On Oct 30, 1974, US boxer George Foreman, then the undisputed heavyweight champion, and challenger Muhammad Ali entered a ring in a stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to fight for the title.
Promoted by flamboyant promoter Don King and funded by Zaire's then president Mobuto Sese Seko, the event was one of the most watched sporting events of the 20th century.
Prior to that, on Sept 22-24, 1974, a three-day music festival was held -- the brainchild of South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and producer Stuart Levine (and greatly facilitated by Zaire's biggest music star Franco). The event was created to promote cultural solidarity between Africans and African-Americans; it featured 31 bands -- 17 from Zaire and 14 from overseas (mainly USA). Congolese stars like Franco and Tabu Ley Rochereau featured, along with US stars like James Brown, Bill Withers and BB King. The "Empress of African Song" Miriam Makeba performed, as did Celia Cruz and Fania All Stars.
But it was James Brown and his band that had the biggest influence. He was right at the height of his funk power and his music electrified the then stale music scene (in 1974, Congolese music had moved on from classic rumba to the more rhythmic soukous style pioneered by Tabu Ley) and was about to speed up again with the emergence of new youth bands like Zaiko Langa Langa.
Essentially, Brown exposed Kinshasa's audiences and musicians to his groove laden funk rhythms, something that Congo's musicians (in both cities on opposite banks of the Congo river, Kinshasa and Brazzaville) had not assimilated into their own sweet, rumba sound. At the same time, Fela Kuti over in Nigeria had already begun to incorporate funk into his new style, Afrobeat, and out of that in Ghana and Nigeria, Afrofunk began to develop. Local musicians were also impressed with Brown's hot, punchy brass section led by the incomparable trombonist Fred Wesley.
After Brown's visit, Congolese bands assimilated funk into some of their songs but until recently, there have been few compilations available that showcase this.
Analog Africa's intrepid compiler Samy Ben Redjeb was in Benin's capital, Cotonou, on a search for music. After finding what he needed, a record label owner asked him why he hadn't looked at any of the many Congolese singles he had in storage. Redjeb checked the stock, found a sonic treasure trove and selected 2,000 singles, out of which 14 golden nuggets were selected for a new compilation: Congo Funk! Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River – Kinshasa/Brazzaville 1969-1974.
The new album kicks off with a hard-edged dancer Sungu Lubuka by Petelo Vicka et Son Nzazi, which showcases the newer, funk-influenced brass. This segues into Mfuur Ma by Groupe Minzoto Ya Zaire, led by the intriguingly named Father Buffalo.
All the tracks are standouts on this brilliant compilation, but some favourites so far include the Afrobeat tinged MBT's Sound by the MBT's, and the straight ahead funk of Brazzaville's biggest band, Les Bantous De La Capitale, on Ngantsie Soul. Lolo Soulfire by Lolo et L'Orchestre OK Jazz sounds like it could be a James Brown song, while Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini by Orchestre Celi Bitshou sounds more like Franco than Franco does!
Tabu Ley Rochereau (and his L'Orchestre Afrisa), then at the height of his popularity, contributes the lilting Adieto, while the new, upcoming generation of "youth music" of the mid-1970s is represented by the cranked guitars of Zaiko Langa Langa on Femme Ne Pleure Pas.
The music these artists created would travel across Africa on radio waves from Kinshasa, influencing musicians in other African countries like Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania. The emergence of US soul and funk styles and sounds in Africa shows how popular black American music had become across the continent.
Readers looking for more information on this fascinating era can see the fight and some concert footage on the 1996 documentary film When We Were Kings, but to get an idea of the music played during the Zaire 74 Festival, check out the documentary Soul Power (released 2009, directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hunte) and the follow-up audio album Zaire 74: The African Artists (Wrasse), which was released decades after the event due to various conflicts between the different parties. More info on the album at analogafrica.bandcamp.com.
John Clewley can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com.
