Kotto Bass 1963 - 1996

On the 6th of February 1963,  Kotto Bass was only 33 years old when he died unexpectedly on the 20th of November 1996. Kotto Bass or Nyamsi Theodore Auger for marital status, remains one of  the most brilliant and beloved Cameroon  artists of his generation, even though his star was just beginning to shine. Even today, songs like Edith ndola'a ngo, Nouvelle génération mixte and Concours de patience,  will fill every dance floor in Cameroon.

Full-fledged artist, despite his disability Nyamsi Kotto was only two years old when diagnosed with polio. This will paralyze him the foot, but not curb the enthusiasm of the boy who already at the Camp Berteau primary school, shows his predisposition for music. But in this circumstance, nobody could have imagined he would become an artist of high rank, who later accompanied the great names of the Cameroonian music scene.

In the late 80's he started working in the Makassi Studio from Sam Fan Thomas and soon after he became the conductor of the MBC (the Makassi Band Corporation).

The MBC in Nairobi (Kotto Bass second from right)

Beside a talented bass player, Kotto Bass was also gifted with a formidable, angelic voice. In 1993 he contributed a track on 'L'age d'or: Hommage a Nelle Eyoum, a co-production by Aladji Toure and Kouogueng Moise. It was this track, a brilliant cover of Rochereau's  Ponce Pilate that brought him fame in Cameroon.

In 1996 he came with his first solo cd, Edith ndol'a ngo.The album, with it's fusion of Makossa and Congolese music, combined with his silky voice, becomes a tremendous hit in Cameroon and the neighbouring countries.

Also his second album, C'est comme ca hits the charts with songs like Concours de patience, Yes Bamenda  and a cover of Franco classics Oke mado. Then at once the rising star Kotto Bass dies unexpectedly on November 20, 1996. His sudden death causes a shock in Cameroon. Because the circumstances of his death remain unclarified, many of his fans believe that he is poisened.

Clip: Yes Bamenda

Clip: Ponce Pilate

Clip: Edith ndol'ango

Clip: Nouvelle generation

Clip: OK Mado

DISCOGRAPHY

AfricOriginal

Super Mama Djombo

Mayaula Mayoni

Dear Makossa friends,
I want  to ask your attention for my new blog AfricOriginal.

blog AfricOriginal

Beside MakossaOriginal this blog gives me the opportunity to pay attention to my other favorite music styles from the African continent. The first two posts on AfricOriginal are about the great Congolese guitarist/composer Freddy Mayaula Mayoni and the legendary band  from Guinee-Bissau, Super Mama Djombo.

Dolf Motz

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: