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Tabu Ley Rochereau (1940-2013)
(Congo-Kinshasa)
Biography
Tabu Ley Rochereau also known as "Le Seigneur" is one of the nestors of African music in
general and of Congolese music in particular. He started his career in Joseph "Grand Kalle" Kabasele's
African Jazz in 1959. Four years later, an important defection took place, and Tabu Ley left to create l'African Fiesta
together with guitar hero Docteur Nico and Dechaud. Tabu and Nico didn't work together for long,
and Tabu continued with African Fiesta National (Dr. Nico went along with his African Fiesta Sukisa faction).
By the mid-1960s, the Congolese music scene was at its most prolific, and numerous spin-off bands from either the modern
'international' African jazz clan or the rootsier OK Jazz clan appeared (cf. Ewens 1994).
Tabu Ley constantly innovated through introducing elements from salsa, soul and disco, but also makossa and zouk to the Congolese rumba and he sung sometimes in French or English, unlike his rival and contemporary Franco Luambo Makiadi. He also toured extensively on the African continent outside Congo and after renaming his band in Afrisa International in 1970, he travelled to Paris to perform in the prestigious Olympia venue. This international success reflected on his popularity back home where he was feted as a national hero (cf. Graham, 1989).
In the 1970s, Tabu Ley continued to tour, he recruted the brilliant Sam Mangwana and increased the size of the Afrisa band. He added les Rocherettes, a group of female dancers and singers. One of them, M'bilia Bel would become a solo singer within Afrisa later on. Another highlight of that decade was the FESTAC 1977 performance, resulting in a double album. In the 1980s, Tabu Ley established his own production company and label Genidia, and several albums were released, some in duet with Mbilia Bel, with whom he was married until 1988. In that year, Tabu Ley introduced a young female singer, Faya Tess. Kiesse Diambu joined the band at the beginning of the decade, but left in 1983 for OK Jazz joining his brother Ntesa Dalienst.
Tabu Ley constantly innovated through introducing elements from salsa, soul and disco, but also makossa and zouk to the Congolese rumba and he sung sometimes in French or English, unlike his rival and contemporary Franco Luambo Makiadi. He also toured extensively on the African continent outside Congo and after renaming his band in Afrisa International in 1970, he travelled to Paris to perform in the prestigious Olympia venue. This international success reflected on his popularity back home where he was feted as a national hero (cf. Graham, 1989).
In the 1970s, Tabu Ley continued to tour, he recruted the brilliant Sam Mangwana and increased the size of the Afrisa band. He added les Rocherettes, a group of female dancers and singers. One of them, M'bilia Bel would become a solo singer within Afrisa later on. Another highlight of that decade was the FESTAC 1977 performance, resulting in a double album. In the 1980s, Tabu Ley established his own production company and label Genidia, and several albums were released, some in duet with Mbilia Bel, with whom he was married until 1988. In that year, Tabu Ley introduced a young female singer, Faya Tess. Kiesse Diambu joined the band at the beginning of the decade, but left in 1983 for OK Jazz joining his brother Ntesa Dalienst.
Tabu Ley (picture: Phillip Gould)
In the 1990s, international success was achieved with albums such as
« Babeti Soukous », « Muzina », and « Exil Ley ».
Still backed by vocalists Faya Tess, Bonane Wawali, Munoko Dodo Gisalu, Beyou Ciel,
Lukombo Djeffard Mayemba and guitarist Nseka Huit Kilos, Afrisa has lost some of its outstanding members
but they also benefited from the World Music hype that was en vogue.
Tabu Ley has lived abroad for several years (USA, Brussels, Paris), because he was not on good terms with President Mobutu. Since the ending of the Mobutu era in Congo, Tabu Ley returned to his country, and entered politics and he occasionally toured. Some of his band members (such as Nseka Huit Kilos, Dodo Munoko, Wawali Bonane) stayed in the United States. In 2008, Tabu Ley suffered a stroke, from which he was recovering slowly. He died in the Brussels Saint Luc Hospital on 30 November 2013, leaving behind 68 children.
Tabu Ley has lived abroad for several years (USA, Brussels, Paris), because he was not on good terms with President Mobutu. Since the ending of the Mobutu era in Congo, Tabu Ley returned to his country, and entered politics and he occasionally toured. Some of his band members (such as Nseka Huit Kilos, Dodo Munoko, Wawali Bonane) stayed in the United States. In 2008, Tabu Ley suffered a stroke, from which he was recovering slowly. He died in the Brussels Saint Luc Hospital on 30 November 2013, leaving behind 68 children.
Born: 13 November 1940, as Pascal Emmanuel Sinamoyi (Tabu and Ley were his parents' names, he adopted their names during the Authenticité campaign), in Bagata, Bandundu province
Died: Died 30 November 2013 in Brussels
Style: Congolese rumba, odemba, soukous, African jazz
A Selective CD Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| The Voice of Lightness vol.2 (1977-1993) | 2010 | Stern's STCD3056-57 | Compilation, 2CD |
| L'intégral de l'Olympia | 2007 | Syllart 823448 | Live recording 1970 |
| The Voice of Lightness (1961-1977) | 2007 | Stern's STCD3027-28 | Compilation, 2CD |
| Classic Titles | 2006 | Cantos | Compilation |
| Sorozo - 1977/1978 | 2006 | Syllart 823435 | Compilation, with Afrisa International |
| Jolie Elie | 2006 | Syllart 823434 | Compilation |
| Pitié - 1971/1972/1973 | 2006 | Syllart 823433 | Compilation |
| Rochereau Tabu Ley - les années 70 | 2006 | Syllart 823432 | Compilation |
| Rochereau et l'African Fiesta - 1968-1969 | 2006 | Syllart 823431 | Compilation |
| Rochereau et l'African Fiesta - 1966/1969 | 2006 | Syllart 823430 | Compilation |
| Ndaya Paradis (1962/1963/1964) | 2006 | Syllart 823429 | Compilation |
| Nico - Rochereau - Kwamy & l'African Fiesta | 2006 | Syllart 823428 | Compilation |
| Kaful Mayay - 1973/1974/1975 | 2006 | Syllart 823427 | Compilation |
| Rochereau & l'African Fiesta - 1964/1965/1966 | 2006 | Syllart 823426 | Compilation |
| Rochereau, Mujos & Nico: Maria Chantal | 2006 | Syllart 823425 | Compilation |
| Sacramento avec Canta Nyboma | 2006 | Syllart 823424 | Compilation |
| Tete Nakozonga 1972-1973 | 2006 | Syllart 823423 | Compilation |
| Rochereau, Sam Mangwana & l'African Fiesta National | 2006 | Syllart 823422 | Compilation |
| Rochereau et Franco: Lisanga Ya Banganga | 2006 | Syllart 823421 | Compilation, 2CD |
| Rochereau et l'Afrisa International - 1971/1977 | 2006 | Syllart 823420 | Compilation |
| A l'Olympia (Paris) - 1970 | 2006 | Syllart 823419 | Studio recording with fake audience applause |
| Rochereau et l'African Fiesta National 1966/1967/1968 | 2006 | Syllart 823418 | Compilation |
| African Fiesta - Nico / Rochereau: Makila Eyina Nzoto | 2006 | Syllart 823417 | Compilation |
| Nico, Kwamy, Rochereau et l'African Fiesta | 2006 | Syllart 823416 | Compilation |
| Tempelo | 2002 | Sono CDS8989 | |
| Kebo Beat | 1997 | Sonima SMCD 1190 | |
| Africa Worldwide (35th Anniversary Album) | 1996 | Rounder Records CD 5039 | |
| Baby Pancake - Aba! (with Bopol & Syran) | 1995 | Sonodisc CDS6829 / African Music Gallery AMG-012-CD | |
| Muzina | 1994 | Rounder Records CD 5059 | |
| Exil-Ley | 1993 | Tamaris CD 92019 | |
| Feu d'artifice - Lisanga ya Banganga | 1992 | Sonodisc CDS 5505 | With Pepe Kalle |
| Babeti Soukous | 1989 | Real World RWCD5 | |
| Vinyl Discography (very incomplete, under construction): | |||
| Faya Tess: Moto Akokufa | 1988 | Genidia GEN 125 | LP |
| Beyou Ciel: Ebouroumounkoue | 1988 | Genidia GEN 124 | LP |
| Tabu Ley lance Faya Tess | 1987 | Genidia GEN 123 | LP |
| Le seigneur Rochereau dans la musique congolaise de variétés | 1970 | ISA R 102 | LP |
| Merveilles du passé African Fiesta 1962/1963 | 1987 | African 360.163 | LP, with Nico, Rochereau, Izedi, Dechaud, Mujos and Depuissant |
| Merveilles du passé African Fiesta 1962/1963 | 1987 | African 360.162 | LP, with Nico, Rochereau, Izedi |
| Merveilles du passé 1963 | 1987 | African 360.161 | LP, with Nico, Rochereau, Dechaud, Mizele & African Fiesta |
Sources
Ewens, Graeme (1994) Congo Colossus, Buku Press.
Graham, Ronnie (1989), Stern's Guide to Contemporary African Music. Pluto Press.
www.kenyapage.net [external link]
Ewens, Graeme (1994) Congo Colossus, Buku Press.
Graham, Ronnie (1989), Stern's Guide to Contemporary African Music. Pluto Press.
www.kenyapage.net [external link]
Page added October 2007