Botyiaki Ntembe

This two-CD package reissues two albums that book-ended the latter part of the veteran Congolese troubadour’s musical career. Antoine Wendo Kolosoy was an itinerant worker and musician who initially soared to popularity in 1948 with the song ‘Marie¬Louise’. By the 80s Wendo was virtually retired, and financially far from comfortable. Fortunately a wonderfully evocative documentary film, Tango ya ba Wendo (The Times of Wendo) was released and its soundtrack, the 1993 CD Nani Akolela Wendo?, prompted a resurge of interest in the country’s original rumba superstar.

It’s a collection of remakes of some of his best old songs. Wendo sings with a rustic charm, a loose folksy vocal style embellished with a trademark yodel that was presumably influenced by Jimmie Rodgers. Acoustic guitars, light percussion, brass and occasional marimba accompaniment perfectly bolster Wendo’s enthusiastic performance. As a bonus to the original release there is an impressive and sprightly eight-minute live track featuring Wendo duetting with rumba-soukous star Pepe Kalle, backed by his group Empire Bakuba.

The other album in this reissue release, Bana ya Papa Wendo, was recorded in 2004 and was his final recording before his death in 2008. By this time his health was failing. He valiantly soldiered on through a European tour, physically frail, his voice struggling to find pitch, but usually with an indomitable smile and cheery disposition. The vocal fragility is evident but it really doesn’t matter too much; the super-cool band effortlessly nurse him through a charming set of rumbas. Two semi-acoustic guitars authoritatively drive their way through the tunes while delightfully squeaky trumpet and saxophone solo joyously. As a package this is a fine, albeit far from definitive, tribute to the grand old Congolese troubadour.