Pierre de Moussy 1953 - 2018

♫  1984 Audio Ndolo L'Amour  

♫   1986 Audio: Deuxième bureau  

♫  1998 Audio: Zero Amour  

With 8 albums in 11 years on his credit, Pierre de Moussy was one of the most productive and successful Makossa singers of the 80s. Born in 1953 in Ndogkoko-Yabassi he started to make music with school concerts together with his lifetime friend Aladji Toure. They played together on Sundays in the so called 'Matinees des Jeunes'. When he grew older he started to play in Cabarets and bars until 1975 when he left for France. He returned several times to Douala on vacation and during those hollidays he continued to perform in the cabarets and bars of Douala. In those days he also recorded his first 45 rpm single entitled Ebol'a Radar for which Aladji Toure took care of the arrangements.

In 1981 his career really took of with the release of his first LP Ka Lonka on the Africa Oumba label. But he really hit the top of the charts in 1984 with the title track of the album Ndolo L'Amour. The main themes of his songs were, love, sorrow, euphoria, hope and social issues like gossiping such as in the song Radio Trottoir.

During the 90s he disappeared from radar until 1998 when he came back with his first CD Zero Amour on the JPS label. It turned out to be a one-off come back. After he settled in Switzerland he led an unremarkable existence in his new residence in Geneva. On January 26, 2018 he died in Geneva of the consequences of a traffic accident. He was finally laid to rest at the 'Bois des singes' cemetery in Douala on Saterday March 17th. He was made knight in the Order of Value posthumously by the Minister of Arts and Culture during a requim mass in Douala. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said Pierre de Moussy "was a musical icon and one of the flag bearers of Makossa in the 80s whose popularity went beyond  the national boundaries. Pierre de Moussy is dead but lives on through his works".

DISCOGRAPHY  OF  PIERRE DE MOUSSY

ALBUMS

45 RPM SINGLES

Bill Loko - Nen lambo 1980

BILL LOKO

Like a comet, Bill Loko appeared in Cameroonian music in the late 1970s and immediately disappeared in the mid-1980s. This genius was far ahead of its time. He operated a fundamental revolution in Makossa by introducing a rhythmic makossa by the piano. and synthesizers. Visionary sensitive to the musical influences of his time, he operated an original syncretism by introducing into the Makossa rhythms in the air such as Funk and disco. With the support of his accomplice Michot Dhin, he produced masterpieces in the space of a few years. In 1980, the title Nen Lambo appeared like a thunderclap and immediately had a resounding success.

♫ Audio: 1980 – Bill Loko – Nen Lambo

Bill Loko was spotted by Ekambi Brillant around the 1970s during a music competition in which he participated. Ekambi Brillant was won over by his guitar playing and the quality of his voice. Bill wins the competition and Ekambi Brillant comes behind the scenes shouting and pointing a finger in his direction: "Hey you! Stop singing and give me these songs, I want them". Although only 14 years old at the time, they became friends and Ekambi Brillant instantly became like a big brother, a mentor.

Very cooperative and benevolent, he encourages Bill to pursue a musical career. Ekambi even chooses a composition by Bill Loko which he records in his new album. This groin recognition makes young Bill Loko very proud.

Bill Loko's parents decide to send him to continue his studies in France. He arrives in France and meets the very talented instrumentalist Michot Dhin, a friend of Cameroon. the two friends start playing together in their spare time. From this collaboration will be born the Nen Lambo and Salsa Makossa tubes. They are accompanied in this adventure by Claude Vamur and Jean-Claude Naimro (future members of the Kassav) who are members of what should be called at the time "the national team of Makossa '. But Bill Loko did above all music for fun.

He did not do for glory; for this brilliant academic, music was a hobby. In 1980, when the title Nen Lambo appeared, success was there. Bill Loko is surprised by this unexpected success; when he moves through the streets of Paris he is assailed by crowds of people clamoring for autographs. He was not prepared for this life.

Feeling aggressed by celebrity and his constraints, he wishes to go somewhere where no one will be able to recognize him. He seized the opportunity of an exchange program offered by his university and moved to Australia. At the start it was supposed to be there for a year; he stayed there for several years with his wife. He eventually answered the call from Africa and returned to Africa before settling in France.

Bill Loko has produced timeless melodies among which we can cite: Salsa makossa, Dipita, Ndolo, Tika Ndolo, Muaye, malinga, Mina Ma Ndutu, Africa Wake Up.

With the albums Nen Lambo 1980, Dipita 1981, Afrika Wake Up 1982, he stamped his name in gold letters in the guest book of Cameroonian music. 

♫ Audio: 1981 – Bill Loko – Ndolo

♫ Audio: 1982 – Bill Loko – Africa Wake Up

It is therefore more than appropriate that 'Nen Lambo' received a place on the beautiful compilation 'Pop Makossa: The invasive dance beat of Cameroon 1976 - 1984' that Samy Ben Redjeb released in 2017 on his label Analog Africa.

AnalogAfrica - BandCamp: Pop Makossa the invasive dance beat of Cameroon 1976 -1984

 DISCOGRAPHY

Ngalle Jojo

After some musicians who came to fame in the eighties, it's time again for a singer, Ngalle Jojo who started his career in the seventies. Still a schoolboy, he was discovered as singer by Nelle Eyoum, the father of modern Makossa. In 1977 while studying in Paris, he recorded "Alliance" which made him a star of cameroonian music scene.

Two years later, he records "Madilla" his first album which was awarded the International Grand Prix for young singers. In 1980 "Petit Madam" took him up to the top of the charts. In 1981 he founded his own record company and produced records by Ebanda Manfred, Villavienne, Janette Ndiaye and other talented young people. During the first half of the eighties he released at least another three successful records, among which "Sona loko" in 1984.

Since the mid-eighties his musical output becomes irregular. His most recent CD's are: "Ewa Ewa" from 2000 and "The Best of Ngalle Jojo" from 2005. Ngalle Jojo now lives in Paris where he is active as born again evangelical. Despite his religious activities, he still finds time to act as makossa singer. In 2010 he gave some shows in the US together with Dina Bell.

 

♫ Audio: 1977 Alliance

♫ Audio: 1979 Bandolo na momba mabu

♫ Audio: 1983 Na Bwa Bongo
♫ Audio: 2000 Ewa Ewa

DISCOGRAPHY

Ndedi Dibango

Great Makossa singer/songwriter, who released a string of hits during the eighties with songs as - Epapala - Victory Makossa - Eye me - and It's all right. He had his last success with "Tchoki dance" in 1990. All I could find about him from the period after 1990 is that in 2002,  two "Best of" CD's were released with all his hits from the eighties. If you know more about Ndedi Dibango, please let me know.

♫ Audio: 1983 Epapala

♫ Audio: 1988 Eye me

DISCOGRAPHY

Mekongo President 1949 - 2014

Early 1980 were the two 'Sound d'Afrique' LP's on the Mango label, for many their first introduction to African pop music. Volume one opens with the song 'Me bowa ya' by Mekongo.

 

♫ Audio: 1981 Mebo Wa Ya

Now in 2019, Africa Seven Records ensures that Mekongo President has not been forgotten 5 years after his death in 2014.This year 'Africa Airways' Vol. 5 came out, with the song 'Angono Mana' from Mekondo's first album on Disque Esperance in 1979.

Mekongo (President) hails from  the area of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. At a young age he starts singing and playing piano, sax and guitar. In 1970 he decided to become a professional musician and moved to Douala. He worked with Ekambi Brillant and in 1971 he started his own band, 'Les Tulipes Noirs'. With this band he toured in Senegal, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Kenya. In 1975 he visited Canada and Europe. In 1977 he joined the French disco group 'Black Soul'.

♫ Audio: 1979 Black Soul – Hide it

In 1979 he returned to Cameroon and made his first solo record for Disque Esperance. In the eighties he became one of the modernizers of Bikutsi music. In the early 90s, he withdrew from the music scene. The last years of his life he led a reclusive life in his native village.

♫ Audio: 1982 Kare Ma Dis-le-moi

DISCOGRAPHY

Grace Decca

Born in Cameroon, in the city of Douala, Grace Decca is the sixth child in a family of eleven children. Her father was an automobile expert and her mother a teacher. With four famous artists including her elder brother Ben, her younger sister Dora and her younger brother Isaac, her family is well-known on the Cameroonian music scene. She is also the niece of the late Eboa Lotin, and great granddaughter of musician Lobe Lobe Rameau, one of the pioneers of Makossa. She holds a DEA in Communication, obtained in France in 1998. After obtaining her Baccalauréat, Decca left for France to continue her studies. She obtained a DEUG in Culture and Communication, a BTS in Management Tools, as well as a Bachelor and a master's degree. She was introduced to music in the early 1980s by her elder brother, Ben, with whom she made choruses. In 1983, she was featured in his single "Na sengui bobe" which was a success. 

She performed alongside her brother between 1984 and 1989, before starting her own solo career. Decca released her first album in 1989 with the title Besoin d’amour. The album, featuring five songs, sold more than 150,000 copies in Cameroon and helped her gain popularity.

♫ Audio: 1989 Grace Decca – Besoin d’Amour 5:41

♫ Clip: 1993 Grace Decca – Mambo 5:41

In 1993, she released a second album, Doi La Mulema, which was even more successful than her first, which helped her gain international acclaim. Five years later, Decca returned to the music scene with the release of her third album called Appelle-moi-Princesse, which brought her a number of awards, including: Best Female Album of the Year, Best-Selling Female of the Year, and the Bertrand Folon Award for artistic maturity. In 2001, Decca released her fourth album, Donne-moi un peu d'amour, which included eight tracks and was produced by J.P.S. Productions. She later started her own label, GNS Productions, which is still active. She has also produced the albums of several emerging artists such as Joly Din and her younger brother, Isaac Decca.

♫ Audio: 2001 Grace Decca – Ndolo 5:48

♫ Clip: 2015 Grace Decca – Mouna o Bodi o Mba 5:38

Thirteen years after the release of Donne-moi un peu d'amour, Grace made a comeback with an album which was different from her previous four. Namely, for her fifth album, Decca chose gospel music. The album, titled Mouna (Burden in the Douala language) was produced in the United States by George Duke, who also wrote two songs on it. Due to this album being made up of thirteen songs sung in English, French and Douala, Decca was able to perform alongside renowned musicians such as Sheila E., Jeffrey Osborne, Jonathan Butler, Chino XL, Paul Jackson Jr., Kirk Whalum, Alex AI, Teddy Campbell, Howard Hewett and Erik Zobble. Today Grace Decca is one of the most celebrated female singers of Cameroon.

♫ Live: 2018 Grace Decca Live In Berlin 2:22

♫ Clip: 2020 Grace Decca – Ndja Na Ben No 4:30

 

















DISCOGRAPHY



Axel Mouna 1949 - 2019

Born around 1949 in the Bali district of Douala, Axel Jean-Pierre Mouna Diffio a.k.a. Axel Mouna attended public school in Bonapriso and the College of Technical Education. There he obtained a Professional Apprenticeship Certificate (Cap) in drawing at the Centre for the Promotion of Women Workers (Cpfo) in Douala. While he dreamed of a career in music or football, his elder sister directed him towards a more technical side, especially painting. Axel obeyed his sister's recommendations and after a few years, he put his artistic skills (drawing and silk-screening) at the service of the Cameroon Industrial Cotton Company (Cicam) in Douala. A company to which he devoted 13 years of his life. Besides his work he remained a passionateded footballer and played for Vent Lalan, a club that played in the second division (D2) in Cameroonian.

With his talent and ball skills, Axel will very quickly impose himself within this team. He spent two good seasons there before joining the Juventus team, one of the mythical clubs led by Moundi Elimbi and Ndoumbe Mondo, respectively president and coach of this formation. Unfortunately this club full of great players will not shine for long, due to the tragic death of its two leaders Moundi and Ndoumbe, who both died in a traffic accident in Douala. A tragic accident that caused a great stir in Douala and forced the prodigal striker of Juventus, to focus to music.

Juventus with Axel Mouna standing, fourth from right.

Axel Mouna was a footballer who drank his victories in one of the busiest places in Douala: the Mermoz Club. At that time Nkotti Francois and the Black Styl were the house band of this popular venue. Axel Mouna and Sallé John wrote melodies that they submit to Nkotti Francois, who played their songs in the evening with Black Styl. 

With the help of Nkotti Francois and Emile Kangue, Axel Mouna recorded in 1977  his first two songs he wrote together with Salle John for the Disques Cousin record label. It was the song Dimuti and the first version of his later greatest hit Juventus. This 45rpm single was followed in 1978 by a second one, Makaki/ Munenge on the Maison du Jazz label.

Axel Mouna's musical breakthrough came in 1980 with his first LP, Take, released by Patrick Jules Wonga on the Africa Oumba label. The album was a great success in Cameroon and was followed in 1981 by the album Bobia whiche means, ‘the new one’ in the Douala language. Bobia contains two absolute hit songs, Jemea and a new version of Juventus, the song he previously co-wrote with Salle John. Jemea is a tribute to the legendary football club Oryx de Douala and Juventus a tribute to coach Ndoumbe Mondo and chairman Moundi Elimbi, the two managers of Juventus who died in the earlier mentioned traffic accident. Forty years on, we can safely say that in particular Juventus has become one of the greatest Makossa classics ever.

Oryx de Douala, the first winner of the Africa Cup for club teams in 1965.

♫ Audio 1981: Axel Mouna – Juventus

♫ Audio 1991: Axel Mouna – Time ni time

Unfortunately, Axel Mouna was unable to continue this success. Due to all sorts of personal problems and setbacks, he has not been able to build a stable musical career. It took ten years before producer Njonang Simon Lowe released a new album by Axel Mouna, titled Time ni Time. Despite the cooperation of Toto Guillaume, Jean-Claude Naimro, Richard Bona and Grace Decca, among others, this album also represented only a brief revival of Axel Mouna's musical career. In the years that followed, it was his song Juventus that prevented Axel Mouna from falling completely into musical oblivion.

Until 2012, when he suddenly came with Makossa Bugulu, an album that, apart from six Makossa tinged tracks, also contained two Salsa/Latin tracks. However, due to all sorts of distribution problems, this album remained completely unnoticed and can nowadays unfortunately no longer be found anywhere. In the same period, Axel Mouna was involved in a traffic accident and broke his pelvis. As a result, he was only able to move around with the help of crutches. On 7 May 2019, he died at the age of 70 after a short illness. 

It is a beautiful thought that the song Juventus that Axel Mouna once wrote in memory of Ndoumbe Mondo and Moundi Elimbi will now also ensure that he himself will not be forgotten.

DISCOGRAPHY