Too many times already this year, not least the past few days, it's been difficult to find a ready excuse to smile. So to leave a gig on Tuesday evening with my jaw aching just as much as my legs, was a real treat for the soul. I can't remember the last non-comedy show I saw that had me continuously beaming from ear to ear, quite as much as Congolese six piece Mbongwana Star did. The band's debut album, 'From Kinshasa', made my long-list at the end of 2015 and they are still out there promoting it in a truly joyous fashion. Guitarist Jean Claude (aka R9) appeared to be the musical director, keeping things gloriously tight but loose, while occasionally lurching into wildly off-kilter, Tony Iommi-esque solos. Meanwhile, Theo Nzonza, one of two wheel-chaired vocalists, was a blur, busting moves that put this able-bodied old fool to shame - '...is good?....is good...?' Theo repeatedly asked us in broken English. The roar of the audience's reply required no translation. Catch them if you can.Friday, 17 June 2016
Mbongwana Star
Too many times already this year, not least the past few days, it's been difficult to find a ready excuse to smile. So to leave a gig on Tuesday evening with my jaw aching just as much as my legs, was a real treat for the soul. I can't remember the last non-comedy show I saw that had me continuously beaming from ear to ear, quite as much as Congolese six piece Mbongwana Star did. The band's debut album, 'From Kinshasa', made my long-list at the end of 2015 and they are still out there promoting it in a truly joyous fashion. Guitarist Jean Claude (aka R9) appeared to be the musical director, keeping things gloriously tight but loose, while occasionally lurching into wildly off-kilter, Tony Iommi-esque solos. Meanwhile, Theo Nzonza, one of two wheel-chaired vocalists, was a blur, busting moves that put this able-bodied old fool to shame - '...is good?....is good...?' Theo repeatedly asked us in broken English. The roar of the audience's reply required no translation. Catch them if you can.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Greatest Hits
-
For a period during the 1970s, Sweet were second only in my pop affections to the mighty T.Rex. The band's run of Chinnichap hit singles... -
I was very sad to hear of Danny Thompson's passing a couple of weeks back, at the age of 86. Unless you've tried particularly hard t... -
Some time ago, probably several years by this point, John Medd and I were having a back and forth on the subject of guitar solos in rock. T... -
I should emphasise that while my recent return to retail may have been unplanned and initiated by financial concerns, I am absolutely lov... -
A new, all singing all dancing, 50th anniversary super-deluxe reissue of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis arrives this week, even t...
4 comments:
Great stuff, Swede. It's a great album and I wish I could say I'd seen them on this tour as they can obviously cut it live.
Jamie
As Jamie said - great stuff. I really liked From Kinshasa and played them often. Hope they come to Germany at my place to watch them live.
Great stuff - another one for the ever growing list
Interesting, infectious...there must be a place on the Olympic chair football team too!
Post a Comment