Customer Reviews

Zing Zong

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
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I still have a napkin from the Carnivore in Nairobi which Kanda Bongo Man signed for me after what must be the greatest live show I've been to. A true master of the soukous style, Kanda Bongo man inherited the definitive sound created by Super Mazembe and Franco and turned it up a notch. Dispensing with the loungy sax which colored earlier forms of the music, Kanda Bongo man gave us a much cleaner faster soukous beat with melodies picked out of lead guitars all against the backdrop of cascading basslines. The result, pure unadultered dance music. So central to Kanda's music was dance most Kanda fans will recall with a shake of the head his legendary dance trio of ample bodied ladies who defied physics with their hips which-independant of their upper torso and lower bodies-would gyrate with the pounding bass line, note for note. Buy the album and play Monie at full blast. If by the guitar solo you are not on your feet with a tusker or primus in hand and sweat pouring down your face you probably need electro shock therapy.

This is a wonderful CD. You just want to get up and dance even if you are not the get up and dance type of person. If I close my eyes I am right back in Kenya, drinking a Tusker and forgetting any worries. It is pure, happy music and a great antidote if you are feeling down.

Nearly every song is a pure Soukous classic. If you don't fall in love with this album, you are just not a human being!...

I had the pleasure of seeing Kanda Bongo Man just recently here in town, and we never danced so much in our lives. His music makes you want to get up and move. It was one of the best soukouss concerts I ever saw.