Eboa Lottin 1942 - 1997





Emmanuel Eboa Lottin is one of the major artistic figures in the history of Cameroon music. Born August 6, 1942 in Douala, son of the famous Pastor Adolphe Lotin, known as the one who renovated the Baptist Church and composer of more than 400 religious songs. Eboa lotin loses both parents at the age of 3 years and following an injection of quinine he becomes disabled.

He began learning Music at the age of 8. But it is in 1962 at the age of 20 that he will record his first song 'Mulema Mwam'. Later, on the occasion of Radio Cameroon's birthday, he composed Elimb'a Dikalo, to pay tribute to the radio station. It is in 1967 that his international career takes off thanks to the succes of his song "Mbemb'a Mot'a Sawa" that he presented at the Vick's Vedette Competition before a jury composed of Duke Ellington and Myriam Makeba. This performance earned him a recording contract with Philips.

    
♫ 1962 Muléma Mwam  

♫ 1967 Elimb’a Dikalo
  
♫ 1977 Bésombé (Les jeunes)

♫ 1980 Tata Coco (Amours lucifériennes)

 

He visits Paris for new recordings and then goes on tour. In 1970 he made a tour through Central Africa, where he was particularly successful in Gabon and Zaire. In the second half of the 70s he records two LPs for the SATEL record company in Benin. On the first album he is accompanied by the legendary Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou.

Despite his limited formal musical education, his lyrics and compositions have always garnered a great deal of appreciation from fellow artists, Despite his limited formal musical education, his lyrics and compositions have always received much appreciation from fellow artists, and he has been a source of inspiration for later artists such as Henry Njoh, Tom Yoms, Henry Dikongue, X-maleya etc.

 

It is therefore no surprise that a popular former lead singer from the Congolese band Wenge Musica Maison Mere throws a glance with the stage name Eboa Lottin. And it is Koffi Olomide who declared during an interview that the texts of Eboa Lotin are a major inspiration for him.

Unfortunately, the versatile and impressive musical career of Eboa Lotin ends way too early, when he dies in hospital after a sick bed on October 6, 1997.

 

DISCOGRAPHY



Geo W. Masso 1951 - 2018

Masso Mpessa Geoffrey William is born on the 4th of August 1951 and hails from Bonaberi - Douala. After highschool he goes to Paris to continue his studies. After his studies he finds a job, marries and becomes a father. At that moment nothing points to a future career in music for this modest family man. Others point out to him that he has a good voice, but he lacks the confidence to believe in a career as singer. Moreover, his wife does not want her husband to become a singer. In this period Geo becomes good friends with Toto Guillaume and it is this musical wizard who eventually gets him into the studio for a recording.

He doesn't tell anything and to avoid suspician he says he visits his cousin the drummer / singer Bell'a Njoh in the studio. With Toto Guillaume and Jean Claude Naimro (Kassav)  taking care of the production and arrangements the challenge is huge. But finally in 1982 they released Geo's first 45rpm single A Muto.  He took home a record and put it on the turntable without saying anything. His wife was busy in the kitchen but immediately recognized her lover's voice. She immediately liked the song and played it again and again. With this Geo achieved his first musical success.

 
♫ Clip: 1989 Tondo nde mba
♫ Clip: 1998 Nen lambo

Although the record was well received in Paris and Douala, Geo chose for his job and a quiet family life. So it does not come as a surprise that we had to wait until 1989 for a second album. With the help of  Aladji Toure who took care of the arrangements and among others Toto Guillaume on guitar, Geo came back with Lolita his first real hit.  Two years later Geo's third record appeared and he scored again with the song Nen lambo. After this album followed again a musical silence of almost eight years. From 1998 onwards he had a second come back. This was musically his most fertile period in which he released three albums in four years. Until his death in October 2018 he lived in Bonaberi (Douala - Cameroon) and enjoyed family life.

Discography

Stephan Eboumbou - the "Pete Best" of the Black Styl's

STEPHAN EBOUMBOU

Pete Best was the first drummer of The Beatles. He joined the band in 1959 but in 1962 - just before the band became successful - he was replaced by Ringo Starr. Something simular happened with Eboumbou, the first bass player and singer of the band that rose to fame under the name Black Styl.
In 1972 Nkotti Francois started to work as singer for Toto Ekane Felix, the director of the Davoum Bar in Douala. Soon after the young guitarists Mouelle Jean and Toto Guillaume were also recruted to play in the Davoum Bar. In an interview with Celistin Edjangue, Nkotti Francois told the story that after some time the original bass player / singer of the bar's house band was replaced by Emile Kangue. This person was Stephan Eboumbou.

We know what happened to Pete Best after he was forced to leave The Beatles. He tried several times with little success to create other bands. Later Best earned several million when the Beatles Antology was published including old recordings on which Pete Best took care of the drums.

PETE BEST

Lesser known is what happened with Stephane Eboumbou. I discovered that he recorded at least one 45 rpm single for the french Sonafric label. This single dates from around 1976.
SAF 1832  Stephan Eboumbou - Pardonnez, pardonnez moi.

In the same period he contributed also two songs (Lolakise & Ndolo ne ndima na ndoki) to the LP En passant par le Cameroun: Cameroun Partout Vol. 2 on the Disques Cousin label.

DC 8017 CAMEROUN PARTOUT VOL. 2

Sam Mangwana goes Makossa !!! - Eding epose

1991 SAM MANGWANA - DUTA LONGO   TN 603

During the late Eighties and early Nineties, Toto Guillaume produced some albums under the name of Africa Wonderful . One of the better known albums in this series is Féfé Bekombo accompagné par Africa Wonderful".  Less well known is that Toto Guillaume also produced an Africa Wonderful album in cooperation with Sam Mangwana. On this album from 1991 the master crooner of Congolese Rumba covers some Makossa classics in the Douala language!

The album contains six tracks arranged by Toto Guillaume for an all-out group of Cameroonian musicians. It was supposed to be Sam's follow up to his successful album Alladji, but  the album entitled Duta longo failed to have an impact on the international market. Probably because it was released in the old LP (vinyl) format.

The following two tracks, Eding epose and Makom ma ndolo are composed by two former members of the legendary group Los Calvinos. In the early Seventies Edouard Ebonge was the drummer and Manfred Nyamsi was the bass player of Los Calvinos.

Listen first to the original by Ebongue Edouard backed by Los Calvinos and enjoy then Sam Mangwana going Makossa.....!

1976    EBONGUE EDOUARD  -  SAF    1823

   
♫   

Moni Bile



In "The Da Capo Guide to Contemporary African Music" published in 1988, Ronnie Graham writes the following words about Moni Bile: (...) Moni Bile is today the most popular Makossa singer in both Cameroon and Paris. With five LP's released to date (in 1986 MO), he has established a reputation for sophisticated production, incessant dance rhythms and sweet vocals. He makes use of only the very best session men and has replaced Sam Fan Thomas as the dance ploor sound (...)

A few years later in 1991, Graeme Ewens continues in his book "Africa O-Ye, a celebration of African music" (...) During the Eighties Paris became the recording capital of Africa, with a roster of artists lining up to release albums. Some of the biggest hits were scored by Moni Bile. Bile delivers his Douala lyrics in a mellow growl, and he almost sings without pause, the voice blending with the music rather then standing out in front. During the Eighties his records outsold those of the other new-look Makossa artists. Since taking up music professionally in 1981 at the age of 24, Moni Bile has been on the forefront of hi-tech Makossa. His album Bijou was the most influential, leading to the first populair boom (of new-wave Makossa, MO) and opening the way for Sam Fan Thomas, Elvis kemayo, Lapiro de Mbanga, Guy Lobe and others (...)

These quotes say enough about the role that Moni Bile played in the booming  Makossa scene of the Eighties. And unlike many other Makossa singers from this decade he has managed to remain in the forefront in the next decades. Since 1990 he has released at least seven new CD's. Every few years he also releases compilations of his older work. This way he keeps his music always available for his fans all over the world.

More information is available on Moni Bile's website https://www.monibile.com/
His website also contains his discography, several facts about his career pictures and some articles.

To bring you in the mood, two personal Moni Bile favorites from 1988, the year that I visited Cameroon for the first time!

♫ Video: 1988 Makossa Parade

♫ Video: 1988 Issango

Marcel Tjahe



Marcel Tjahe was born on March 23, 1952 in Yabassi, a small town northeast of Douala. Around 1980 he moves to Paris where he records his first album in 1982. This LP entitled Roue de secours is followed by Misso ma Juliette in 1983, Mon mari n'est pas serieux in 1984, Afric ambiance in 1986 and finally Free Mandela in 1987. Then it becomes silent around Marcel Tjahe. After 1987 he released only one album Makossa on the rocks in 1996.

♫ Audio: 1983 Misso Ma Juliette 

 

♫ Audio: 1996 Munyengue

DISCOGRAPHY

 

Manfred Ebanda 1935 - 2003

Along with Mouelle Guillaume, Epee Mbende and Nelle Eyoum, Manfred Ebanda is one of the pioneers of Makossa. He is best known for Amio, a song he wrote at the age of 24 years, about his love for Amie Brigitte Essomba.

Ebanda Manfred does nothing with the song after the recording itself and even fails to record its rights. It is therefore Francis Bebey who, for the first time, is successful with it a year later after he recorded it for his new album. Afterwards Amio is included in their repertoire by many artists, culminating in the interpretation by Bebe Manga, who won a "Maracas d'Or" in 1980. From that moment there is no stopping. It starts with an interpretation by the West Indian Astasia Andre under the title "Alimentation". This is followed by the French star Henri Salvador in 1982. In Africa itself it is Manu Dibango, Monique Seka, Papa Wemba and Nyanka Bell who cover the song.


The song also continues to inspire the younger generations. In 1999 the first rap version followed by Bisso Na Bisso and in 2005 African Connection was successful with a Coupé-Decalé version of the song. 50 years have passed since Ebanda Manfred Amio wrote and the song has more than proved that it belongs in the category of global classics such as Malaika and Juantanamera.

For Manfred Ebanda itself, it all didn't deliver that much. During his lifetime, he estimated it to be around $ 20,000, stating that he had received absolutely nothing from the radio and TV rights.

♫ Audio: 1980 Bébé Manga - Amio

♫ Audio: 1983 Manfred Ebanda – Osi Wasa

 

(consise) DISCOGRAPHY