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Francis Ndoumbe
(Cameroon)
Biography
Francis Ndoumbe was born in Douala, where he was, as mosts kids in Africa, exposed to
music at an early age. When he was 5 years old, he had to sing and play a part in a small show performed in the church his
family attended each Sunday. When he grew up, he learnt to love music, and fell in love with Cuban music. Cuban music has
been, and still is, very popular in Africa, as Cuban music was exported to Africa during several decades of the 20th century.
For millions of Africans it was the first time to hear music from outside of Africa, and yet the music was African in its
essence. By the mid-twentieth century, Cuban music, especially son, has had a profound influence on the development of
a modern African music in most countries.
Since his church performance, Francis Ndoumbe has come a long way, and now based in Santa Monica, California, he became involved in the Cuban music scene. A first album, « Soy Africaribe », released in 2007, shows his Afro-caribbean connection. With the help of Cuban musicians and band leaders, such as Carlos Navarro and his Son Y Clave Orchestra, Walter Segundo y su Orquestra Rumbaney and Ruben Rivas, musical director of Orchestra Guama, he recorded a convincing album with crystal clear Cuban son, while maintaining an African sound in the way of singing, an African feel that is reinforced by Huit Kilos Nseka's Congolese guitar, and his cousin Frederic Doumbe's bass.
• Musicians on the album « Soy Africaribe »:
Francis Ndoumbe lead vocals, background vocals
Walter Segundo, Fermin Sifontes, Carlos Navarro background vocals
Chico African chants
Frederic Doumbe, Angel Mesa bass
Reymundo Someillan trumpet
Frederic Doumbe, Fermin Sifontes keyboards, piano
Pedro Pachamango keyboards
Huit Kilos Nseka guitars
Joel Peña Cuban tres
Ruben Rivas flute
Bobby Peña bongos, quinto, maracas, guiro
Ernesto Becquer conga drums
Carlos Navarro percussion, timbales, bongo
Born: Douala, Cameroon, as Francis Emmanuel Ndoumbe
Style: salsa, son
Since his church performance, Francis Ndoumbe has come a long way, and now based in Santa Monica, California, he became involved in the Cuban music scene. A first album, « Soy Africaribe », released in 2007, shows his Afro-caribbean connection. With the help of Cuban musicians and band leaders, such as Carlos Navarro and his Son Y Clave Orchestra, Walter Segundo y su Orquestra Rumbaney and Ruben Rivas, musical director of Orchestra Guama, he recorded a convincing album with crystal clear Cuban son, while maintaining an African sound in the way of singing, an African feel that is reinforced by Huit Kilos Nseka's Congolese guitar, and his cousin Frederic Doumbe's bass.
• Musicians on the album « Soy Africaribe »:
Francis Ndoumbe lead vocals, background vocals
Walter Segundo, Fermin Sifontes, Carlos Navarro background vocals
Chico African chants
Frederic Doumbe, Angel Mesa bass
Reymundo Someillan trumpet
Frederic Doumbe, Fermin Sifontes keyboards, piano
Pedro Pachamango keyboards
Huit Kilos Nseka guitars
Joel Peña Cuban tres
Ruben Rivas flute
Bobby Peña bongos, quinto, maracas, guiro
Ernesto Becquer conga drums
Carlos Navarro percussion, timbales, bongo
Born: Douala, Cameroon, as Francis Emmanuel Ndoumbe
Style: salsa, son
Francis Ndoumbe
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hablame de Amor | 2009 | Brazilatafro Records BRZCD1020 | |
| Soy Africaribe | 2007 | Vision Music/Navarro Records |
Sources
Page added January 2008