Almost all Gabonese people are of Bantu origin. That being
said, Gabon
does however have at least forty ethnic groups with diverse languages &
cultures. The Fang are generally thought to be the largest, although
recent census data seem to favor the Nzebi. Others include the Masango, Myene, Shira, Pounou, & Kande.
There are also various Pygmy peoples: the Bongo, Kota, & Bayaka (who I touched on in
Central African Republic). The Bayaka speak the only non-Bantu language in Gabon.
Here is another of the Ocora releases of field recordings of
various ethnic groups.
Various - Musiques Du Gabon, Ocora OCR 41, 1968.
decryption code in comments
Side A –
Arc-En-bouche Masango
Chant funèbre Masango
Ensemble Fang avec Xylophone
Orchestre de Xylophones Fang
Chant épique avec "mvet"
Fang
Side B –
Chant de marche Obamba
Danse sur échasses Ndjabi
Récit chanté Pounou
Musique d'Initiation Kota
Chant avec Harpe Pygmée
Chœur de Femmes avec Tambour Pygmée
Hilarion ‘Mister Dynamite’ Nguema was born on December 31, 1943 in Nkoltant in the province from L’Estuaire, Gabon. When he was just an infant, his mother gave him up to missionaries to give him a good education. His education was closely followed by the Reverend Louis Le Dis. The church school had an excellent choir, led by Jean Marie Effene. Hilarion soon became the choir’s star.
In 1958, at fifteen, Hilarion quit high school for
the bars & clubs of Libreville
where he made his debut as a guitarist. In 1960 he joined l’Orchestre Jeunesse
Band led by John Paul Adiwa. With the ‘Youth Band’ he honed his chops. Two
years later he founded his own group, The African Succes(s). They became hugely
popular. But his rapid rise brought with it unwanted government scrutiny &
Nguema was throw in jail without real explanation other than comments by the
Government about ‘protest songs’ though many in the private sector said
‘jealous politicians’. He languished in prison for several years. He was held first in Tchibanga, then Makokou, finally
Bakoumba. It is with this last experience that
inspired the song “Atmosphere at Bakoumba”.
He
was released in 1967 by President Omar Bongo when he came to power. After his release in 1967, Hilarion
Nguema recorded many songs in the soukous & makossa stylings:
"Hope"; "Libreville";
"When a Woman gets Angry"; "When a Man is Happy"; all were
big hits. Then in 1972, while playing at the Cathis bar, he & his band were
attacked. Four of the group, including Hilarion, were wounded with knives. The
group fled Gabon for Cameroon.
Nguema stayed in Cameroon
until 1976.
Returning to his native country, ‘Mister Dynamite’
reformed African Succes(s), bought the nightclub La
Noya, & revived his
career as musical star & now famed club owner. In 1977, a fire broke out in the dancing bar, La Noya,
destroying the bar & Hilarion’s house, including all the bands instruments.
The fire was determined to have been the result of arson. Disheartened,
Hilarion quits music & starts a small food delivery service, becoming
driver, courier, & seller.
By 1981, Hilarion Nguema can’t resist the call of
the muse & rekindles his music career, recording two albums with Orchestre
de la Gendarmerie Nationale Gabonaise. But his real relaunch takes place four
years later when he crosses paths with producer Moussa Haissam who runs Editions
Haissam-Records in conjunction with
Sonodisc. Departing from his old soukous & makossa beats, Hilarion Nguema’s
new sound is Afro-zouk crossed with Congolese rumba. He is one of the early
practitioners of the Afro-zouk style (African rhythms blended with the fast
tempo carnival style of zouk
originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe
& Martinique) which is extremely
popular today.
Hilarion Nguema - Crise Économique, Editions Haïssam-Records
MH 107 Sonodisc SD 16, 1987.
decryption code in comments
Face A –
L'Amour Est Avenugle
Edzing Ya Nem
Bong-Be Yafrica
Face B –
Crise Économique
Il Faut Connaitre
Espoir
Oliver ‘Noli’ N'Goma
was born in Mayumba in south-west Gabon in 1959. In 1971, he entered
the Orchestre Capo-Sound, together with singer François N'Gwa. During this
period he started playing guitar & composing his first songs. After a brief
period where he was part of a group called Kounabeli, he was recruited by the
Gabon National Television as cameraman. Although he had a full-time job, he
didn't abandon music. He met producer Ray Lema in Paris while there on assignment. He
eventually recorded his first album, Bané.
One of his biggest hits, the song "Bane" continues
to receive huge airplay on African radio stations more than 20 years after its
release. It is still popular on the world-wide dance floors, though most who
enjoy it don’t know it is by a Gabonese musician. The album became one of the biggest
sellers in the history of African music.
Oliver is probably the best known Gabonese singer, hailed as the ‘King of
Afro-Zouk”. His Afro-zouk hits have been (& still are) extremely
popular in large parts of Africa. After Bané
he made a second album Adia, also
produced by Ray Lema, with the same easy-going Afro-zouk style for which he had
become famous. His third album Seva, which I am posting here, offers a
different perspective with more variation in styles. Here, he works in new
rhythms that range from his mellow brand of Congolese soukous to salsa,
indigenous dance rhythms of Gabon, as well as his trademark Afro-zouk.
Oliver N’Goma died from renal failure, an ailment he had
battled for the last two years of his life, on 7 June 2010 at Omar Bongo Hospital in Libreville,
Gabon. In his
home country, he is regarded as “a monument of Gabonese music”.
Oliver N’Goma – Seva, Lusafrica 36246-2, 2001.
decryption code in comments
Tracklist –
Sal’
Seva
Secret d’Amour
Bijou
Shado
Elie
Mayes
Sandzy
Melia
Witse
Ultime Appel
Barry
Zouk to youk,
NØ
Ocora 41
ReplyDeleteTjkFJQhE4cj8ZyGX22ovCxpiCR0pJxaInPoCStacruo
Crise Économique
DhxKZGWPyNhSBoxYn5MNYGQ3Y6EkvPDeOR5r14Jaurs
Seva
VnHsmghn2ICvL4-TMU7-fHFi1r5L6Ue5hWyeli7XIkU