Roots Of Rumba Rock, Vol. 1 (Za?e Classics, 1953-1954) (1991)

"The rumbas, beguines and other dance music variations on Roots of Rumba Rock lay out a lot of the template still being adapted and altered by current Congolese acts. The frenetic pluck and plink of thumb pianos drive De Malo's "Towuti Brazza Toye Kisasa", while the early Solovox synthesizer provides some of the winsome melody in De Wayon's "Nalekaki Na Nzela". Elsewhere, distortion artfully finds its way into the compositions. Several tracks from early pioneers like Bowane are included, while "Bana Bosenge" represents the same circle of unemployed street performers who would later give us pan-African rumba star Franco. In fact, though the recording quality dates the music, the songs themselves sound as timeless as they are joyful, underscoring this comp's place as a sort of African music Rosetta Stone. It's simultaneously an indirect reminder of the hardships imposed on so many Africans while a spirited reminder that for many of those same people, music represented the ultimate escape from weighty woes."|