Jean Paul Mondo - Ca chauffe !!

  

His musical career started with two 45 rpm singles, recorded with the famous 'Black Styl' at the end of the 1970's. The following years JPM (Rhythm Guitar & Vocals) formed the band Les Jokers, together with Jacques Ebey (Solo guitar & Vocals), Raphael Biana (Vocals) and Samuel Tchomagni a.k.a. Sam Batcho (Drums & Vocals).  With Les Jokers he recorded at least one 45 rpm single Eleke / Muma mbamba and one LP.

In the 1980's he made his nam as a solo artist with half a dozen records, including Sona Papa, Sengwesse and Dieudonne a tout donne. Jean Paul Mondo's Makossa is distinguished by a very rhythmic sound and (his) excellent (rhythm) guitar playing.

After a decade in the limelight, Jean Paul Mondo disappeared from the main stage. Acoording to his former producer Isodore Tamwo, it was because of piracy that JPM's record output stopped after the 1980's. But he remained active as musician. The last years of his life he played with his Sengwesse Band in local bars. At the time of his death he worked virtually incognito in a tavern in 'the village' on the outskirts of Douala. Jean Paul Mondo died at the age of 51 on the 29th of June 2004.

 ♫ 1985 Osikolo djomba 

 ♫ 1986 Sona Papa

 ♫ 1988 Dieudonne a tout donne

DISCOGRAPHY

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

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:

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

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