Some sources who had actually witnessed the 'Belle Epoque" in the Belgium Congo in the 1950's have verbally compared it to the DISCO boom in the mid 1970's. They said things like "the Congolese danced better, dressed better and the songs were richer musically and most often about romance instead of copulation as in the case of much of the seventies DISCO."
They also claimed that "there was an incredible Diva then that put the Disco Queens and Divas of the early 1970's to shame. She was called LUCIE YENGA. People would rush out to retailers to buy the new "LUCIE" record after hearing it in a club the night prior because they often disappeared like hot cakes!".
LUCIE EYANGA joined the legendary Opika label in 1954. Evidently she was discovered and recruited to the Opika studio by the guitarists MWAMBA DECHAUD and TINO BAROSA to be Opika's competition to other Congolese female RUMBA singing stars like TEKELE MOKANGO, PAULINE LISANGA and MARIE KITOTO. Well she would dominate the whole GONGOLESE RUMBA scene for years! She made her last recordings in 1973 on a 4xlp set called 'Bankolo Miziki' or (music of the ancestors) released for Mobutu's post independence political campaign of Authenticity. These are available on CD from the Ngoyarto label in France, We are playing some of the 1973 recordings of her classics from the 1950's and mixing them with records from the "Belle Epoque" period. After 70 odd years some of these recordings are very rough. We don't care!
LUCIE EYANGA was an improvisational and expressive singer that endeared herself to a whole generation with hits like "Baloji Mwana Y'Africa-Jazz". "Mwana Mama". "Kamsoda", "Ohé Suka ya Rhumba", "Ah Baninga", "Dit Marie", "Mokili Makalamba", "Mabe Na Yo Moko", "Dit Moninga", "Astrid", "Nasepeli Mingi" and "Brigitte". As the CONGOLESE RUMBA really dominated dance floors throughout the African continent in the early 1960's, LUCIE EYANGA would enjoy extended international popularity long after her apparent "brief hiatus" from recording in 1961. We have been very fortunate to offer to you an English translation of "Brigitte":
Listen said Brigitte, I want to die
Give me heart, (I) shall live a little
The heart is broken, the thoughts are broken
I don’t know I don’t know, how much I love you
Listen said Brigitte, I want to die
Give me heart, (I) shall live a little
The heart is broken, the thoughts are broken
I don’t know I don’t know, how much I love you
Oh, leave me with mine
Even if he doesn't do anything stupid,
My love for Cherie Brigitte ends in death
Leave me to my own
Leave me to my own
My love for Cherie Brigitte ends in death
Oh, leave me with mine
Even if he doesn't do anything stupid,
My love for Cherie Brigitte ends in death
Leave me with her mother
Leave me with her mother
My love for Cherie Brigitte ends in death
LUCIE EYANGA - BANKOLO MIZIKI LES PIONNIERS de la musique congolaise - de Leopoldville à Kinshasa - Anthologie Volume 1 1973 (CD) - NGOYARTO
YENGA LUCIE Accompagnée Par DECHAUD Et IMEKA - 10" - OPIKA
LUCIE YENGA et GRAND KALLE and AFRICAN JAZZ - AFRICAN JAZZ 1960 (LP) - PATHE
LUCIE YENGA - BANKOLO MIZIKI – Anthologie Volume 2 (1973) CD - NGOYARTO
LUCIE YENGA - 10" - OPIKA
LUCIE YENGA et MANSANGA VERONIQUE - 10" - OPIKA
LUCIE EYENGA Accompagnée Par ROCK' A MAMBO - 10" - COLUMBIA
LUCIE YENGA Accompagnées par les guitaristes GOBI et DECHAUD - 10" - OPIKA
LUCIE YENGA Et Son Ensemble - 7" - PATHE
LUCIE EYENGA - BANKOLO MIZIKI LES PIONNIERS de la musique congolaise - de Leopoldville à Kinshasa - Anthologie Volume 1 1973 (CD) - NGOYARTO
In 1967 a snazzy version of the American Soul song "Nitty Gritty" appeared in Montreal featuring a talented Haitian-Canadian singer simply called "MARIE CLAIRE". It was an early production of the legendary MONTREAL SOUND producer and pioneer the late YVES MARTIN. Now "Nitty Gritty" was popular in many of Montreal's early discotheques. YVES MARTIN would produce amazing MONTREAL SOUND records for artists like PIERRE PERPALL, NANETTE WORKMAN, JACQUES SALVAIL, DONALD LAUTREC, GERALDINE HUNT, PAUL VINCENT, BOULE NOIRE, and SCUM. He was the manager and owner of Les Productions Yves Martin Inc. and the labels: Les Disques Martin and Pacha. He also co-owned the music publisher Green-Martin Music with TONY GREEN. He actually married MARIE-CLAIRE who would eventually be hailed as a sensational record company executive and a producer. MARIE-CLAIRE MARTIN co-founded the legendary Quebec label Les Disques Campus with her husband and JEAN-PIERRE LECOURS. Today, MARIE-CLAIRE MARTIN is an acclaimed educator in Montreal.
MARIE CLAIRE - POUR DISCOTHÈQUES SEULEMENT (LP) - DSP
Some dj's in 1975 played the very JAZZY single "Papaya" featuring URSZULA DUDZIAK in Canada and the United States. URSZULA DUDZIAK is an experimental Jazz vocalist from Poland. With an amazing five-octave vocal range, DUDZIAK has gained an international reputation for employing electronic devices to further extend the possibilities of her voice. She has frequently worked with leading CONTEMPORARY JAZZ artists like ARCHIE SHEPP and LESTER BOWIE. In the mid 1970's, she dabbled with FUNK and DISCO. Her single "Papaya" was particularly popular in the United States. Not available on any of her albums, "Tico Tico" became a hit in Mexico and Venezuela in 1976.
URSZULA DUDZIAK - 7" - ARISTA
URSZULA DUDZIAK - URSZULA (LP) - ARISTA
URSZULA DUDZIAK - 7" - ARISTA
TEENA MARIE - LADY T (LP) - GORDY
NEWCLEUS - 12" - SUNNYVIEW
RUBÉN GONZALEZ - INTRODUCING.... (2LP) - WORLD CIRCUIT
SMOOTH - GRAVY: REMIXES & RARITIES (LP) - NINJA TUNE
FAITHLESS - 12" - NATES TUNES
KOKOROKO AFROBEAT COLLECTIVE - - SOFAR
It's been days now and you've changed your mind again
It feels like years and I can tell how time can bend your ideas
It's been days now and you've changed your mind again
All the cracks in the wall reminds you things we've said
It feels like years and I can tell how time can bend your ideas
It's been days now and you've changed your mind again
All the cracks in the wall reminds you things we've said
And I could tell you that I won't hurt you this time
But it is just safer to keep you in this heart of mine
SATORI - IN BETWEEN TWO WORLDS REMIXES 3 (EP) - UNDERYOURSKIN
DEMDIKE STARE - ELEMENTAL (2CD) - MODERN LOVE
ANUGAMA - SHAMANIC DREAM II (CD) - OPEN SKY MUSIC
