Oliver N'Goma
Encyclopedia
Oliver N'Goma was a Gabon
ese Afro-zouk
and reggae
singer and guitarist
. Nicknamed "Noli," he was born in Mayumba
in south-west Gabon in 1959. He is best known for his 1989 song Bane, which was popularized by Radio Africa N.1 and Gilles Obringer.
and harmonium
player. Although he took his first music lessons when he was eight years old, he began performing for audiences after moving to Libreville
to attend school. While taking classes in accounting, he joined the Capo Sound, the school band, where he learned to play guitar
. The group played at formal dances and balls, teaching N'Goma the art of performing on stage.
N'Goma was a poor student, devoting himself to music
and cinema
instead of his classwork. His love of film lead to a job with Gabon TV, who sent him to France
in 1988 where he was trained as a cameraman. While spending a winter in Paris
, he finished work on music he'd written in Gabon. He shared his music with Manu Lima, a well-known record producer
for African music. Lima was impressed with the young man's work, and handled the artistic direction of N'Goma's first record Bane.
The album enjoyed modest success at first, until an African radio station
began to play his songs. The title track scored large success in Africa
, France
, and the French West Indies
, and continues to rank as a party
anthem
in those areas. It enjoys success comparable to Mario by Franco
or Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante
. The album is one of the best-selling African albums to date.
N'Goma released a second album, Adia in December 1995, again working with Manu Lima. Five years later, his third album Seva debuted. A greatest hits
compilation, Best of Oliver N'Goma was released in 2004.
, an ailment he had battled for the last two years of his life, on 7 June 2010 at Omar Bongo Hospital in Libreville
, Gabon.
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
ese Afro-zouk
Zouk
Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe & Martinique. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole of French, although the word originally referred to, and is still used to refer to, a popular dance, based on the Polish dance, the...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. Nicknamed "Noli," he was born in Mayumba
Mayumba
Mayumba is a town of about 2,500 people on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Gabon, at the end of the N6 road, lying on a peninsula separated from the mainland by the Banio Lagoon....
in south-west Gabon in 1959. He is best known for his 1989 song Bane, which was popularized by Radio Africa N.1 and Gilles Obringer.
Career
N'Goma was first exposed to music by his father, a teacherTeacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
player. Although he took his first music lessons when he was eight years old, he began performing for audiences after moving to Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
to attend school. While taking classes in accounting, he joined the Capo Sound, the school band, where he learned to play guitar
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...
. The group played at formal dances and balls, teaching N'Goma the art of performing on stage.
N'Goma was a poor student, devoting himself to music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
instead of his classwork. His love of film lead to a job with Gabon TV, who sent him to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1988 where he was trained as a cameraman. While spending a winter in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he finished work on music he'd written in Gabon. He shared his music with Manu Lima, a well-known record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for African music. Lima was impressed with the young man's work, and handled the artistic direction of N'Goma's first record Bane.
The album enjoyed modest success at first, until an African radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
began to play his songs. The title track scored large success in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the French West Indies
French West Indies
The term French West Indies or French Antilles refers to the seven territories currently under French sovereignty in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean: the two overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the two overseas collectivities of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy, plus...
, and continues to rank as a party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
in those areas. It enjoys success comparable to Mario by Franco
Francois Luambo Makiadi
François Luambo Luanzo Makiadi was a major figure in twentieth century Congolese music, and African music in general. He is widely referred to as Franco Luambo or, simply, Franco. Known for his mastery of rumba, he was nicknamed the "Sorcerer of the Guitar" for his seemingly effortlessly fluid...
or Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante
Mory Kanté
Mory Kanté is a vocalist and player of the kora harp. He was born into one of Guinea's best known families of griot musicians...
. The album is one of the best-selling African albums to date.
N'Goma released a second album, Adia in December 1995, again working with Manu Lima. Five years later, his third album Seva debuted. A greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation, Best of Oliver N'Goma was released in 2004.
Death
Oliver N’Goma died from renal failureRenal failure
Renal failure or kidney failure describes a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to adequately filter toxins and waste products from the blood...
, an ailment he had battled for the last two years of his life, on 7 June 2010 at Omar Bongo Hospital in Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
, Gabon.