Afrika Festival: Live in Hertme 2

The second CD to be released of live recordings from the excellent annual Afrika Festival in Hertme in the Netherlands features sets from two artists, recorded in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Orchestre Les Mangelepa are a Kenya-based band of ex-pat Congolese musicians. In their heyday in the 1970s and 80s they were one of East Africa's most popular outfits, fusing the Congolese guitar-led rumba sound with a sassy horn section and feisty vocals – often sung in Swahili. A recent resurgence of interest in them has hinged on live performances and the release of an album (Last Band Standing, a Top of the World in #133) featuring three of the original vocalists. The four lengthy renditions here include one of their most popular songs, ‘Nyako Konya’. They had a stripped-down, horn-less line-up at this gig, and it is a slightly loose affair – but one full of good-natured crowd pleasing energy.

Senegalese group Dieuf-Dieul de Thies are of a similar vintage but seem to have retained more of the spirit and prowess of their early 1980s performances. Four long tracks demonstrate the intensity of their proto-mbalax sound, with perfect vocals from two original singers, fabulous wah-wah guitar from the original lead guitarist, slinky saxophone and trombone, and dynamic percussion. It is a magnificent souvenir of a great performance by a super-tight band.