Konono N°1: Magic Music from the Congo

By David McDavitt
11:30, Friday night. The oppressive, tropical heat permeates the inky darkness hiding the seething mass of humanity packed into the sprawling club. The heavy air is charged with anticipation, as the drenched crowd cranes to see the preparations on the darkened stage, a brief lull between the swells of African music washing over the audience. The opening act, “Chopteeth” has incited the onlookers with a propulsive set of Afrobeat and Highlife, and now the throng are preparing for full-on dance riot.

Suddenly, the dull glow from the stage bursts into a blinding radiance, as the lights are raised and Congolese ensemble “Konono N°1” takes the stage. Large African agogo bells sound a polyrhythmic call. A cycle of warm buzzing amplified thumb-piano tones is joined by others, forming an interweaving line of syncopated melodies, evoking ancient, sacred, organic soukous. This bubbling, rasping ostinato is accompanied by bush Congo drums, and a homemade iron hi-hat & snare drum. Each enchanting composition drones on for a quarter-hour plus, heightening its effect. Songs melt into each other without breaks in between. Sick lamellophone licks dominate the night. The audience rocks intensely to the pulsing sonic waves, a sweaty, bobbing sea of ecstatic, tranced-out zombies hypnotized by the deep Congo vibrations.

Many visitors to Africa can relate to this experience, but satisfyingly, this scene in fact occurred in Washington DC, at the Black Cat (sans a/c), July 21. Konono N°1 is a band from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Formed by musician and truck-driver Mawangu Mingiedi, in the late 1970’s, Konono N°1 play electrified Zombo (or Bazombo) music. The Zombo live along border of Congo & Angola, and have an economy based upon farming & hunting.

Pressured by years of Belgian occupation, Mingiedi, and some fellow émigrés relocated to the city (Kinshasa). Wanting to maintain & propagate his Zombo music & honor the ancestors, he formed Konono N°1. The foundation of the band’s sound is 3 likembé (or “sanza”) thumb pianos [bass, tenor, and solo/treble]. Sanza (with Congo drums) were traditionally employed by the Zombo to honor and invoke the ancestors.


But there was a problem: it was difficult to hear the traditional likembé on the streets of Kinshasa. Mingiedi’s solution created Konono N°1’s signature sound. Deciding to amplify the thumb pianos, but lacking the money to buy imported equipment, Mingiedi built microphones, pick-ups, and amplifiers out of junkyard scrap (Belgian car radios/alternators), powered the system with car batteries (electricity did not reach Kinshasa’s suburbs), and employed large discarded colonial PA siren-cones “lance-voix” (voice-throwers). To this Konono added traditional drums, police whistles, snare drum, scrap metal hi-hat, & chorus vocals.

This system, while effective, added unintended & inexorable distortion to the sound. While this might vex Western ears, such buzz is actually sought in many African musical contexts (for example the spider egg-sack membranes stretched over holes in balaphone resonators, or the bottle-caps affixed to mbira resonators). Embracing this aberration, Mingiedi cultivated a distorted modern mutant breed of Zombo roots music, that has been erroneously compared to myriad punk and electronica experimental artists.

Konono N°1’s compositions are modal explorations rather than keyed chord progressions. Songs have distinctive bass-guitar-like lines played on the bass likembé (played through a bass amp for touring purposes). The tenor & solo likembé may be likened to distorted finger-picked guitar lines (played through modern guitar amps). The 16th note clave-accented hi-hat & snare drum parts suggest the influence of modern soukous music, while the Congo drums (tam tam) and agogo bells play traditional-sounding melodic rhythms floating between subdivisions of 4 and 6. And the music is amplified LOUDLY! All is played with the impeccable discipline and authority of village elders.

Seek Konono N°1, they deserve your attention. Their live show is a multi-sensory wonder to behold.


Discography
• Zaire: Musiques Urbaines a Kinshasa, Ocora 559007 (compil; recorded 1978, released 1987)
• Lubuaku, Terp AS09 (2004)
• Congotronics, Crammed Discs 27 (2005)
• CONGOTRONICS vol. 2 (CD+DVD), Crammed Discs B000E6EJK2 (2006)


LINKS:
- Konono N°1’s homepage- "All About Jazz" article
- Afropop.org review- National Public Viking's blog entry about the concert

Masterpiece of Afro-Jazz, "Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz"

By David McDavitt

The 1973 album “Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz,” by Ghana’s Hedzoleh Soundz with South African trumpetist, Hugh Masekela is simply stunning- arguably the greatest African-Jazz fusion album of all time, and certainly Masekela’s most outstanding release. The musicianship & creativity on these precious cuts are matchless. All but 2 of 8 tunes are written by Hedzoleh (one is by Masekela in HS style, one is traditional)- and therein lies the album’s brilliance. So don’t be fooled by the title, this is Hedzoleh’s album with guest Masekela.

Hedzoleh (“freedom”) Soundz was formed in Accra, Ghana in the late 1960’s. Leader Stanley Todd assembled a monster ensemble of musicians from the Ghana Arts Council, intending to form a new Afro-Rock group that would be more traditional & African in sound, and hopefully surpass Osibisa in popularity (alas it was not to be). Their original songs were based upon traditional Akan & Ewe music, and employed dark, organic sounding African-made drums instead of modern western congas/drum-kit. One of their greatest hits was a Liberian sea shanty/Palm Wine song (Rekpete). Hedzoleh’s traditional percussion-heavy instrumentation included:

*Stanley Kwesi Todd (bass guitar, vocals);
*Nat "Leepuma" Hammond (flute, Ewe congas, vocals);
*Richard Neesai "Jagger" Botchway (guitar);
*Acheampong Welbeck (Afro-trap kit: American bass drum/Hihat, with 4 mounted gankogui bells, and a mounted gourd hit with sticks!);
*James Kwaku Morton (Ewe congas, vocals);
*Issac “Okyerema” Asante (Akan atumpan, percussion, vocals)*Asante later played with Paul Simon & Fleetwood Mac- he currently resides in the Washington DC area;
*Samuel Nortey (percussion, vocals)
….and for the LP, Hugh Masekela (highly echoey trumpet, vocals)



Hedzoleh’s rise to power was bolstered by local music mogul, Faisal Helwani, a producer, promoter, & club-owner, who brought Fela to Ghana. Helwani recognized Hedzoleh’s importance & potential, making them the house band for his famous “Napoleon” club. He also produced the LP “Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz,” recording in Lagos. Hedzoleh won the Art Council “Dance Band” award in 1974.

Interestingly, Hugh Masekela was introduced to Hedzoleh by none other than Fela Kuti. Masekela worked with a primordial version of Hedzoleh as early as 1967 as evidenced by his powerful (but more jazz-heavy) performance at the Monterey Pop festival (on both dvd versions), with Hedzoleh members: Botchway (guitar), Todd (bass), Hammond (modern congas/flute), Morton (congas), Asante (on modern drum-kit!), and “Big Black” on congas (maybe Nortey?).

Masekela described his elation working with Hedzoleh Soundz: "I found a certain vitality in Afrobeat. Playing with… [Hedzoleh Soundz] was like being on a big fat cloud. You couldn't fall off."

Amazingly, no record company has ever bought the rights to release “Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz” on CD, so your best bet is to find it on LP via a google search. Fortunately there always seems to be a couple available (many unopened). One track from “Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz”, entitled "Languta" IS available on the Masekela compilation, "Still Grazing". Check it out!

Masekela toured Africa & the US with Hedzoleh, recording 2 other (Masekela-written/weaker) albums :
1. "I am Not Afraid" (1974)- the full album is only on LP, but a CD compilation, "Stimela" has three tracks (African Secret Society, Been Such A Long Time Gone, & Stimela )
2. The Boy’s Doing It (1975)- includes other musicians like OJ Ekemode & Guy Warren-available on CD.

See John Collins' brilliant, "West African Pop Roots" for more information about Hedzoleh!

p.s.- As a side note, Osibisa alumnus Mac Tontoh, formed a group very similar to Hedzoleh in 2001: "Kete Warriors". A CD & VHS tape exist of this interesting project.

Boukman Eksperyans '06 Solidarity Tour

By David McDavitt

Haiti’s “Boukman Eksperyans” graced Vienna, Virginia’s Jammin Java with their compelling Vodou-rock music on July 2nd as part of their 2006 Solidarity Tour to support the University of Fondwa 2004 (UNIF), Haiti's first rural University. The band derives their name & ideology from Boukman Dutty, a 19th century slave-revolt leader, Vodou priest, and martyr, whose movement led to the overthrow of the French colonialist government, making Haiti the first black republic. Following their hero’s spirit of revolution, Boukman Eksperyans’ songs denouncing oppression resulted in being deported from Haiti and even purportedly, shot at on stage.

Boukman Eksperyans was formed in the late 1980’s by husband & wife Theodore "Lolo" Beaubrun, Jr. and Mimerose Beaubrun (an anthropologist). In an effort to eschew their unfulfilling material-based, privileged life, they joined a Lakous (African-style family commune) & discovered their cultural roots, including Vodou spirituality & music. Seeking to celebrate, inspire, & educate, the Beaubruns formed Boukman Eksperyans with family members and friends, spreading their message in native Creole, as well as French.

The heart of Boukman Eksperyans’ sound is Vodou religious music, specifically ensemble drum patterns that honor & invoke the Loa (spirits). Unfortunately Vodou has historically been maligned by the stereotyping, racism, classism, misconceptions, and religious bigotry that has plagued African-based religions since the colonial slave trade. Vodou (“spirit”) is a religion that originated among the Dahomey & Fon people in present-day Nigeria, Togo, Benin, and Ghana. Like many of the most ancient religions, Vodou is animist (like Shinto) and promotes moral behavior, harmony with the Earth, peace, and appeals for health and fertile crops. In Vodou, there is only one god, “Bondye”, and a pantheon of lesser “spirits” (Loa) whom the people care for and venerate. The ultimate goal in Vodou is to achieve “Ginen” (ultimate state of enlightenment & peace, to serve love at all times). Music is a crucial component of Vodou practice. There are two contexts/forms of Vodou music: Rada (the family of formal, “cool” even-tempered spirits of Dahomean origin: cowhide headed drums played with sticks, rigid structures, carnival music), and Petwo (the family of impetuous, rebellious “hot” Loa of ‘Kongo’ origin: goat-skin headed drums played with hands, looser feel, more aggressive).

Boukman Eksperyans was at the forefront of a new style of music in the early 1990’s, “mizik rasin” (roots music), a scintillating blend of reggae, rock, funk, and Afropop styles with traditional Vodou harmonic progressions, rhythms, drums, and structures. Their highly signature sound is one of the strongest in the rasin genre. BE has the enviable talent of projecting seemingly contradictory elements: simple catchy Vodou melodies with complex backing rhythms, intense heavy grooves with light falsetto vocal tones, familiar poppy refrains with excitingly exotic percussion & lyrics, pop appeal with spiritual & revolutionary messages.

Boukman Eksperyans’ live performance is powerful! Featuring 4-5 original (“Revolution” CD or prior) members, and a backing band of hungry young reggae musicians, BE closely replicates their recorded sound, surpassing it in some cases with live energy. One puzzling decision was the lack of a keyboardist. Boukman played many songs sans keys, while others were covered using an uncharacteristically amateurish sequencer/drum machine (fortunately, a musician played drum kit on most songs).

BE’s first set was the most Haitian/Vodou: pulling in great part from the powerful “Revolution” album. Incorporating mostly 6/8 rada drumming/songs, the set included many traditional Vodou songs venerating the Loa. The huge lead “maman” drum played the central role, floating atop a bubbling wave of polyrhythmic support drums, providing an undeniable tribal dance impetus. Hum-worthy bass lines, and ethereal falsetto vocals that haunt one’s dreams deliver messages of peace, justice, peace, and hope. This is beautiful music that delivers its message even if you don’t understand the Creole, French, or English it’s being delivered in. Highlights were Gran Bwa Ile (Nago initiation song), Tipa Tipa (denouncing greedy politicians, rada), Imamou Lele (voc/drum only Loa’s lament about industrialization’s destruction of nature), Libete (Jesus/Loa have given us freedom) & Nou Pa Vle Lage (We don’t want war).

The second set was simultaneously more Petwo and internationally inspired: incorporating more hand-drumming (a detuned djembe replacing the more traditional Petwo lead drum), and more Afropop, rock, and reggae. BE announced that this set would be the strongest. The 4/4 songs were simpler in structure, but still incorporated complex backing percussion. While undeniably catchy, faster, danceable, this set was ultimately less unique, less Haitian/Vodou and less interesting than the first.

Instrumentation included 3 vocalists (one playing ogan bell, one playing tchatcha shaker), a set of 3 Rada drums (maman, segon, boula), Petwo drum (baka) or djembe, drum kit, 2 guitars, bass guitar, racine Vodou trumpet, and keyboard/drum machine sequencer.

Boukman Ekesperyance’s current tour has an ulterior motive: to generate support for a fledgling people’s college in rural Haiti. The University of Fondwa, located in the mountains south of Port au Prince, opened in 2004 to train peasants from all over the country to become leaders in the “sustainable development of their own communities”. The university teaches agronomy, microeconomics, veterinary medicine, all in the local Creole, hoping to usher in grassroots progress and success.