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Congolese rumba

Congolese rumba
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsLate 1930s in the Congos (esp. Kinshasa and Brazzaville)
Typical instruments
Derivative forms
Fusion genres
Regional scenes
Other topics
Music of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congolese rumba
Bakolo Music International, the oldest traditional Congolese rumba music group, during a rehearsal in 2014
CountryDemocratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo
Reference01711
RegionCentral Africa
Inscription history
Inscription2021

Congolese rumba, also known as African rumba, is a dance music genre originating from the Republic of the Congo (formerly French Congo) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). With its rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, Congolese rumba has gained global recognition and remains an integral part of African music heritage. In December 2021, it was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.[1][2][3]

Emerging in the mid-20th century in the urban centers of Brazzaville and Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) during the colonial era, the genre's roots can be traced to the Bakongo partner dance music known as maringa, which was traditionally practiced within the former Kingdom of Loango, encompassing regions of contemporary Republic of the Congo, southern Gabon, and Cabinda Province of Angola.[4][5][6] The style gained prominence in the 1920s–1940s, introducing the advent of the "bar-dancing" culture in Brazzaville and Léopoldville, which incorporated distinctive elements such as a bass drum, a bottle employed as a triangle, and an accordion known as likembe.[5][7][8][9] During the mid-1940s and 1950s, the influence of Cuban son bands transformed maringa into "Congolese rumba", as imported records by Sexteto Habanero, Trio Matamoros, and Los Guaracheros de Oriente were frequently misattributed as "rumba".[10][11][10][11] The 1960s and 1970s saw the emergence of soukous, an urban dance music style that emanated from Congolese rumba, imbuing it with lively rhythms, intricate high-pitched guitar melodies, and large brass and polyrhythmic percussion sections.[12]

Congolese rumba is characterized by its distinct sébène instrumental section, which employs arpeggios, rapid chord changes, and melodic embellishments.[13][14] Notably, the style frequently employs a third guitar known as mi-solo, wherein the rhythm guitar lays down a basic cyclic pattern, and the "mi-solo and lead guitar create intricate intertwining lines", with "mi-solo" being a "bridge between the ecstatically high-pitched lead guitar and the low-pitched rhythm guitar".[15][16][17] Groovy basslines, catchy rhythms based on ostinato or looping phrases, and danceable beats are also typical elements of the genre.[18][19]

The style has gained widespread popularity in Africa, reaching countries like Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Zambia, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, South Sudan, Senegal, Burundi, Malawi, and Namibia. Additionally, it has found a following in Europe, particularly in France, Belgium, Germany, and the UK, as well as the US, as a result of touring by Congolese musicians, who have performed at various festivals internationally. Musicians such as Henri Bowane, Wendo Kolosoy, Franco Luambo Makiadi, Le Grand Kallé, Nico Kasanda, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Sam Mangwana, Papa Noel Nedule, Vicky Longomba, and Papa Wemba have made significant contributions to the genre, pushing its boundaries and incorporating modern musical elements.[20][21][1]

  1. ^ a b Stewart, Gary (5 May 2020). Rumba on the River: A History of the Popular Music of the Two Congos. Verso. ISBN 9781789609110.
  2. ^ Pietromarchi, Virginia (15 December 2021). "'The soul of the Congolese': Rumba added to UNESCO heritage list". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  3. ^ "43 elements inscribed on UNESCO's inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage lists". UNESCO. 16 December 2021. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021.
  4. ^ Okamba, Emmanuel (30 March 2022). "La "Rumba", un humanisme musical en partage" (in French). Lyon, France: HAL. p. 5. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :32 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Davies, Carole Boyce (29 July 2008). Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora [3 volumes]: Origins, Experiences, and Culture [3 volumes]. Santa Barbara, California: Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 848–849. ISBN 978-1-85109-705-0.
  7. ^ Assah, Hervé (29 March 2022). Lumineuse Afrique : Améringo, l'héritage inattendu Tome 2 (in French). Paris, France: Éditions L'Harmattan. p. 39. ISBN 978-2-14-023977-9.
  8. ^ Lubabu, Muitubile K. Tshitenge (4 June 2013). "Congo: rhythm and blues". Jeuneafrique.com (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  9. ^ Malu-Malu, Muriel Devey (20 September 2020). "Congo-B : Que sont les célèbres bars dancing devenus ?" [Congo-B: What have become of the famous dancing bars?]. Makanisi.org (in French). Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :41 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Appiah, Anthony; Gates, Henry Louis, eds. (2010). Encyclopedia of Africa, Volume 1. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 407. ISBN 978-0-19-533770-9.
  13. ^ Eyre, Banning (2002). Africa: Your Passport to a New World of Music. Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, United States: Alfred Music Publishing. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-7390-2474-4.
  14. ^ White, Bob W. (27 June 2008). Rumba Rules: The Politics of Dance Music in Mobutu's Zaire. Durham, North Carolina, United States: Duke University Press. pp. 52–58. ISBN 978-0-8223-4112-3.
  15. ^ Musanga, Kasongo (1 February 2010). "After Franco". The Journal of Music. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  16. ^ "TPOK Jazz, members band members, guitarists, history". kenyapage.net. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  17. ^ King, Roberta R.; Dyrness, William A., eds. (5 November 2019). The Arts as Witness in Multifaith Contexts. Westmont, Illinois, United States: InterVarsity Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-8308-5796-8.
  18. ^ "Congolese rumba: why the dance recognised by Unesco is special". South China Morning Post. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  19. ^ Okamba, Emmanuel (30 March 2022). "La "Rumba", un humanisme musical en partage" (in French). Lyon, France: HAL. p. 5. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  20. ^ Stone, Ruth M., ed. (2 April 2010). The Garland Handbook of African Music. Thames, Oxfordshire United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. pp. 132–133. ISBN 9781135900014.
  21. ^ "La Rumba Congolaise". L'Institut français d'Oak Park – French Institute of Oak Park. 28 February 2023. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.

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