16.5.14

Verckys et L'orchestre Veve

In December 1983 I purchased 17 African singles at the local fleamarket (a kind of open air swap meet). They were very scratchy and the seller was some kind of a dubious persion, maybe a sex tourist who brought them back from East Africa? But the records were very cheap and I was interested to discover some sounds beyond punk and new wave. This is the only single from the lot that had a picture sleeve. Obviously the tune "Zumbel" was not released on one of Verckys albums. And the single is not mentioned in the Verckys-discography at www.muzikifan.com.
Some information copied from last.fm: Verckys Kiamuangana Mateta (born in 1944)  is one of the most influential figures in the history of Congolese (Zaïrean) music. As a saxophonist, composer and bandleader he was able to rival both Franco and Rochereau. He developed his own honking, gutbucket style of sax playing which characterised some of the most exciting music of the 1960s and 70s.
Verckys was a great showman who liked to play up to the crowd. He really let fly during the sebenes occupying a musical space which had previously been the preserve of solo guitarists only. After generating some raucous excitement as a member of OK Jazz he founded Orchestre Vévé in 1969. He has been credited with creating the cavacha beat that led on to soukous. In effect, Verckys' unique studio sound, his unerring ear for talent and unquenchable enthusiasm turned him into the godfather of modern Congolese music.


Verckys et L'orchestre Veve
Isabo (Jobs-Lingala) (Comp. Kelly) / Zumbel (Pachanga) (Comp. Verckys)
7" Ngoma DNJ 5349 VV 54 (ca. 1975) (download)

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