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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZKANDA BONGO MAN(b Kanda Bongo, '55, Inongo, Zaire) Singer-composer. Born into the third generation of modern Zaire music, he left school at 18 to play in a local Kinshasa band; joined Orchestre Bella Mambo '76 as vocalist and made hit singles; went to Paris '79, working to perfect his own high- speed brand of soukous, jumping straight into the music without the slow introduction favoured by the older generation, also abandoning the horn section, preferring to run a smaller, tighter band for both touring and recording. First solo LP Iyole on Afro-Rythmes label, followed by Djessy '83, his best- seller Amour Fou '84. Still based in Paris, he stole the show at the WOMAD festival '83 and returned to the UK several times '84, toured Canada '85, sessioned on others' LPs. CDs Zing Zong and Soukous In Central Park both on Hannibal/Rykodisc USA. |