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african singer-songwriter
Lokua Kanza
| France/Zaire
Booking-Agent:
Frank Abraham
+49 30 261032920
fa@f-cat.de
The notes from the kalimba and the vocal purity conveyed in the first few beats of ‘Elanga Ya Muinda’ set the tune (and the scene) for Nkolo, this new album that could well be not only one of Lokua Kanza’s masterpieces but also a landmark in the music of today – no need to mention “world music” in fact. The magic continues with the sinuous swirls of ‘Dipano’, the tinges reminiscent of negro spirituals emanating from ‘Mapendo’, ‘Yalo’ and ‘Oh Yahwe’, the incantations of ‘Loyenge’, an interlude with Thomas Bloch and Sylvain Luc, the intimist couplets of ‘Famille’, a duo with his fellow-countryman Fally Ipupa, and those of ‘Nkolo’ where the accompaniment is provided by the unsurpassable William Galison on harmonica.
The enchantment works, the magic too, at double strength in the pieces we find ourselves whistling the minute we’ve heard them – whether it’s the haunting refrain and brilliant guitar – maybe straight out of a highlife band? – on ‘Nakozonga’; or ‘Soki’ and ‘Vou Ver’ with their steamy atmospheres direct from Brazil; or ‘On veut du soleil’ [We Want Some Sun], that hymn to the joys of life that Lokua Kanza chose to sing in Verlaine’s language, as if to strengthen his roots in his country of adoption, the scene of his mounting success, still escalating and showing no signs of stopping.
His voice dominates the ensemble. Sometimes it’s thrown into relief or highlighted by angel choirs, bells, a whistle, drums, a child’s voice… We find ourselves in a world whose keywords are purity and refinement, with a hallmark based on the art of melody, subtlety, charm, a range of low-key nuances, and the merest hint of melancholy, enveloped in serenity combined with a feeling of enchantment or even meditation. Sometimes time seems to stand still…
In spite of his many interests and encyclopedic knowledge of contemporary music of all kinds, Lokua Kanza is very discreet. He now spends his time between Paris and Rio, but doesn’t like talking about himself. If you want to know what he’s thinking, you have to look into his eyes and work out his thoughts – and of course his music. He does just confess, “What I want to do through this album is convey the beauty and depth of the Africa of my childhood; but at the same time, I’ve added something else, a creative touch born of all the influences I’ve been subject to”. And after explaining he’s never felt his voice so close to the music he could hear in his head as when he was composing for this album, he adds with a smile, “I wanted to plant a sort of baobab it would be good to sit under when you’re feeling out of sorts or looking for your roots.”
Lokua Kanza was born in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His father is one of the Mongo people, known for their polyphonic singing, and his mother comes from Rwanda, known for its sophisticated court music. In Kinshasha he was steeped in music from morning till night, learned to sing in church, and discovered a wide variety of artists and styles not just through radio and television, but also in clubs, in the street and at concerts. His decision to become a singer happened after he’d attended one of Miriam Makeba’s concerts, then her friend Ray Lema gave him his first guitar, and he made his first public appearances in some Zaire rumba bands. This was followed by a period of study – music theory and orchestration – at the conservatoire. He was always ready to listen to everything that came his way, from Bach to chanson by way of Rhythm ‘n Blues, pop and bossa nova. As well as guitar and mandolin (electric and acoustic in both cases), he played bass, flute, piano and electric keyboard, sanza and percussion. He spent the early days of his career along the Gulf of Guinea from Zaire to Côte d’Ivoire, but his talent really came to the fore in the group of the great singer Abeti Masikini.
In 1984 he left for Paris to take some jazz guitar lessons. He quickly became part of the African community there and accompanied Ray Lema, Papa Wemba, Sixun and Manu Dibango. His first album, Lokua Kanza, released in 1993, was tremendously successful; it also revealed his talents as a composer/songwriter. The early “trial run” became a new reality two years later with Wapi Yo, then 3 (1998), Toyebi Te (2003) and Plus Vivant (2005), not forgetting TotoBonaLukua between these last two, made with friends and fellow musicians Gérald Toto and Richard Bona.
So the albums of troubadour Lokua Kanza are rare gems indeed. But note that our man leads a tripartite global life, with Europe, Africa and Brazil as the points of the triangle, giving concerts all over the globe, and leading another life as a composer, working for names such as Gal Costa, Miriam Makeba, Sara Tavares, Papa Wemba, Busi Mlhongo, Vanessa Da Mata, and even Nana Mouskouri. A fan of encounters where Fate might have had a hand, he’s also been seen on stage or in the studio (sorry for the scarcity of names here!) with Youssou N’Dour, Geoffrey Oryema, his fellow-countryman Koffi Olomidé, Djavan, Chico Cesar, Al Jarreau, not forgetting Noa, Francis Cabrel, Bisso Na Bissso, Passi, Jean-Louis Aubert, Catherine Lara and Enzo Enzo.
This new album Nkolo is all the more worthwhile for these experiences. Instinctive, suffused by an inner radiance, it positively glows with elegance and refinement, yet remains a model of soberness too. Each of the twelve titles is like a pastel artwork, both soft and dense. Sung in Lingala, Portuguese and French, it is the embodiment of the perfect cross-cultural mix, a blend of beautiful melodies and radiant atmospheres; with this as its basis, it symbolises the ideal fusion of several musical continents. And lastly – surely the most remarkable thing of all – the aesthetics it creates simply defy categorization, touching at times on unseen spiritual forces.
With his first tour in Germany in August 2010 he provided his talent as live act.
Who has missed him there will get another chance in fall this year to see him perform in Germany and Switzerland. Request are always welcome!
