FTX-806 (incl 807) - MASANGA

African Instruments - Guitars

Introduced into Africa from Europe, guitars are now more popular than the traditional African instruments which preceded them, but they are nevertheless played using the complex techniques of the native lutes & other stringed instruments. This remarkable selection of tracks, both solo and for song accompaniment, was made by the late Dr Hugh Tracey, and taken from his own field recordings made in the Central & Southern areas of Africa in the 1950's and 1960's.

1. MASANGA - Solo instrumental by Jean Bosco Mwenda from Likasi, Katanga, Zaire, outstanding Sanga musician who never received any musical tuition of any kind - 3'21"

2. MAMA NA MWANA (Mother and child) - Topical song (Ngala) as previous - 3'11"

3. AYE WELELE WA MHALAKA (Alas for a bachelor) - Topical song with two guitars, bottle & small rattle. Ngoi Nono & Kabongo Anastase & friends, Kabongo, Katanga, 1957. Describes the troubles of a bachelor's life. (luba/Songe) - 3'14"

4. MAMA JOSEFINA - Party song with 2 guitars & bottle. Ilunga Patrice & Misomba Victor, Kabinda, Kasai, Zaire, 1957. (Luba/Hemba) - 3'00"

5. ANTOINETTE WA KOLWEZI - Topical song with 2 guitars & bottle. As previous item. Sung in a mixture of Luba and Swahili. (Luba/Hembe) - 3'16"

6. MULEKA MWENE NGOIE - Topical song with guitar. Kaseba Anatole, Kolwezi Copper Mine, Katanga, Zaire, 1957. Muleka is a girl so beautiful that her fame has spread throughout Kasai in the Congo. The singer enumerates the districts where her beauty has become a legend. It is also an example of a contemporary style of accompaniment for an indigenous type of song. (Luba/Shankadi) - 3'14"

7. MULEKA MWENE YOMBWE - Topical song with 2 guitars, bottle & small rattle by Ngoi Nono. Kabongo Anastase & friends, Kabongo, Katanga, Zaire, 1957. About a man who refused to let his wife go down the river to fish. (Luba/Songe) - 4'12"

8. NYON ANYONA (Walk proudly) - Town Dance with 4 guitars & rattle. Lang Obiero & Luo men from Yala in Gem, near Kisumu, Kenya, 1950. Based on a Luo folk song: "I sing to Wally's sister/ It is about her I sing/ Walk proudly when I am with you/ Yuniah walks proudly, daughter of Peter/ Recently you bought a pair of shoes/ Which made you look like a Goan/ And the new dress you wore one day/ Made you look like a queen." he people of Yala, where this song originates, are noted for their pride of race and country and also for the great beauty of their girls - 3'12"

9. PINO OCHAMA (I was without hope) - Town Dance: 2 guitars. As previous. This dance demonstrates the type of urban dance music that was popular in Nairobi in the early 1950's - 2'55"

10. ANAGIKAFU RAGITAKI - Topical song with guitar. Deab Rizgala, Mbale District, Uganda. The performer's parents came from the south of the Sudan with a battalion of Sudanese askaris. He sings:" Mary, you are so charming/ But how much more charming you would have been without your husband" (Nubi) - 2'45"

11. A DESAYO - Lament with guitar & bottle. Morris Kalala & Ngala girl, Kinshasa, Zaire. This type of music has spread widely over souther Zaire, originating, so it is believed, in Angola. This lament to Desayo is of the type sung with the Maringa Dance which is performed on the death of a friend - 3'07"

12. IUWALWE-O-IUWALE (Start, O let's start the song) - Historical song with guitars by Mbasela Kunda & William Munyanda, Serenje District, Zambia, 1957. What are you doing ?/ The men hasve come/ Their tents are over there/ Beyond the Chiyombo" (Lala) - 2'50"

The success of Dr Hugh Tracey's preliminary selection, prompted him to make a 2nd choice of outstanding performances. Introduced into Africa from Europe guitars are now more popular than traditional African instruments, but they are played "African style" - using the complex techniques developed on lutes & other native stringed instruments. So here are another dozen pieces from the legendary performers, once again including the great Jean Bosco MWENDA. Also included is a Udi solo with an Arabian guitar from Tanzania.

13. MAMWANA KUFIKI MUNDA -Luba/Hemba Topical Song with 2 guitars & bottle. Ilunga Patrice, Misomba Victor & friends, Kolwezi, Katanga, Zaire, 1957. These words are sung in a mixture of languages including their own Luba and a áwahili dialect, the local lingua franca - 2'50"

14. KAMELO - As previous (Luba/ Hemba) - 3'11"

15. GUABI GUABI - Topical Song by George Sibanda, Bulawayo, Rhodesia. Guabi is a kind of game-play in which a small gift is offered and then quickly snatched back again, "Look, guess what I've got/ I've got buns, sweets or bananas" - 2'57"

16. KISS CHA MOTO-MOTO - Love Song. J.P.Odera, Kisumu District, Kenya. The performer is a Luo from the Lake District of Western Kenya. Sung in Swahili - 2'38"

17. MAMA ILIO-E - Lament. Jean Bosco Mwenda, Likasi, Katanga, Zaire. "I grieve with my mother for my father who is dead." Mwenda, a Sanga by birth, was brought up in this copper mining district and is a self-taught musician - 3'02"

18. SHIYA BANTWANA, NOSELA INGAVIN - Topical Song. Nomaswiti Citaumvano & Uvakutsiwo, Lusikisiki District, Pondoland, Transkei, S.A., 1957. "You leave the children alone/ while you go and drink gavin". Gavin is the local name for "skokiaan", a highly fortified drink (Xhosa/ Mpondo) - 3'03"

19. MASENGA WA BENA NOMBA - Topical song with 2 guitars, bottle, small rattle & whistle. Ngoi Nono, Kabongo Anastase & friends, Kabongoi District, Katanga, Zaire, 1957. Good example of topical song in folk idiom from S.Zaire. (Luba/ Songe) - 4'39"

20. KATIKALEPUKE KATIKATOBEKE (About to snap and about to break) - Topical song with guitar & bottle. Isaac Matafwana & sunkutu, Mulfulira, Zambia, 1957. The words are mostly in Bemba with some Swahili. "Leave me by myself/ So that I can enjoy the pleasure of it/ Let the others indulge in their earthly pleasures/ Don't worry about them/ I like my girl because she dresses well" (Bemba) - 3'10"

21. MPENZI WANGU UNEPOTEA MJINI - Town Dance with 4 guitars & rattle. Lang Obiero & group of Luo men from Yala in Gem, near Kisuma, Kenya, 1950. The singers are all Luo, but sing in Swahili. "My love, you are lost in town/ My love, here are my last words/ I am not bound to say them but I do/ Because I know what love is/ I know you so well/ And all the trouble of love too I know/ My love, you have killed me/ Come and heal me, Mary of Arabia/ You have not cured me of my love and my trouble/ You did not choose to heal me/ Nor did you dream of it when you were asleep" - 3'01"

22. SAFARI YA BARAKA - Topical Song with guitar, bottle, friction stick & whistling. Ombiza Charles with his wife, Kisangani, Zaire, 1952. "The successful journey/ when everything went right/ my business affairs flourished/ my friends were pleased to see me/ and I had no mishaps on the way/ and returned safely" (Swahili/ Ngwsana) - 3'03"

23. MASENGU - Topical Song with 2 guitars & bottle. Ilunga Patrice, Misomba Victor & friends, Kolwezi, Katanga, Zaire, 1957. The player occasionally strikes the guitar board. (Luba/ Hemba) - 3'01".

24. NAHAWANDI - Udi solo by Bom Ambaron, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The "Hawandi" exclamation by a listener is the traditional way of showing your appreciation for a good performance. (Swahili/ Nguja) - 2'59"

These recordings were made by Dr.Hugh Tracey in the early fifties for The International Library of African Music and are reproduced here with his permission and that of the Library. First published on Folktrax cassettes 1976.