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Francophonic, Vol. 1: 1953-1980

Franco

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Customer Reviews

Finally, a release that does justice to the man

Wow, this really is too good. As far as I can work out everything's chronological starting with a track from his first ever session in 1953 and ending (this vol. anyway) with a movingly poignant track from 1980. But the whole thing flows, it's not musicological at all and everything kind of hangs together in a way that finally 'tells the story' of whom many would reckon is the greatest popular musician Africa has yet to produce. From his early years check "Sansi Fingomangoma" (CD1/7) with it's spoken intro and compulsive rhythm and, as he moves towards a fully mature sound, what about "Liberte" (CD2/8) with it's fantastic guitar-play about 2/3ds of the way through? And while you're about it there's always the best-ever ad for Volkswagen, 1973's "AZDA", the name of VW's (sung "vey-wey") agent in Kinshasa at the time. Vol. 1 suggests that there's a vol. 2 on its way. Oy!

Biography

Born: 06 July 1938 in Sona-Bata, Zaire

Genre: World

Years Active: '50s, '60s, '80s

There's no doubt that Franco was, in every sense of the word, a big man in African music. Sometimes weighing in at 300 pounds, he also earned his nickname as "The Sorcerer of the Guitar," making it sing like no one before, with effortless, fluid lines. Also an accomplished composer and vocalist, Francois Luambo Makiadi remains a towering figure even in death, probably the greatest the Congo (later Zaire) has ever produced, and as the leader of the long-running O.K. Jazz group, he was one of the fathers...
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Francophonic, Vol. 1: 1953-1980, Franco
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