Tchico Tchicaya
(Congo-Brazzaville)

Djembe
Biography
Tchico Tchicaya can show a career of more than 30 years, starting in 1970 as a singer in a Brazzaville based band named Manta Lokoka. From 1972 to 1974, he was one of the solo singers of Les Bantous de la Capitale, one of the most important bands of Brazzaville at the time.

Between 1977 and 1979, Tchico stayed in Nigeria where he recorded 4 albums. By then he was already successful and had earned his nickname la voix d'or. In that period, he sang together with Mavoungou (or: Mayoungou) Lolo Lolita and together they had one of their biggest hits Jeannot, an all-time classic.

In 1983, Tchico went to Paris well before many other Congolese musicians did the same thing. He recorded for various record companies, and his band frequently changed names, from Afro Festival via Les Evadés de Ponton la Belle to Les Officiers de la musique africaine. Since the early 1990s his star is one the wane, and later in the same decade, he settled in Australia where he created a new band Warako Musica together with Passi Jo.



Musicians on Soukous Machine (1987):
Tchico Tchicaya lead vocals
Jacqueline Brouta vocals on "Doudou pas quitté moin" and backing vocals
Samba Kadhy Bell backing vocals
Denis la Cloche solo guitar
Casanova de Ketchel rhythms guitar
Remy Salomon bass
Denis Hekimian drums
Lolitta Babind percussion
Tony keyboards
Jean-Marie Kabongo saxophone
Jean-Claude Léandre trumpet


Born: as Denis Pambou Tchicaya
Style: soukous
Tchico Tchicaya
Tchico Tchicaya 


Discography
Title Year Label Remarks
Ya Banganga 200? Ndule Productions With Passi Jo & Warako Musica
Jeannot (1981/1982) 1998 Sono CDS 7028 CD compilation, with Lolo Lolita
Soukous Machine 199? Kilimandjaro Records KRL 001 / F170CD CD compiled from LP Soukous machine and Dégagez la route
Africa Dance Machine 1995 Sonima SM 1106 With Soukouss Machine
Dégager la route 1993 C.G. Production CG 22.04-2 With Soukouss Machine
African Carnaval 1990 ACP Music ACP 004 With Orchestre Kilimandjaro
Cocktail Tropical 1989 With Orchestre Kilimandjaro
L'ambiance à Paris 1988 Black Music BM 008 With Orchestre Kilimandjaro
Soukous Machine 1987 Kilimandjaro Records KRL 001 With Orchestre Kilimandjaro
Dynamic Afro-Soukous 1986 Afro-Rythmes 1000 (also LPC 2007) With Orchestre Kilimandjaro
L'argent domine le monde 1985 MCL 217 With Les Officiers
Full Steam Ahead 1985 Globestyle ORB 007 With Les Officiers
Nostalgie d'Afrique 1984 Afro-Rythmes 0990 (also Globestyle ORB 007) With Les Officiers
Amour maternel 1983 Maikano MAILPS 1040 With Empire Musicana
Giselle 1983 Maikano MAILPS 1038 With Empire Musicana
Amie Clara 1982 LIR 089 With Les Evadés de Ponton la Belle
Tania 1982 LIR 030 With Les Evadés de Ponton la Belle
Mon enfant 1981 Maikano MAILPS 1030 With Empire Musicana
Rosalie 1981 Badmos BIR 002 (also Sonafric SAF 50112-1983) With Les Evadés de Ponton la Belle
Jeannot - où est le sérieux? 1981 Badmos BIR 001 (also Sonafric SAF 50111-1983) With Les Evadés de Ponton la Belle
Lucia - Feu rouge 1980 MAILPS 1014 (also MAILPS 1030 and GBR 3810) With Empire Musicana
dans Tam Tam d'Afrique [n.d.] Africana Star ASLPS 002 With Lolo Lolitta
Méditation 1980 Sonafric SAF 50099 With Empire Musicana
L'heure a sonné 1979 Sonafric SAF 50095 With Afro Festival
Operation soukous 1979 ENLPS 62 (also Sonafric SAF 50094 - 1979) With Afro Festival
Amie Clara 1978 ENLPS 52 (also Sonafric SAF 50100) With Ponton la Belle & Lolo Lolita
Mamy Rosa / Josintha 1978 ENLPS 50 (also Sonafric SAF 50093 - 1979) With Ponton la Belle & Lolo Lolita
From Congo to Nigeria 1977 ENLPS 42 (also Sonafric SAF 50091 - 1979) With Ponton la Belle & Lolo Lolita
Ah Ponton la Belle 1976 Editions Vévé 2095 With African Kings
Sambela Sambela 1975 Editions Vévé 1245 With African Kings
Shanta-Maguy 1974 BG 1006 With African Kings
Santana 1974 BD 1090 With Les Bantous de la Capitale
Celia - Shantina 1973 BG 892 With Les Bantous de la Capitale
Isabelle 1972 BG 880 With Les Bantous de la Capitale
Loemarthe 1971 BG With Manta Lokoka
Rina 1970 BG 045 With Manta Lokoka

Sources
Thanks to Dolf Motz for his help in compiling this discography.
Also thanks to Jan Ejlertsen and Anders Hällgren for additions and corrections

Page added June 2003