Babeti Soukous [Live]

Amazon.com
The elegance and power of soukous godfather Tabu Ley's 20-piece Afrisa International Orchestra, as heard during this live 1989 performance recorded in Peter Gabriel's Real World studio, begs comparisons with Duke Ellington and Count Basie's big bands. Tabu Ley has been one of the two giants of Afropop (along with the late Franco) since he began singing in the '50s, and his knack has lain in leading the pack while responding to prevailing musical trends. This hour-long set draws from '50s rumba-rock, classic late-'60s guitar-and-snare-driven soukous, melodic and undulating early-'80s kwassa-kwassa, and late-'80s rumba-disco. Tabu Ley orchestrates his guitar, vocal chorus, and horns with as much care as Basie brought to his brass. And while the format precludes the spectacle of Afrisa's lovely and talented dancers, guest singers Faya Tess and Beyou Ciel check in with their hits. --Richard Gehr

Tracks:

Presentation
Kinshasa
Sorozo
Linga Ngai
Moto Akokufa
Nairobi
Seli Ja
I Need You
Amour Nala
Tu As Dit Que
Sentimenta
Pitie
Mosolo

Amazon.com

The elegance and power of soukous godfather Tabu Ley's 20-piece Afrisa International Orchestra, as heard during this live 1989 performance recorded in Peter Gabriel's Real World studio, begs comparisons with Duke Ellington and Count Basie's big bands. Tabu Ley has been one of the two giants of Afropop (along with the late Franco) since he began singing in the '50s, and his knack has lain in leading the pack while responding to prevailing musical trends. This hour-long set draws from '50s rumba-rock, classic late-'60s guitar-and-snare-driven soukous, melodic and undulating early-'80s kwassa-kwassa, and late-'80s rumba-disco. Tabu Ley orchestrates his guitar, vocal chorus, and horns with as much care as Basie brought to his brass. And while the format precludes the spectacle of Afrisa's lovely and talented dancers, guest singers Faya Tess and Beyou Ciel check in with their hits. --Richard Gehr

Customer Reviews:

So-so later album by an African pop legend.......2002-12-01

Tabu Ley Rocherau is one of the greatest African pop stars of the 20th Century, with a career that dates back to the late 1950s, and spanned well into the age of modern world music. This live album suffers from '80s-style "world beat" production: too-clean, too-rock drums and simplified melodic runs as prime culprits. Some icky, rock-flavored guitars as well. It is kind of interesting to hear Rocherau play in a live setting, but this stuff is nowhere near as captivating as the music he made in earlier decades, and the presentation as a whole has a kind of simplistic, hurried, Ziggy Marley-ish "gee whiz!" feel to it.

Babeti's Review........2001-12-10

I've listened to so many soukous music, this is not as good as the better ones that I've listened to. It lacks power and soukous style and rhythm. Some might find different than I did, but that just my opinion about it.