makossa original

zaterdag 17 maart 2012

1958 - 2022 Penda Dalle

Born in 1958, Tete Dalle Penda Jeannot served in the Cameroon Navy and the Republican Guard from 1976 until 1980. At that time, he was part of the band Les New-Star de Bonadibong. Around 1977, 1978 he and this group released a 45rpm single on the label Disques Cousin. On side A is the song Bonadibong and on the B-side the song Bekwedi Ndolam. Both are written by Penda Dalle, who also does the vocals.

At the age of 22 Penda Dalle left the army and became guitarist in La Musette, the band that Emile Kangue formed after he had quitted Les Black Styl. In 1980 he started his solo career with the release of the 45rpm single Se to mba / Ne nde muna musango on the Africa Oumba label.

During the 80's and 90's "Jeandall" released a string of records and became a popular Makossa star. In 2000 he recorded the very successful album L'espoir de ma vie, which was followed in 2011 by Best of nostalgie vol. 1.
Clip: 2001 Penda Dalle - Nostalgie 1

Penda Dalle also participated in Manu Dibango's Kamer All Stars project together with, Salle John, Henry Njoh, Guy Nsangue, Yves Ndjock and others. On this album he takes care of the rhythm guitar and contributes one of his personal favorites, the classic song Nyong'a mama.

Since then his fans had to wait ten years for a new album, but in 2011 he came back with Sona ndolo.

Today, he has his own YouTube channel La croisiere des artistes, through which he interviews other Cameroonian artists, making an important contribution to capturing the musical heritage of Cameroon.

Recently, he and his longtime musical pal Emile Kangue went back into the studio to record a four-song maxi-single, including the duet Dja o biala that was released in 2021. Penda Dallé died in Paris on 26 December 2022, at the age of 64.

♫ 2021 Penda Dalle & Emile Kangue - Dja o biala

♫ 2011 Penda Dalle – Sona ndolo

♫ 2000 Penda Dalle - Osi lowa mba

♫ 1984 Penda Dalle - Bonadibong

DISCOGRAPHY

zondag 26 februari 2012

Epee & Koum

In 2011 the Makossa twin brothers Epee & Koum were back with a new album entitled L'attente.

Clip: 2012 Epee & Koum - Ordonnance

Les Jumeaux du Makossa Epee & Koum started their musical career as dancers and background singers of Dina Bell during the second half of the 80's. It was producer Aladji Toure who saw the potential of the twin brothers as solo act. Toure composed and arranged two tight, uptempo Makossa medleys for the twin brothers that hit the dance floors of Cameroon in 1989 and 1990.

♫ 1989 Epée & Koum – Makossa Collection

♫ 1998 Live au Zenith - Epée & Koum feat. Manu Dibango – Bouger bouger!!! (From 6 min. 05 sec. to 10 min. 50 sec.)

♫ 1990 Epée & Koum – Matanga mam (VO)

Their second album Soukoumakossa came out in 1990. Three songs on this album, including the title track are written by Guy Lobe. The participation of Nene Tchakou, Ngouma Lokito and Mavoungou gives this album a strong Congolese sound. After their less successful CD Homme demesure from 1993, they came back with the CD M'atche in 1996. This album was a co-production with George Weah, who is a great fan of the twin brothers. With the contribution of Boncana Maiga and Manu Lima as arrangers, this was in my opinion one of the best Makossa productions of the 90's.

In 1998 their next album Sagittaire was released on the JPS label. The participation of Aladji Toure, Toto Guillaume, Jacob Desvarieux and Coco Jean Pierre among others, was again a garantee for a very good sounding record. In the first decade of the new millenium the twins remained active in the Cameroon music scene, but never released any new album. However, they still had succes as guest vocalists on albums by others, such as Kool Bass. Together with him they scored a big hit with the Makossa/Decale song Kathy.

Clip: 2005 Kool Bass ft. Epee & Koum - Kathy

DISCOGRAPHY:

zondag 5 februari 2012

Bell'a Njoh 1949 - 2014

Before he started a solo career as singer in the late 70's, Bell'a Njoh was drummer/percussionist in the band Les Cracks. In 1978 he released his first LP on the Edition SOH label. Several more albums followed and in In 1987 he scored his biggest hit in Cameroon with the album Mambo penya.

Videoclip 1987 Bell’a Njoh – Mambo Penya

Videoclip 1991 Bell’a Njoh – Belle mère

In the 90's he was successful with Belle mere (1991) and Naimonga (1995). After the album Ca fait mal L'Amour (1996) it became silent around Bell'a Njoh until he surprised everybody with the fresh and dynamic album Ton amour me tue (2005). Unfortunately this album turned out to be his last one as far as I know.

♫ Audio: 2005 Bell’a Njoh – Ton amour me tue

In 2012 Bell'a Njoh received some international attention when the London based DJ collective 'Sofrito' - specialists in rediscovering forgotten 'heavy' tropical sounds - selected the track 'Bolobo' from his first LP for their 'Sufrito International Soundclash compilation.

the ‘BOLOBO’ dance

DISCOGRAPHY

zaterdag 28 januari 2012

Dora Decca

♫ Clip: 2017 Dora Decca – Il est la

Born April 11 at the Soppo Priso clinic in Douala, Dora Decca comes from a family of 11 children. Following her primary studies, she entered the College of Technical Industrial and Commercial Education (CETIC) Bassa in Douala where she studied electrical and electronics. After obtaining her CAP, she flies to France to continue her studies and gets her Bachelor's degree.

Ben Decca, Grace Decca & Dora Decca

Born into a family of musicians, Dora Decca began to sing passionately from an early age, under the guidance of her older brother Ben Decca and Toto Guillaume. She performs some choirs with renowned musicians of Cameroonian music such as JR. Nelson, Moni Bile ... His first duet is with Ben Decca in the album Ndol'am.

♫ Audio: 1998 Ben Decca & Dora Decca – Ndol’am

In 2002, she released her first album entitled Aphrodite under the label JPS Production6. Five years later in February 2007, she released the second album Dor'Attitude produced by Dm2 Prod.

♫ Audio: 2002 Dora Decca – Ewendji

♫ Clip: 2007 Dora Decca – Engame

In 2011, the third Belalo album is released under MD2E Prod. Belalo is an album of nine titles in which we find collaborations with Lady Ponce, her brother Ben Decca, her older sister Grace Decca and Jacky Kingue. For the realization, she calls on Sam Fan Thomas and the arranger Bertrand Ebah.

♫ Clip: 2011 Dora Decca ft. Lady Ponce – Laisse le moi

In 2017 she released the catchy (mp3 single) Il est la. Dora Decca has been married since the year 2000 and has three boys. She lives in France with her family.

DISCOGRAPHY

vrijdag 13 januari 2012

Sam Fan Thomas

NEW SINGLE BY SAM FAN THOMAS !!!!!!

♫ Video Clip: 2016 - Sam Fan Thomas – Che Gwon Laa

Sam Fan Thomas is born in 1952 and hails from Bafoussam, the capital of the West Province of Cameroon. The city is also the cultural and economical centre of the Bamilike people. He started his musical career in 1968 when he joined The Black Tigers led by Andre Marie Tala. He stayed with Tala for the next eight years, recording several singles. The band also recorded in Paris and toured Senegal and other African countries. It was during this period that Tala developed his Tchamassi rhythm, a modern music style based on Bamilike folklore.

♫ Audio: 1977 - Sam Fan Thomas – Funky New Bell

Then in 1976, Sam left to persue a solo career recording his first solo LP Funky New Bell, in Benin on the Satel label. This record was post earlier on:

♫ Orogod - Sam Fan Thomas & Black Santiago

A second LP, also on the Satel label followed in 1977. On this album Sam was supported by the Black Santiagos from Benin. It was his third release recorded in 1982 in Nigeria, with the hit song Rikiatou, which finally established his reputation in Cameroon.

♫ Audio: 1982 - Sam Fan Thomas – Rikiatou

In 1983 Sam Fan Thomas travelled to Paris to record the album Makassi. Makassi is the name of Sam's own music style, a type of uptempo Makossa with blended with a touch of Andre Marie Tala's Tchamassi and other Bamilike influences.

The album contained the hit song African Typic Collection. This song builded around the melody of the classic Franco song Boma l'heure became a massive international dance floor hit, with amazing sales all over Africa, France and the West Indies where it was also released as a 12 inch single.

♫ Audio: 1984 – Sam Fan Thomas - African Typic Collection

♫ Audio: 1972 – Franco & Le T.P.O.K. Jazz – Boma l’Heur

Makassi brought Sam a Golden Disc in 1984 and was followed by his fifth album Neng Makassi in 1985. The album retained the sophisticated production of Makassi, without reaching the heights of his greatest hit. In 1986 he came with two albums, Funk Makassi and Makassi plus of which the last one became a big hit. Together with African Typic Collection, two tracks of the Makassi plus album were released in 1987 on a compilation by the British Earthworks record label.

♫ Video Clip: 1986 – Sam Fan Thomas – Noa

Makassi plus was followed in 1988 by the also successful Makassi again that was distributed international by the Celluloid record label.
♫ Video Clip: 1988 – Sam Fan Thomas – Zimo (Mandela)
As a result of his successful recordings Sam also toured intensively with his band MBC (Makassi Band Corporation) in West and East Africa, Europe and the America's, to play his hit songs live for his many fans all over the world.

From the early 90's Sam Fan Thomas changed his focus from recording his own material, to promotion and guiding of new talented Cameroonian singers and musicians. He gathered a bunch of talented musicians - among who the late Kotto Bass, Ebelle Jeannot, K.Godefroy, Fabo Claude, Guy Bilong and Tala Jeannot - in his own Makassi Plus Studio in Douala and released a string of records from various artists during the 90's.

♫ Audio: 1993 – The M.B.C. (Kotto Bass) - Teme So

Since the early 90's Sam Fan Thomas released new material on CD in 1993 Emotion and in 1999 No satisfaction. non of these CD's brought him the success of his earlier work. Nevertheless he is internationally seen, still one of the most well known and popular musicians from Cameroon.

In recent years he has given successfull shows in Montreal (2015), Paris (2015 & 2016) and Nairobi (2016). In 2016 he also surprised his fans with his first new recording of this millenium, the single "Che Gwon Laa".