Papa Wemba

Papa Wemba

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 8, 1994)
• Original Release Date: March 8, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Stern's
• ASIN: B000008M7J
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,612 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #4 in	Music > World Music > Africa > Soukous
  #5 in	Music > World Music > Africa > Zaire & Congo
  #23 in	Music > Indie Music > World Music > Africa

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The artist formerly known as Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba's first Western album, released in 1988, is in many ways also Papa Wemba's last typically Zairean album. Produced by Martin Meisonnier, who worked commercial magic on King Sunny Ade, it's a rich and resonant showcase for Wemba's velvet-sandpaper voice. The album's centerpiece, after several shorter hors d'oeuvres, is "Bokulaka," whose slow introduction (nearly always dropped by modern soukous groups) gives Wemba a chance to stretch out in a blues mode before the band explodes into a fiery "seben" dance vamp nudged into hyperdrive by guitar hero Rigo Star. The disc's other highlight is "Esclave," on which Papa Wemba digs deeply into soukous's rumba roots and plays an exciting game of musical tag with keyboardist Philippe Marais. --Richard Gehr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Wemba CD, One of the Great Congolese Albums, February 16, 2001

By	Christopher Spadone (new Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Buy this CD. I purchased this lp in 1988 and it is still my favorite recording by the great Papa Wemba. In the late 60s and early 70s, Wemba helped revolutionize Congolese music by founding Zaiko Langa Langa. This is the group that dropped the horns, placed the guitar front and center, while speeding up the music. At some point Wemba left the group to become an African superstar. While recorded in Europe, this album retains the energy and vigor of his album aimed at the African market, while containing stunning production values and incrediable performances. The songs are varied and each one contains more creative ideas than many musicians have in their whole life. Wemba sings a beautiful ballad, a mutwache, and straight ahead soukous. Wemba has a voice like a bird. After 12 years, this album still resonates in my head. This record is great for dancing, driving, and simpley listening to.