Congolese guitar style book

In addition to all these talents, franco was accredited as one of two musicians who helped define the modern congolese guitar style. Classical guitar method volume i by bradford werner free pdf download 102 pages beginner classical or fingerstyle guitar. Kapaya was born in the family of 9 persons and he is a last born. Unique compilations of ida cox, leroy carr, and blues artists singing pop songs. Some of the great congolese guitarists at their real high points. This is mainly because the economy of the country is not very stable, and the majority of people are not able to afford them, but there are nonveg dishes that will blow your mind away. The death of simaro lutumba closes a chapter of congolese music. Franco, who would have been 80 this year if he had not died relatively young of aids, remains a stable household name in central and east africa, even as the countries where his musical style dominated go through various kinds of. Many of the most celebrated exponents of this guitardriven, cubaninspired style. Modern congolese solo guitar by flamme kapaya youtube. Soukous integrated even more indigenous sounds and was further developed in such east african countries as kenya and zimbabwe. The roots and rhythms of the congo washington times.

The cloth, made in bolts two yards wide, is usually cut for resale into strips two to six yards in length. With innovators like joseph kabasele of african jazz, nicolas dr nico kasanda of african fiesta, a new distinct sound and genre was born. Soukous is a style of music from the democratic republic of congodrc this music an incarnation many music style from 1930 to the present day. Soukous is a hybrid that grew out of the congo s african rumba, which incorporated cuban rhythms into congolese dance styles. Drawing on almost two decades of experience both performing and teaching all over the world, folo has put together both a travelogue and a roadmap to 32 classic guitar sounds ranging from sokka, highlife, calypso, from simple to more challenging arrangements.

Like highlife and soukous, shona guitarband music became popular in the late1960s and 70s, developing a distinctive style of guitar that drew from shona mbira thumb piano and chimurenga songs of liberation music. The rough guide to congolese soukous profiles the sweet guitar sound and hipswinging rhythms of this superb dance rhythm, featuring tracks from some of africas greatest. In this paper i will look briefly at how afrocuban music came to be imported and distributed in the belgian congo and i will discuss some of the stylistic borrowing that has given congolese music a strongly afrocuban flavor. Top ten sebene great congolese guitar rate your music. Fingerstyle guitar is the technique of playing the guitar or bass guitar by plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to fingers, as opposed to flatpicking plucking individual notes with a single plectrum, commonly called a pick. But in the democratic republic of the congo, musicians have found a new and very old method of survival.

Everything about congolese fashion revolves around the colorful print fabrics called pagne. Congolese guitar, 1950s jeanbosco mwenda and friends. He gives a great feel for african guitar style, which is unique. He is currently a widely respected guitarist and is teaching african music lovers how to play soukous and congolese rumba guitar.

It should be very easy there if youve got a bit of money, just go to one of the local bands and a guitarist should put you in the right direction, african guitar guitar style is literally the same, its picking style. Souokous is so popular congolese guitar style soukous on vimeo. Nico, established two stylistic schools, each identified by their name, franco school and nico school. Ray lema, born raymond lema ansi nzinga is a renowned congolese musician. The term fingerstyle is something of a misnomer, since it is present in several different genres and styles of music.

The guitar style was an amalgam of influences from central and west africa. Africa teaches you the history of this music, the pioneering musicians that developed each african. Folo graffs african guitar styles is the only book i know in any style, for any instrument which succeeds in communicating this internal knowledge. African music historian and beat contributor gary stewart, during his 1993 research trip to zaire and congobrazzaville for his book rumba on the river, encountered many of the musicians who created the congolese rumba style that made all of africa dance. Learn about the history of this music, the pioneering musicians that developed each style, and the dominant characteristics and techniques necessary to play this remarkable music. Recently, however, i was left scratching my head and perplexed when my diligent student ben enlisted me to help him decode the dna of his new sixstringed obsession. He is a guitarist who influenced the congolese modern guitarsoukous style. Download gipsy guitar german rumbas flamencas guitar book and 2 cds plus cd rom ebook free. How to play guitar rhythms rumba flamenca style guitar turnaround am g f e marcus nalgaber. The use of electric guitars, elements of congolese rumba and. Thats right, what most of the ones on the list are known for is their pioneering work.

World music area ii subsaharan africa and caribbean. Top 9 congolese foods for your appetite flavorverse. Soukous began in the 1950s, when congolese musicians began to listen and play cuban music, especially the rumba. There was no store in france devoted to african music in 1976, even though there were already more than a million africans living in the country, many of whom came from the frenchspeaking nations. List of most influential african guitarists congolese. It requires a lot of fingerpicking and left hand interaction with the fret board. See the best of the beat episode in which he chronicles his experiences on the journey. Mbira guitar of zimbabwe several important guitar styles have developed in zimbabwe. The first three examples feature both rhythm and lead soukousstyle guitar parts. Africa, banning eyre, a recognized expert in african guitar music, guides you through a variety of important styles, including congolese, mbira, malian blues, and juju.

Its not the most in depth book out there but it is great for what is is, kind of. Jeanbosco mwenda known later in life as mwenda wa bayeke was the most famous and influential of the virtuoso fingerstyle guitarists who flourished in southeastern congo, near the zambian border, in the 1950s. East africa also has deep musical ties to the islamic world. Banning eyre, a recognized expert in african guitar music, guides you through a variety of important styles, including congolese, mbira, malian blues, and juju. Yet the region is equally influenced by congolese soukous and even has its own local guitar style, the sparkling benga music of the luo people of kenya. Then there are the various albums i have produced or compiled over the years. A fun, easy way to learn how to play traditional african style guitar, with history lessons too. Exercices for beginners to practice slowly and to take good habits to become an amazing guitarist. All over the world, the music business as we know it is crumbling. But i am also interested in the way that congolese rumba has gradually undergone a process of indigenization which has made it the musica franca of much of sub.

And information about my instructional dvd on the guitar style of joseph spence. Some version of the fundamental rhythm of rake n scrape music can be heard in the musics of which of the following nearby islands. African guitar styles by the respected sierra leonean bandleader and composer folo graff is such a book. According to the book, which of the following had a more profound influence on musicians and audiences than any other single african style. The likes of kapaya have not done anything extraordinary but olivier tshimanga i think should be there because hes mixed spanish guitar and congolese finger style and created a unique form of playing congolese rhumba on acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitar lessons congolese music congo vibes. The author provides a good amount of explanantion of song styles, rhythm techniques, and fingerpicking technique. Both would go on to be some of the earliest congolese music stars. The detailed but concise playing instructions are based on a deep understanding of his own traditions and. You can read more about congolese music in his book rumba. This book teaches classical and fingerstyle guitar skills with a focus on the rich pedagogical tradition of classical guitar. The style gained popularity throughout africa during the 1960s and 1970s.

A staple of congolese culture and dress, many prints are given a name. Because nobody else on the web has separated the wheat from the chaff in chronological order. Explore the guitar magic of congolese soukous master. Learn about the history of this music, the pioneering musicians that developed each style, and the dominant. Explore the guitar magic of congolese soukous master docteur nico kasanda. He did not how to play the guitar but many family member was musicians. Flamme kapaya is a gifted guitar player who spent many years as lead guitar with one of the most famous groups from kinshasa, wenge musica. The first three examples feature both rhythm and lead soukous style guitar parts. Kapaya mweni nickaname flamme kapaya was born in congo drc. The drcs franco, and nigerias fela kuti, remain two of the most musically as wellas politically influential artists in africa, despite both being dead. Soukous is a hybrid that grew out of the congos african rumba, which incorporated cuban rhythms into congolese dance styles. Congolese rumba, also known as rumba lingala after its predominant language, is a popular genre of dance music which originated in the congo basin during the 1940s, deriving from cuban son. African acoustic guitar music from kenya and the congo.

He was born on march 30, 1946, in lufu toto, a small town of the democratic republic of the congo drc. The death of simaro lutumba closes a chapter of congolese. Democratic republic of the congo political geography. Lesson 1 about how to start playing congolese seben guitar. Congolese cuisine is dominated by the farmland products, while meat and fish are sometimes making a delicious appearance. Congolese music rumba or soukous has been at the core of african dance music for almost half a century, surpassing just about every other african pop style in existence. The guitar is very present in congolese gospel music as well and i just want to share a sample of his solo guitar style in that context. Musical instruments include a variety of drums, the guitar, and the sanzi, a small wooden box with metal teeth.