mort 2:36
  Composed By  H. Salvador
D7 Manu Dibango Et Son African Soul / Hallelouia 2:21
  Composed By  Manu Dibango
 
* officially licensed with the Kabasele Tshamala estate
* 32-page booklet with the whole story of Surboum African Jazz in English and French
* 180 gram vinyl
 
 

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