Je'taime (Sex Machine)
The fourth in the Congotronics seies from Crammed Discs is by Staff Benda Bilili (Look Beyond Appearances) who hail from the streets of Kinshasa and live in the grounds around Kinshasa Zoo. A group of four disabled musicians form the core of the band, backed by a younger, acoustic rhythm section and a hand made (wire, a tin, a bent stick and a radio mike) electric one string lute called the Satonge.
"I later learn that this lean, gentle-looking kid, who goes by the name of Roger Landu, invented the instrument he's playing with such dazzling virtuosity. The raw materials of the satonge consist of a milk-powder tin, a section of fish basket frame and a single electrical wire. A few days later, at our hotel, Roger makes up satonges to order and sells them to us for $20 (14) a pop... good business for a shegue, or homeless kid, who was surviving by busking for pennies in the Kinshasa central market."
Full article here.
Another good background article here.
Reviews of their excellent album 'Tres Tres Fort' here and here.
Crammed Discs have a lot of really good information on their releases and you can listen to a number of recordings.
Bonus (Audio):
'Avramandole - Sala Mosala - Staff Benda Bilili'
The fourth in the Congotronics seies from Crammed Discs is by Staff Benda Bilili (Look Beyond Appearances) who hail from the streets of Kinshasa and live in the grounds around Kinshasa Zoo. A group of four disabled musicians form the core of the band, backed by a younger, acoustic rhythm section and a hand made (wire, a tin, a bent stick and a radio mike) electric one string lute called the Satonge.
"I later learn that this lean, gentle-looking kid, who goes by the name of Roger Landu, invented the instrument he's playing with such dazzling virtuosity. The raw materials of the satonge consist of a milk-powder tin, a section of fish basket frame and a single electrical wire. A few days later, at our hotel, Roger makes up satonges to order and sells them to us for $20 (14) a pop... good business for a shegue, or homeless kid, who was surviving by busking for pennies in the Kinshasa central market."
Full article here.
Another good background article here.
Reviews of their excellent album 'Tres Tres Fort' here and here.
Crammed Discs have a lot of really good information on their releases and you can listen to a number of recordings.
Bonus (Audio):'Avramandole - Sala Mosala - Staff Benda Bilili'
Get it here.
ReplyDelete"mona: keeping my itunes stocked since '09"
ReplyDeletethanks for another one
thanks for the taster!
ReplyDeleteThx for the clue, realy good vibe from SBB , greetings from middle europe ;)
ReplyDeleteHey Mona... reminded me of a crippled musician on Efati in Vanuatu. First saw him and his band about 12 years ago then again a couple of years ago still banging away.They play guitars (homemade and manufactured) and ukeleles and sing in high falsetto voices at a little resort in the north where not many people live but is a tourist trail around the island.
ReplyDelete