Man from Kinshasa is a compilation album by the Congolese musician Tabu Ley Rochereau.[2] It was released in 1991.[3] Rochereau supported the album with a North American tour.[4]

Man from Kinshasa
Compilation album by
Released1991
StudioHarry Son
GenreSoukous
LabelShanachie[1]
Tabu Ley Rochereau chronology
Babeti Soukous
(1989)
Man from Kinshasa
(1991)
Muzina
(1994)

Production

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The compilation's songs were taken from albums Rochereau released between 1988 and 1991.[4] Rochereau sang in Lingala and French.[5] Huit Kilos played guitar on the songs.[4] Rochereau used a drum machine on some of the tracks.[6]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [7]
Robert ChristgauA−[8]
DownBeat     [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [9]
Entertainment WeeklyB[10]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide     [11]

Robert Christgau wrote: "Catchy tunes, plangent pace changes, Cuban/Ethiopian horns, musette accordion—and enough rippling guitar to keep them coming back for more."[8] Entertainment Weekly opined that "it’s not until the chugging climax of 'Ponce-Pilate', the sixth song in, that the album at last puts across the insane happiness that marks great soukous."[10]

The Gazette stated that "Rochereau's large Afrisa International Orchestra—16 members in all—provides a sumptuous backdrop for lively, lilting songs."[5] The Washington Post determined that "Rochereau has a warm, sweet tenor that lends a tone of sly bemusement to his tales about gossips, seducers and beauties."[4]

AllMusic wrote that Rochereau "dares accordion-driven soukous on one of the many highlights here, including 'Tour Eiffel'."[7]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Seli-Ja" 
2."Londende" 
3."Tour Eiffel" 
4."Lisolo Ya Ngungi" 
5."Kinshasa" 
6."Ponce-Pilate" 
7."Maputo" 
8."Dernier Espoir 'Itou'" 

References

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  1. ^ Barlow, Sean; Eyre, Banning (1995). Afropop!. Chartwell Books, Inc. p. 29.
  2. ^ a b Birnbaum, Larry (Feb 1992). "Man from Kinshasa by Tabu Ley Rochereau". DownBeat. Vol. 59, no. 2. p. 36.
  3. ^ "New Releases". The Beat. Vol. 10, no. 6. 1991. pp. 70–71.
  4. ^ a b c d Himes, Geoffrey (29 May 1992). "Captivating Soukous from Rochereau". The Washington Post. p. N21.
  5. ^ a b Feist, Daniel (28 Dec 1991). "Rochereau's Kinshasa sounds lively, lilting and sumptuous". The Gazette. p. E10.
  6. ^ Tarte, Bob (1992). "Memoirs of an Egg Yolk". The Beat. Vol. 11, no. 2. p. 70.
  7. ^ a b "Tabu Ley Rochereau Man from Kinshasa". AllMusic.
  8. ^ a b "Tabu Ley Rochereau". Robert Christgau.
  9. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 219.
  10. ^ a b "Man from Kinshasa". Entertainment Weekly.
  11. ^ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 644.