Bozi Boziana
Encyclopedia
Mbenzu Ngamboni Boskill, better known as Bozi Boziana, is congolese guitar
ist and singer. He has been in several major soukous
bands, including Bamboula de Papa Noel, Minzoto Sangela, Zaiko Langa Langa
, Isifi Lokole
, Yoka Lokole
, Langa Langa Stars
and Choc Stars
, and founded his own band, Orchestre Anti-Choc, which is considered among the most influential of the genre.
, one of the most influential congolese bands ever. In Zaiko Boziana had the chance to play with soukous stars Papa Wemba
and Evoloko Jocker
. Less than one year later, Papa Wemba and Evoloko left Zaiko Langa Langa and Bozi Boziana followed them in a new band called Isifi Lokole
. Internal disagreements then caused Papa Wemba, Boziana, Mavuela Somo and others to leave Isifi Lokole and found a new band that was called Yoka Lokole
. This group was quite successful in 1976, but by the end of the year Papa Wemba left again to found Viva la Musica
. Yoka Lokole lost popularity and Boziana left in 1977. For a few month Boziana was in a duo
with Efonge Gina, another member of Zaiko Langa Langa, recording a few hits such as Selemani (credited to Boziana) and Libanko Ya Ngai (Gina). In June 1977, Gina left Zaiko Langa Langa for Tout-Grand Libanko and Boziana took his place in his former band.
In 1981 producer Verckys Kiamuangana founded a soukous supergroup
called Langa Langa Stars
, with Evoloko Jocker, Dindo Yogo
and others; Boziana was invited to join in and he did, leaving Zaiko Langa Langa for the secondo time. Langa Langa Stars lasted only a few years, and Boziana then moved to another major congolese band, Ben Nyamabo's Choc Stars
, where he stayed until novembre 1985. With Choc Stars Boziana recorded some of his most famous songs ever, such as Sandu Kotti, Alena, Mbuta-Mutu, and Retrouvailles a Paris.
With Choc Stars Boziana became a true celebrity, and so he founded his own band, called Orchestre Anti-Choc (or simply "Anti-Choc"). The name "Anti-Choc" was intended to emphasize the Boziana's heritage from Zaiko Langa Langa (as this band was also informally known as "Tout-Choc Anti-Choc Zaiko Langa Langa"). Boziana's Anti-Choc became one of the major soukous bands in Congo, and many talented musicians played in the band over time; examples are Fifi Mofude, Djo Nolo, Koffi Alibaba, Wally Ngonda, Rigo Star
, Ngouma Lokito, Deesse Mukangi, Marthe Lamugenia, Ngimbi Yespe and Maoussi Solange. The first guitarist of the band was Matou Samuel, today a gospel singer; he was later replaced by Dodoly
(previously in Lita Bembo's Orchestre Stukas
), nicknamed "the sewing machine
" because of the speed of his fingers moving on the guitar's fretboard. Dodoly's frenetic style became one of the trademarks of Anti-Choc, and was imitated by all the guitarists that replaced Dodoly in the following years.
From the 1980s
on Boziana has continued Anti-Choc as well as recorded some solo works and other collaborations. In 1998, his album Bana Saint-Gabriel (guesting other former Zaiko Langa Langa members, including Evoloko Jocker
) has won the Kora All-African Award for the best album in Central Africa
.
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist and singer. He has been in several major soukous
Soukous
Soukous is a dance music genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa...
bands, including Bamboula de Papa Noel, Minzoto Sangela, Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa are a seminal soukous band from DR Congo. The word "Zaiko" is a portmanteau for the lingala phrase Zaire ya bankoko, meaning "Zaire of our ancestors", where "Zaire" must be read as a reference to the river by that name, now called Congo...
, Isifi Lokole
Isifi Lokole
Isifi Lokole were a soukous band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were founded in 1974. The word "Isifi" is an acronym for "Institut du Savoir Ideologique pour la Formation des Idoles", while the lokole is a traditional Congolese drum...
, Yoka Lokole
Yoka Lokole
Yoka Lokole was a soukous band from Zaire founded by Papa Wemba and others in 1975 and disbanded in 1978. Despite its short life, Yoka Lokole was a prominent band in Zaire in the mid-1970s, as its lineup comprised several of the most influential soukous musicians of the times, including Papa...
, Langa Langa Stars
Langa Langa Stars
Langa Langa Star were a popular DR Congo soukous band in the 1980s. The band had the peculiarity of featuring as much as seven lead vocalists, nicknamed the "7 Patrons of Langa Langa Stars"....
and Choc Stars
Choc Stars
The Choc Stars are a soukous band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The band was founded in 1983 by Ben Nyamabo, and has since published over 50 albums. The apex of their success was in the 1980s, when guitarist and vocalist Bozi Boziana wrote some of their most appreciated hits, such as...
, and founded his own band, Orchestre Anti-Choc, which is considered among the most influential of the genre.
Biography
Bozi Boziana began his career in the afro-pop band Air Marine, but he reached success in 1974 when he joined Zaiko Langa LangaZaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa are a seminal soukous band from DR Congo. The word "Zaiko" is a portmanteau for the lingala phrase Zaire ya bankoko, meaning "Zaire of our ancestors", where "Zaire" must be read as a reference to the river by that name, now called Congo...
, one of the most influential congolese bands ever. In Zaiko Boziana had the chance to play with soukous stars Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu . He is a Congolese rumba musician, one of Africa's most popular musicians, and prominent in World music.-Zaiko Langa Langa:...
and Evoloko Jocker
Evoloko Jocker
Evoloko Atshuamo, best known as Evoloko Jocker or Lay Lay, is a popular congolese soukous singer. Since the late 1960s, he has been in several major soukous bands, such as Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi Lokole, and Langa Langa Stars.-Biography:Evoloko was born in Belgian Congo...
. Less than one year later, Papa Wemba and Evoloko left Zaiko Langa Langa and Bozi Boziana followed them in a new band called Isifi Lokole
Isifi Lokole
Isifi Lokole were a soukous band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were founded in 1974. The word "Isifi" is an acronym for "Institut du Savoir Ideologique pour la Formation des Idoles", while the lokole is a traditional Congolese drum...
. Internal disagreements then caused Papa Wemba, Boziana, Mavuela Somo and others to leave Isifi Lokole and found a new band that was called Yoka Lokole
Yoka Lokole
Yoka Lokole was a soukous band from Zaire founded by Papa Wemba and others in 1975 and disbanded in 1978. Despite its short life, Yoka Lokole was a prominent band in Zaire in the mid-1970s, as its lineup comprised several of the most influential soukous musicians of the times, including Papa...
. This group was quite successful in 1976, but by the end of the year Papa Wemba left again to found Viva la Musica
Viva La Musica
Viva La Musica is a popular band from Zaire founded by singer Papa Wemba in 1977. While Viva La Musica started out as a soukous band , it eventually grew into a world music act, reaching some popularity and success in the European, American, and even Asian markets, as well as in most of Africa...
. Yoka Lokole lost popularity and Boziana left in 1977. For a few month Boziana was in a duo
Duo
-Arts:*Duet , a musical piece performed by two people*Duo, a musical ensemble composed of two musicians*Comedy duo, also known as a double act*Duo , 2008*Duo , 1991...
with Efonge Gina, another member of Zaiko Langa Langa, recording a few hits such as Selemani (credited to Boziana) and Libanko Ya Ngai (Gina). In June 1977, Gina left Zaiko Langa Langa for Tout-Grand Libanko and Boziana took his place in his former band.
In 1981 producer Verckys Kiamuangana founded a soukous supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
called Langa Langa Stars
Langa Langa Stars
Langa Langa Star were a popular DR Congo soukous band in the 1980s. The band had the peculiarity of featuring as much as seven lead vocalists, nicknamed the "7 Patrons of Langa Langa Stars"....
, with Evoloko Jocker, Dindo Yogo
Dindo Yogo
Dindo Yogo or with his real name Théodore Dindo Mabeli was a Congolese singer and musician. He was also called La Voix Cassée .In 1978, Dindo Yogo joined Papa Wemba's Viva La Musica...
and others; Boziana was invited to join in and he did, leaving Zaiko Langa Langa for the secondo time. Langa Langa Stars lasted only a few years, and Boziana then moved to another major congolese band, Ben Nyamabo's Choc Stars
Choc Stars
The Choc Stars are a soukous band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The band was founded in 1983 by Ben Nyamabo, and has since published over 50 albums. The apex of their success was in the 1980s, when guitarist and vocalist Bozi Boziana wrote some of their most appreciated hits, such as...
, where he stayed until novembre 1985. With Choc Stars Boziana recorded some of his most famous songs ever, such as Sandu Kotti, Alena, Mbuta-Mutu, and Retrouvailles a Paris.
With Choc Stars Boziana became a true celebrity, and so he founded his own band, called Orchestre Anti-Choc (or simply "Anti-Choc"). The name "Anti-Choc" was intended to emphasize the Boziana's heritage from Zaiko Langa Langa (as this band was also informally known as "Tout-Choc Anti-Choc Zaiko Langa Langa"). Boziana's Anti-Choc became one of the major soukous bands in Congo, and many talented musicians played in the band over time; examples are Fifi Mofude, Djo Nolo, Koffi Alibaba, Wally Ngonda, Rigo Star
Rigo Star
Rigobert Bamundele, best known as Rigo Star, is an appreciated soukous guitarist and composer from DR Congo, now based in Paris. He has played with several major soukous and world music acts, including Papa Wemba's Viva La Musica, Bozi Boziana's Anti-Choc, Kanda Bongo Man, Koffi Olomide, Kelele,...
, Ngouma Lokito, Deesse Mukangi, Marthe Lamugenia, Ngimbi Yespe and Maoussi Solange. The first guitarist of the band was Matou Samuel, today a gospel singer; he was later replaced by Dodoly
Dodoly
Matou Dodoly or simply Dodoly is a Congo DR soukous guitarist. He is best known for his high speed solos, for which he has been nicknamed la machine a coudre ....
(previously in Lita Bembo's Orchestre Stukas
Orchestre Stukas
The Orchestre Stukas was a congolese soukous band of the 1970s. It was based in Kinshasa, Zaire . At the apex of their popularity, the Stukas were led by singer and showman Gaby Lita Bembo.-History:The Stukas were founded by Alida Domingo in 1968...
), nicknamed "the sewing machine
Sewing machine
A sewing machine is a textile machine used to stitch fabric, cards and other material together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolution to decrease the amount of manual sewing work performed in clothing companies...
" because of the speed of his fingers moving on the guitar's fretboard. Dodoly's frenetic style became one of the trademarks of Anti-Choc, and was imitated by all the guitarists that replaced Dodoly in the following years.
From the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
on Boziana has continued Anti-Choc as well as recorded some solo works and other collaborations. In 1998, his album Bana Saint-Gabriel (guesting other former Zaiko Langa Langa members, including Evoloko Jocker
Evoloko Jocker
Evoloko Atshuamo, best known as Evoloko Jocker or Lay Lay, is a popular congolese soukous singer. Since the late 1960s, he has been in several major soukous bands, such as Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi Lokole, and Langa Langa Stars.-Biography:Evoloko was born in Belgian Congo...
) has won the Kora All-African Award for the best album in Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
.
With Zaiko Langa Langa
- Diana ya mama
- Bilombe Bakutani
- La guerre des stars
- Zaiko Langa LangaZaiko Langa LangaZaiko Langa Langa are a seminal soukous band from DR Congo. The word "Zaiko" is a portmanteau for the lingala phrase Zaire ya bankoko, meaning "Zaire of our ancestors", where "Zaire" must be read as a reference to the river by that name, now called Congo...
With Anti-Choc
- La Reine de Sabah
- Doukoure
- Ba Bokilo
- Zongela Ngai
- Concert a la Mutualite de Paris
- Dansez Nza Wissa
- L'avenirL'AvenirL'Avenir is a daily newspaper published in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company is part of the Groupe L'Avenir, a media group of the DRC. The content of the paper is primarily French, and includes content written in Lingala and Swahili...
- 7eme anniversaire (1993)
- Coup monté (1994)
- Mbanzi ya Gamundele (1996)
- Les refoulés de Schengen (1997)
- Père Noël confiance (1997)
- Bana Saint-Gabriel (1998)
- Ba mere ya circuit (Sonodisc, 1999)
- Jeu Muke
Solo albums
- Ma raison d'etre (1994)
- Mama na bana (Sonodisc, 1994)
- Les yeux dans les yeux (Sonodisc 1995)
- L'as des AsL'as des asL'as des as is a 1982 French-German comedy film starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and directed by Gérard Oury.-Plot:...
(1997) - Position Eyebani (1999)
- Héeros ya Congo (SonimaSonimaSonima is a village and seat of the commune of Alzouonoub in the Cercle of Goundam in the Tombouctou Region of Mali.-References:...
, 2002) - EkekoEkekoThe Ekeko is the Tiwanakan god of abundance and prosperity in the mythology and folklore of the people from the Andean Altiplano. The current representation corresponds to a reinterpretation made by the artisan Isidro Choquehuanca as a gift for an employee of the Governor and Commanding Officer of...
(Sonima, 2005) - Film Ebaluki