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1981-84
Langa
Langa Stars
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| Papa Wemba’s group suffered several
significant rebellions during the late seventies and early eighties and the most
dramatic was Emeneya’s departure to form Victoria Eleison.
Dindo Yogo was not part of this defection but in 1981 he left Wemba’s
group to help form another rival band that not only threatened Viva’s
popularity but also intended to give Zaïko a kick in the pants.
The instigator of this new group was the producer of Studio Vévé and
former band-leader Verckys Kiamuangana. Born
out of the ashes of the groups Isifi
Lokole (periodically known as Lokole Isifi or just Isifi) and Yoka Lokole came the legendary Langa
Langa Stars. Initially the
group was led by Evoloko “Lay-Lay” Jocker (ex Zaïko and Isifi Lokole
singer); Djenga-ka Yei-Mei “Esperant” (ex Viva singer); Bozi Boziana (ex Zaïko
and Isifi/Yoka Lokole singer); Djuna Djanana (ex Viva/ Isifi singer); Djo Mali
(ex Zaïko and Viva bass guitarist); and from Viva the singer Dindo Yogo.
Solo guitarists at the inception were Nene “Tshaku” Djaffar and
Dindo’s pal Huit Kilos, and for a while, Beniko Popolipo who had transferred
over from Viva la Musica. One year later they were joined by ex Zaïko legendary soloist
Roxy Tshimpaka. The five star
vocalists, along with Djo Mali and Roxy led the group under the name “7
Patrons de Langa Langa Stars” and the group was announced with the slogan
“Ba Croix Rouge Baye” (the Red Cross has arrived). |
L to R: Djuna Djanana, Bozi Boziana, Evoloko Lay-Lay, Djenga-ka
Yei-Mei "Esperant", Dindo Yogo
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I’ve frequently spoken of the voices
of Bozi Boziana and Evoloko in my regular column in The Beat magazine.
I use descriptive words like “fragile” and “dangerous” and
musically speaking it is fair to say that Langa Langa Stars was the most
gloriously dangerous of all Kinshasa groups. Their vocal combination: Bozi – fragile; Evoloko –
dangerous; Djanana – frantic; Esperant – controlled; and Dindo Yogo –
musical and throaty, made for a truly adventurous and challenging sound. At times their voices flew in all directions and their
musical arrangements chopped rhythms together in anarchic formations that had
never been tried before, even by the greatly experimental Zaïko and Viva la
Musica.
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| Dindo was with Langa Langa Stars from
the beginning and appeared on the following absolutely compelling LPs:
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1.
Verckys présente Langa Langa Stars
Vol. 1 (EVVI 17D) – includes Dindo’s composition
“Tantine Betena”.
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| 2.
Verckys présente Langa Langa Stars
Vol. 2 (EVVI 16D) – includes Dindo’s “Gloria Mangasa”.
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| 3.
Verckys présente Les 7 Patrons de
Langa Langa Stars (EVVI 18D). |
| 4.
Langa Langa Stars “Likombe” (EVVI
22) – includes Dindo’s “Ba ya Mbangu Balela”. |
| 5.
Verckys présente Langa Langa Stars
& Choc Stars (EVVI 24D) – includes Dindo’s “Nzembo Elengui”. |
| 6.
Verckys présente Langa Langa Stars
“Bouquet de Fleurs” (REM 330) – includes Dindo’s “Azanga”. |
| 7.
Verckys présente Langa Langa Stars
“Soleil” (REM 340). |
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8.
Verckys présente Langa Langa Stars
“Eliyo” (REM 350).
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| 9.
Langa Langa Stars “K.O. Debout”
(EVVI 40 / REM 480) – with only Evoloko, Dindo, Djanana and Djo Mali
remaining from the original group. |
| The following Langa Langa Stars cd
releases include all of the tracks from the first seven LPs and cover virtually
all of the songs that Dindo recorded with this group:
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Langa
Langa Stars Les 7 Patrons – Les Meilleurs Succès – Vol 1, 2, 3 & 4
(FDB
300096/7/8/9)
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| A video-cassette of a live concert from
Tele-Zaïre, Langa Langa Stars des 7
Patrons - Les Merveilles du Passé Vol. 1 (FDB 400097) includes Dindo’s
song “Azanga”, along with some other fantastic versions of Langa Langa Stars
songs. |
| For two years Langa Langa Stars had
their “belle époque” until 1983 when one of their less talented vocalists,
Ben Nyamabo, organised a new group that would eventually decimate Evoloko’s
lineup. It was said that the
disintegration of Langa Langa Stars was precipitated by its very source of
initial instigation, Verckys Kiamuangana. The
new group was called Choc Stars and it was Bozi and Roxy who were the first to
desert Langa Langa Stars which had gradually started to become a vehicle for
Evoloko. Eventually Djo Mali and
Djanana would also transfer over to Ben’s group but Dindo stayed with Langa
Langa Stars for one last LP “K.O. Debout”, before in 1984 making the
significant move into Nyoka Longo’s Zaïko Langa Langa, the mothership of
Congolese youth music. |
All
photos and LP/CD sleeves taken from Martin Sinnock's archive |
