Tag: African singer

Muna Muto (My Love, my Darling) by Ekambi Brillant

On By Dr. Y.In Great Music, Great PeopleLeave a comment
Ekambi Brillant on the cover of his 1987 album Reason (Source: RhythmConnection.Blogspot.com)

Today we will celebrate a song, Muna Muto, and particularly a singer who has touched generations of musicians on the African continent, Ekambi Brillant. Brillant is a Cameroonian singer who has contributed to the emergence of outstanding African singers, such as the Beninese-French singer Angelique Kidjo, first African singer to get a Star on the Hollywood walk of fame , Cella Stella, Marthe Zambo, and countless others. To me, just like his name, he is one of the most brilliant Cameroonian singers ever, with a great voice, bass mastery, and a great teacher.

Muna Muto is a love song which focuses on deep affection, longing, and devotion. It is a love so deep that you wonder what life could have been before meeting that special one.

Just with the first note, you can tell that Ekambi is deeply patriotic, and loving of his country. He tells you that he comes from a place of abundant love “O nin mboa su nya bwam wuma ndolo mo nye no.” He further tells you that it is a place where people greet each other with warmth, a place filled with beautiful music, sounds, and dances, where joy and happiness are omnipresent (Wuma mongele mam mese ma nanga no na pi. Na ma senga so bobe mulema mu monya weya. Nyola mabola mongo na londi na isom). That sounds like a description of Africa!

Coeur
Coeur / Heart

He tells his lover that she is his everything, the love they share grows stronger every day. She is his everything and he cannot bear to be without her. “Muna Muto, Na petane nde ndolo po, o bola oa mo … Bo bunya mo bo poï tenge, a makusane mba mo.”

The most touching part is that he has searched far and wide, and found no one like her: he has found his center, his person, his backbone.  “Na si bi ka bo bunya bo mende te nde o po, Na ma nanga nde ndoti, bulu na bulu te … Bwanga to bo bo titi, ye nde welisane” (I have searched far and wide but found no one like you. You are the only one who understands me, heart and soul. … And our love will last forever, as we journey through life together.) So deep! All this on such a deep, dancing tune, and the chorus makes you want to sing “Muna Muto” for the rest of your life!

As you go on to celebrate Valentine’s day, please sing Muna Muto to your special one, that one you have searched far and wide for, the only one, the one who understands your heart and soul, a love that will be immortal. Enjoy Mot’a Muenya love song!

Connect Intelligence with Compassion

On By Dr. Y.In Great People, Great Wisdom1 Comment

Angelique Kidjo2“Your brain is your greatest weapon. Connect it to your heart, and you can go anywhere.” Angélique Kidjo

Quote on Hurting Others by Angélique Kidjo

On By Dr. Y.In Great Literature, Great Music, Great PeopleLeave a comment

Angelique Kidjo2“We cannot hurt ourselves just for the sake of it. When you hurt somebody you hurt yourself. Down the line, the ripple of it comes back to you.” Angélique Kidjo

You Shall Rise Again

On By Dr. Y.In Great Literature, Great Music, Great PeopleLeave a comment
Angelique Kidjo2
Angelique Kidjo (Source: World Music Central)

“It doesn’t matter what challenge you face, the most important thing is, when you fall, how you rise and how high you want to go, where you want to go from that, rise on.” Angélique Kidjo

 

Butterfly

Tabu Ley Rochereau, a Baobab of African Music

On By Dr. Y.In Great People3 Comments
Tabu Ley Rochereau
Tabu Ley Rochereau

Is it possible to talk about Congolese music without mentioning ‘Le Seigneur’ Rochereau (Lord Rochereau)? Is it possible to talk about Africans performing at the great Olympia hall in Paris, without mentioning the first African ever to have performed there? Is it possible to talk about Rumba, without talking about the impact Tabu Ley Rochereau had on Congolese, and therefore African music?

Tabu Ley Rochereau & M'bilia Bel in 'Loyenghe'
Tabu Ley Rochereau & M’bilia Bel in ‘Loyenghe’

I remember listening to his love ballads ‘Pitié’ on the radio, while growing up. I remember watching the gorgeous M’bilia Bel singing with Tabu Ley Rochereau.  Well, Tabu Ley Rochereau was one of those rare artists who have written/composed/performed/produced over 3,000 songs, and have more than 250 albums in his repertoire.  He is one of the few who could claim to have influenced entire generations both in music and in politics as he later became vice-governor of Kinshasa. Just listening to the interviews of the likes of Koffi Olomide, Lokua Kanza, M’Bilia Bel, Papa Wemba, tells us a lot about him.  When asked about the impact of Tabu Ley Rochereau on Couleurs Tropicales, Lokua Kanza (one of my favorites) replied: “Just like an American child can say that Nat King Cole rocked his childhood, Tabu Ley Rochereau rocked mine (Lokua’s),” and that of most Congolese children.  That was the impact of ‘Le Seigneur Rochereau’.

Tabu Ley Rochereau & The African Fiesta National
Tabu Ley Rochereau & The African Fiesta National

As Kinshasa, Congo, and Africa mourns Tabu Ley Rochereau, we will remember ‘Le Seigneur Rochereau’ by dancing and singing to his great tunes.  We will celebrate his life (Rochereau even wrote the song ‘Mokolo Nakokufa’ (the day of my death) a bit like Mozart composed Requiem) and influence on all of our lives (even when he stood against Mobutu with the title ‘Trop c’est Trop’).  Tabu Ley was a uniter (when Kenya banned Congolese music, he sang ‘Twende Nairobi’ with M’Bilia Bel), a decider, a crooner, a lover, an activist, a melodist, but above all, Tabu Ley Rochereau was a baobab!  Listen to ‘Pitié’ below, and do not forget to read these really good articles on his life on Philly.com, AFP, RFI Musique, and the best on Radio Okapi.