Rare video footage of Orchestra Virunga in Bristol, England, 1992

A rare glimpse of Samba with a fabulous hot band back in his heyday, plus backstage interview footage. On stage: Rama Athumani and Twahiri Mohamed, sax; Koko Kanyinda, congas; Abdallah Kodi, drums; Syran Mbenza, lead guitar; Bavon Masudi, rhythm guitar; Juma Kacheji, bass; Pepe Ibrahim Matokeo, vocals; Big thank you to Koko Kanyinda for finding this film and sharing it with us--asante sana ndugu!

Behind the Scenes with Samba Mapangala, Banning Eyre, and The Afropop 25th Anniversary Gala

Breaking news! We are delighted to announce that Samba Mapangala has been invited to perform at Afropop Worldwide's 25th Anniversary Gala Concert, Thurs. Sept. 19 in NYC. He will do an acoustic "Samba Unplugged" set, backed by none other than the Hon. Banning Eyre on guitar. Rehearsal clip of Samba and Banning practicing "Mongali" for the Afropop Gala. Tickets are still available for this benefit concert to support the continuing efforts of Afropop Worldwide, the premier showcase for African music.The lineup for Afropop’s 25th Anniversary Gala just keeps getting better! Joining the bill alongside Grammy Award nominee Bassekou Kouyate, Malian star Mamadou Kelly, and Sudanese vocalist Omer Ehsas is the Congolese master vocalist Samba Mapangala! Mapangala is one of the few musician from his golden period of Congolese music still actively performing, touring, and recording, and so it is with great joy that we announce that he has joined the bill of artists performing at the gala on the 19th of September.

Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga U.S. Tour Dates Summer 2013

Virunga Management is delighted to announce live performance dates in June, July and August for East Africa's most-beloved singer Samba Mapangala. 

Photo by Bonnie Perkinson, courtesy of Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles.

JUNE 15 (SAT)

Songwriters and Poets 2013

Washington DC: Club Heaven, 2325 18th St. NW, Adams Morgan district

9-11 pm. $10 adv./$15 at door. Age 21 +

http://www.indieadamsmorgan.com/indie-adams-morgan/songwriters-and-poets-2013/

Advance tickets online: http://www.districtsoundscene.com/shows/samba-mapangala-and-friends

JUNE 29 (SAT)

Charleston West Virginia: Wine and All That Jazz Festival

University of Charleston, 2300 Maccorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV

6:40- 8:10 pm http://www.fundfortheartswv.org/wineandallthatjazz/schedule.html

JULY 7 (SUN)

Detroit Michigan: Concert of Colors

Max M. Fisher Music Center, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit

7 pm http://www.concertofcolors.com/

AUGUST 23-25 (FRI-SUN)

Bangor, Maine: American Folk Festival

3 performances

http://www.americanfolkfestival.com/

July, August and September dates available: Contact Mel Puljic, Folklore Productions melp@folkloreproductions.com

For updates and news, please join Samba's Facebook fan page and Reverbnation fan list.

http://www.facebook.com/sambamapangala

http://www.reverbnation.com/sambamapangala

Chagua Chagua! New song for Kenya Election

SAMBA MAPANGALA RELEASES NEW SONG FOR KENYA ELECTION
For immediate release Oct. 2, 2012

In anticipation of Kenya's national election in March 2013, East Africa's most-beloved singer Samba Mapangala has recorded "Chagua Chagua" (Vote in Peace), an important new song that encourages people to choose their leaders wisely. Echoing the call by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and others for a fair democratic process free of fraud and violence, Samba reminds Kenyan citizens that a peaceful country will succeed economically in the future to the benefit of all, and can set an example for other African nations to follow.

Samba Mapangala is renowned in East Africa for his many songs that counsel, teach and warn people to consider the consequences of their actions. The idea for "Chagua Chagua" was suggested by a Virunga fan in Kenya who asked him to compose a "message song" for the upcoming elections, saying Samba should encourage all citizens to register and to vote, and not to sell their voter's cards: "With your music, you can save the country because in Kenya everybody listens to your music." Samba took the suggestion to heart and created a lively soukous track that delivers the message to his audiences all over the world, stating: "I was happy to contribute to the country that I love, people that I love. Kenya is my home. I grew up there. I want to advise people to vote in peace. The violence that happened in 2007 must not happen again. I know people will listen and stand together. I'm doing my part and I call on all Kenyans to do their part for the good of the nation--all Kenyans, at home and abroad." Although composed with Kenya in mind, "Chagua Chagua" has universal implications for all nations facing the challenge of democratic elections.

The unique video clip for "Chagua Chagua" was created by Maddo (Paul Kelemba), the groundbreaking editorial cartoonist for Kenya's The Standard newspaper. His widely popular comic strip "It's a Madd Madd World," which has run weekly for 23 years, comments on political and social life with humorous but informative anecdotes.
Chagua Chagua was recorded in Arlington, Virgina and Paris, France, with John Bashengezi on guitars, bass and chorus, and Komba Bellow Mafwala on drums and percussion. It is available as a free download and streaming on the Web at Soundcloud http://soundcloud.com/virungamgmt/ chagua-remix-8-15-12 (MP3 and WAV formats), and posted on YouTube http://youtu.be/4Wa4W-dBmW0. Copies of the song and video for airplay are available by request to credentialed media outlets.

--CC Smith Virunga Management virungamgmt@gmail.com

Virunga at Afrikafest in July 2012

Lovely video clips of Virunga's performance at Afrikafest in Hertme, Netherlands in July have just been made available courtesy of Ton Kraayenvanger. Here is the sebene from "Malako" to start things off: special thanks to Peter Toll! Bandmembers were Syran Mbenza & Bopol Mansiamina on guitars, Amed Barry, bass, Komba Bellow Mafwala, drums, Roger Kom, sax, Ballou Kanta, harmony vocals & animation; Samba Mapangala, lead vocal/bandleader. Enthusiastic audience participation and ambiance from Kenyan community in Holland. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/itno6a4oBGE

Life Is Sweet - Summer Tour 2012

Gearing up now for performances in England, Netherlands and Los Angeles, CA, in June-July! Samba has not appeared in UK since 2007 at WOMAD, and a short tour of England in 2006 promoting the Song & Dance album, so we are looking forward to meeting and greeting his many many fans at events including Africa Oye in Liverpool (2 days, performing June 23 and June 24--free admission), and AfrikaFestival in Hertme, Netherlands July 8, as well as other gigs in and around London. And hang tight, Los Angeles: Virunga kicks off the Skirball Cultural Center's summer Sunset Concerts series on Thurs. July 26! Full details at our Facebook fan page and ReverbNation .

Dunia Tuna Pita Live on stage at Sauti za Busara 2009

Lighting up the stage in front of a Zanzibari crowd who seemed able to sing along to every song, this is Samba Mapangala peforming 'Dunia Tuna Pita' which translates as 'We are just passing through this world'. Recorded at Sauti za Busara 2009. Featured instrumentalists Syran Mbenza, lead guitar, Komba Bellow, drums. Produced by Andy Jones, Screenstation, for Busara Promotions.

Malako on soundtrack for award-winning documentary "The People The Rain Forgot"

Director Sophia Tewa's film was awarded Best Documentary Feature at the 2012 Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood. The People The Rain Forgot tells the story of the most vulnerable victims of climate change in Africa. Drought haunts Kenya, ruining the livelihoods of millions. Whether it is man-made or the punishment of God, Kenyans don't agree. But the cause is widely known: the earth's climate is changing, fast. Pastoralists and farmers have to find new ways to survive as once-fertile lands are slowly turning into deserts. 2011.


Sophia Tewa is a New York-based journalist. She has worked with CNN and CBS. She teaches multimedia production at The Meridian, Lehman College. The People The Rain Forgot is her first documentary as a director and producer.

The many faces of "Vunja Mifupa"

It seems Samba's "Vunja Mifupa" will live forever. Here it is on an "American Idol"-type talent show in Nairobi performed by one Nga'nga'lito in 2009: http://youtu.be/465erYIKJj0

 

 

Vunja Manyumba

You will NOT believe this! Nairobi's political satire TV program XYZ Show has used "Vunja Mifupa" as the basis for this week's episode, to hilarious results! http://youtu.be/TbWXq8Miiz0

 

 

Samba's BIG news in Tanzania!

http://www.mwanaspoti.co.tz/wcreadnews.php?id=9451

Mapangala bado ajivunia A/Mashariki

Samba Omar Mapangala ANTHONY NYONGESA LICHA ya kupiga hatua kubwa barani Ulaya anakoishi, mwimbaji, Samba Omar Mapangala, bado anayo mapenzi makubwa kwa Afrika Mashariki. Hii ndiyo sababu ya yeye kurudi kurekodi nyimbo zake au kutunga vibao kusifia mandhari ya eneo hilo. Kibao chake cha juzi cha �Zanzibar�, ni uthibitisho tosha kwamba Mapangala hayupo tayari kuisahau kanda hiyo kwa vyovyote. Wimbo huo ulipigwa picha katika kisiwa cha Zanzibar akimshirikisha mwimbaji mkongwe, Bi. Kidude na msanii wa Kenya, Mike Awilo, wa kikundi cha Jamnazi Afrika. Zanzibar, Tanzania na Kenya ni sehemu ambazo nimekulia, hivyo basi ni vigumu kwangu kuzisahau kwa urahisi,� anasema mwimbaji huyo. Wimbo huo wa Zanzibar aliurekodi mwezi Septemba katika mataifa tofauti ya Afrika Mashariki. Tayari kibao hicho kimeanza kutamba. Wimbo huo utaorodheshwa kwenye albamu ya Maisha Matamu anayotazamia kuizindua mapema mwakani atapofika jijini Nairobi kwa shughuli hiyo. Kwenye wimbo Zanzibar, ninasimulia uzuri wa watu wa eneo hilo ambao ni wakarimu mno. Nilionyeshwa ukarimu wao mara ya mwisho nilipoenda huko kufanya shoo ya mwisho katika tamasha la Sauti za Busara mnamo 2009, alisema Mapangala alipohojiwa na Mwanaspoti jijini Nairobi hivi karibuni. Mapangala ndiye aliyetunga vibao maarufu vya zamani kama vile �Vunja Mifupa�, �Karibu Kenya�, �Ujumbe� na �Nyama Choma�. Kwa muda wa miaka 13, msanii huyu amekuwa akiishi Marekani anakoandaa shoo zake katika majimbo mbalimbali. Kwenye wimbo Maisha Matamu ambao pia utabeba jina la albamu mpya, msanii huyo anaangazia kuhusu namna maisha yalivyo mafupi japo kuna mambo mengi mazuri. Akizungumzia bendi yake ya zamani ya Orchestra Virunga ambayo ilivunjika mwaka 1993, Mapangala anasema ataifufua hivi karibuni. Tangu kuvunjwa bendi hiyo, amekuwa akiwategemea wasanii wa kukodi, jambo analosema sasa linakaribia kufika ukingoni. Kenya kuna wasanii mahiri mno, hivyo nikiwa Nairobi nitaandaa mipango kuhusu namna nitakavyoweza kuifufua bendi,alisema akizungumzia Virunga iliyotamba miaka ya 1980 na 1990. Miaka miwili iliyopita, Mapangala, alinukuliwa kwenye vyombo vya habari akisema anatarajia kurudi Kenya kuendeleza maisha yake, anasemaje kuhusu hilo Ni kweli, ninajiandaa kurejea nchini kikamilifu. Hata hivyo, sijaamua ni lini iwe hivyo. Kwa sasa ni kwamba niko mguu mmoja Nairobi, mwingine Marekani, kuna mambo kadhaa ninayolenga kutimiza kule pia,� alisema Mapangala. Miongoni mwa hayo ni mipango yake ya kuuvumisha mtindo wa rhumba katika mataifa ya Magharibi, ili uwe maarufu kama ilivyokuwa Afrika Mashariki miaka 1980. Mapangala mwenye umri wa miaka 55, anasema awali mtindo huo ulivumishwa Ulaya na mapromota kadhaa akiwamo Oluoch Kanindo aliyevisaidia vikundi kama vile Shirati Jazz na Kolele Maze kutambuliwa huko. Umaarufu wa Mapangala ulimwezesha kuteuliwa kuwa Balozi wa Heri Njema wa Kituo cha World Wildlife Fund (WWF) kinachojishughulisha na hifadhi ya mazingira, misitu na wanyama waliomo hasa sokwe mtu. Tayari ametoa kibao cha Les Gorilles des Montagnes kinachoelezea umuhimu wa kuwalinda sokwe katika misitu ya Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasi ya Congo na sehemu nyinginezo barani Afrika. Alikuwa miongoni mwa wasanii waliompigia debe Rais Barack Obama katika kampeni za Marekani za mwaka 2008. Aliimba �Obama Ubarikiwe�. Kibao hicho pia kilipendwa mno hapa nchini. Mapangala alizaliwa katika Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasi ya Congo mwaka 1956 na alikulia huko alikoanzia pia shughuli za muziki. Aliimbia bendi mbalimbali zikiwamo Bariza, Super Tukina, Super Bella Bella na Saka Saka. Mwaka 1975 alihamia Kampala, Uganda kwa mwaka mmoja kabla ya kuja Nairobi alikoanzisha bendi ya Orchestra Virunga mwaka 1981. MWISHO.

Warm souvenirs from Stone Town

Winter is settling in now in northern North America, and my cold feet are wishing for the warm Indian Ocean waters. Surfing the Internet in lieu of the sea, I re-discovered these lovely memories on the website of  the Sauti za Busara festival to share with our fans, along with our hopes to be returning there soon. Meanwhile the "Zanzibar" video has gone impressively viral, with 4,500 views in less than 2 months, and seen in unexpected corners such as Japan, India, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Dominican Republic, Finland and Serbia! We'll be playing it again and again as the snow starts falling.....

ABOVE: The Busara crew celebrates the grand finale of the festival on stage following Virunga's monumental closing performance. BELOW: Samba in full flight, accompanied by backup vocalist Teddy Sukami.

photo by Masoud Khamis

Video of the Week: Zanzibar by East African Star Samba Mapangala

The Zanzibar video is getting great response! I sent out a press release last week and the YouTube view count jumped by 2500 in a couple of days, and it's still climbing. This posting by World Music Central should give the view count another quantum leap! The great camerawork by Adam Juma in Zanzibar and Patrick Ondiek in Nairobi, plus Andy Jones' kind donation of the Sauti za Busara footage of Bi Kidude, Samba and Awillo's patience and great good nature while filming, and Sam Epstein's skill in editing and resolving various technical issues, all contributed to the final, stunning results. Thanks to World Music Central for the coverage, and everyone else who has featured, shared, posted, and watched this great clip!

Video of the Week: Zanzibar by East African Star Samba Mapangala

Zanzibar is the second video from Samba Mapangala‘s latest album Maisha Ni Matamu (Life Is Sweet). Filmed in Zanzibar and Nairobi, the videoclip presents scenes of the island’s many charms: the mysterious alleys and bustling markets of Stone Town, the gorgeous beaches and quaint dhows of the Indian Ocean, colorful people and sensuous dancers. At the same time, it pays tribute to the venerable Zanzibari icon Bi Kidude and the annual Sauti za Busara music festival.
Alongside Samba’s sweet soaring voice, “Zanzibar” features a guest vocal by Awillo Mike of Kenya’s Ja-mnazi Afrika band, and a Congolese guitar solo by Zaiko Langa Langa’s Beniko Popolipo.
Samba Mapangala was born Congolese but it was in Kenya where Samba’s career took off. With Samba writing and singing songs in Congolese Lingala and Kenyan KiSwahili, his Orchestra Virunga rapidly became the top band in Nairobi.

New video clip for "Zanzibar" song just released!

Brilliant write-up from Robert Ambrose's Rhythm Connection

Asante sana, Roberto!

Rhythm Connection

Longtime favorite singer Samba Mapangala recently unleashed a killer new album with a fortified Orchestra Virunga. Maisha Ni Matamu (Life is Sweet) covers broad sonic territory, including reggae and other Caribbean influences, but the bedrock Congolese rumbas are, and have been for decades, the band's foundation. Mapangala's Congo roots are enhanced on this release with crucial contributions from guitarists Popolipo, Syran Mbenza, and Huit Kilos, and Komba Bello Mafwala on drums.

The opening title track is straightforward soukous that will fill any dance floor, while the acoustic "Tupendane" is at the other end of the spectrum, a gently swinging, acoustic appeal for harmony among people everywhere. "Tupendane" features John Bashengazi, a musician from the Eastern Congo who plays all of the instruments and sings along with Samba. Other songs range from celebrations to exhortations to care for the environment and each other. "Tupende Miti (Let's Plant Trees)" offers its wisdom in multiple languages, giving a tribute to Wangari Maatai, the Kenyan Nobel Prize winner responsible for widespread reforestation in her country and beyond.

Mapangala has been based in the U.S. for years, but he built his career in Kenya after leaving the Congo. Doug Paterson has a good biography and appreciation here. His many recordings always feature wonderful guitar and his emblematic singing. While this record captures the veteran in good form and the production sounds first-rate, there are no nine-minute rumba classics comparable to those that kept Mapangala at the peak of popularity in East Africa for decades. He is more worldly now, and so is his music, and that is a mixed blessing for this listener.

I was going to post an audio snippet of "Maisha Ni Matamu," but found this fun video that has the whole song, with the gentleman trying to keep up with the young women, on the cold streets of NY. I thought: Enjoy!

P.S. I've decided to start including reviews of new releases on this site, reviving in this format my earlier activity with The Beat magazine. I'll sprinkle them among the sharing posts, looking a bit different; I hope you find them useful. Maisha Ni Matamu (Life is Sweet) can be purchased for download at CDBaby, Amazon and iTunes, if a low bit rate is okay for your ears. Full-bandwidth CDs can be found here.

WRIR-FM's Bill Lupoletti reviews Maisha for his Global A Go Go site

http://www.globalagogo.com/2011/06/samba-mapangala-orchestra-virunga.html

Maryland-based Samba Mapangala is held in the highest regard by fans and musicians as one of the classic singers of soukous, the guitar-driven dance music that swept from the Congo to East Africa in the 70s and across the world in the 80s.  Mapangala has been keeping the flame burning with frequent international tours (he played at the Richmond Folk Festival in 2009) and a series of independently-released recordings.  He attracts some of the top players in the business -- guitarists Beniko Popolipo (Zaiko Langa Langa), Huit Kilos (Afrisa International) and Syran Mbenza (Quatre Etoiles) contribute solos and mi-solos; singers Wuta Mayi (Kekele), Ballou Canta (Soukous Stars) and Suzanna Owiyo (a major Kenyan star) add vocals.  This is an excellent addition to the catalog of a man whose recorded output is consistently strong.  The high-energy numbers here are 1 and 4, 2 and 5 are mid-tempo rumba congolaise, 6 is acoustic and 3 is reggae-influenced.  Soukous certainly isn’t the flavor of the week in African music, but for the literally millions of worldwide fans of this music, Samba Mapangala delivers the goods as always. 

See you Saturday at Cedar Cultural Center!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eXX-5tPJ7c

Samba takes his place among the legends of Congolese rumba

Wow! Samba in good company: Radio Milele FM Nairobi billboard campaign showing classic rumba greats with Samba at far left, along with Tabu Ley, Mbilia Bel, Kanda Bongo Man, Tshala Muana, Franco. Photo by John Nyambu

Rave review for Maisha ni Matamu by World Music Central

One of world music's most prominent online magazines had this to say about Samba's new album: written by Tom Orr.  Yes, it's sweet, Tom and so are you! Thank you!

worldmusiccentral.org

How Sweet It Is

By

TOrr

– July 15, 2011Posted in: CD Reviews

Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga - Maisha Ni Matamu

Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga Maisha Ni Matamu (Life Is Sweet) (Virunga Records VR003, 2011)
Still supple, spine tingling and, yes, sweet after 30 years on the scene, the voice of East African sensation Samba Mapangala is in fine form on his latest album. And he’s still the master of combining Congolese, Kenyan and Tanzanian rumba with the similarly chiming rhythms of Kenyan benga, resulting in one irresistible dance music. He dubbed it the Virunga sound and it was a sensation at Nairobi’s Starlight Club in the early ‘80s before Mapangala brought it to the world. Now he and his Orchestra Virunga- which on this recording includes such legendary participants as guitarists Syran Mbenza and Huit Kilos, vocalist Wuta Mayi and drummer/animateur Komba Bellow Mafwala -return with a set of new songs for maximum dancing and listening pleasure.
The title track will instantly have you believing its sentiments to be true, “Zanzibar” pays melodic tribute to nonagenarian singing legend Bi Kidude, “Jirani” celebrates neighborliness in a reggae-laced style (and gets reprised as an instrumental at the end) and “Nipigie Simu” sports a lively Latin feel complete with montuno piano pattern.
The need to protect the environment and its wildlife is addressed on “Tupande Miti” (with guest voices Suzanna Owiyo and Ballou Canta) and “Les Gorilles Des Montagnes” respectively, and the soothing, harmonica-laced “Tupendane (Let’s Love Each Other)” is as much a showcase for multi-instrumentalist and singer John Bashengezi as for Mapangala’s tenderly shared lead vocal.
Maisha Ni Matamu delightfully provides the sort of sweetness that won’t harm your teeth or put pounds around your middle but fulfills your need for music to move you each and every day of your life.
Buy the album or MP3 downloads: CDBaby.com

Maisha Ni Matamu video featured by Afropop Worldwide

The Official Blog of Afropop Worldwide: Life Is Sweet, NYPD Doesn't Understand

Banning Eyre and Sean Barlow, the directors of Afropop Worldwide know very well what life is like in NYC: the streets are tough but  life can be sweet. Thanks guys, for getting the word out about Samba's new song, just right for summer in the big city! Dancers are Grace Haukwa, Eto'o, and Mambo. As for the cops, we're still waiting for our subpoenas.