book review (continued)

entrepreneurs such as Verckys come under close scrutiny : 'the quintessential wheeler-dealer' (p151) is given some credit for his patronage of new bands but also exposed as the hidden hand behind many disputes within the music scene. Stewart is particularly effective in illustrating the changing fortunes of each band, while reminding us of the overall picture in which the older bands still played a massive role whilst encountering difficulties of their own. He describes the rise of Franco's power over Zaire's musicians under Mobuto, arising from  'this pair's cosy relationship', and Franco's gradual decline as the economy disintegrated and he temporarily fell out of favour with Mobuto over obscene songs.  Stewart relates this declining power to Franco's rapprochement with his erstwhile rival, Tabu Ley. As the home market for records plummeted under the impact of high inflation and record companies closed and royalties weren't collected properly, many artists took stock and began to look further afield; Sam Mangwana's exodus to West Africa is explored in great detail, and the resulting 'full-throttle new beat' is explained as a reaction to new musical influences from East Nigerian Ibo artists like Prince Nico. Although the African Allstars were a short-lived band, they proved that Congolese bands could prosper outside Zaire and the Republic of Congo; Ryco Jazz went even further afield to Martinique. Chapter 17 onwards traces the move to Paris, where new entrepreneurs (Gustave, Loukelo, Dick) provided recording opportunities and a new, looser model of band emerged, allowing for solo careers within established groups such  Les Quatre Etoiles. Stewart is aware that Paris was not the ideal solution; he comments on the struggles between bands and producers over contracts, and recognises the decline in lyrical content as the bands created nightclub music for a new audience and alienated their
followers back home. He also deals with the closure of Fonior and the role of Sonodisc in grabbing the African label's back catalogue; once again, the musical heritage of the two Congo's was lost to foreign businesses.

The most moving section of the book focuses on the decline of Docteur Nico, whose short-lived regeneration and subsequent death illustrate the fate of many of the early pioneers; 'Highly acclaimed by the public when their star shines, they almost always die poor' (p 296). He pays homage to Docteur Nico's impact on later guitarists, and goes on to discuss the growing frictions within the Kinshasa new wave; the manoeuvres which edged out Manuaku from Zaiko Langa Langa, the splits in Viva La Musica and subsequent factionalism within the breakaway Victoria Eleison are all well explained: 'Kinshasa's youth bands were an enduring if somewhat unstable force' (p313). From Chapter 20 to the end of the book, Stewart explores the impact of Zaire's economic decline on the musicians, who sought an international audience but lacked a business structure to reach this new audience on an equal footing with reggae artists. He gives a blow-by-blow account of Zaiko's upheavals in the mid 80's and Franco's slow demise, and emphasises the impact of the deaths of established artists on those who remained, diminishing 'people's links to the past while sowing seeds of doubt for the future' (p371). The final Chapter, entitled 'The Grey 90's', traces the downfall of Mobuto and Zaire's economy and its catastrophic effects on musicians who now had to struggle as individuals without regular work in the few permanent bands. The low-key ending leaves the reader with the wistful hope that despite current difficulties 'perhaps a new generation of Congolese youth would repeat their elder's triumphs' (p392). I think that this is one of the book's few weaknesses; the author doesn't give sufficient in-depth coverage of the music of the last decade. Perhaps this failure reflects the dilemma facing all historians of the recent past, as there are few guides to lean on and no certainty that the contemporary big names will be historically significant. However, I feel that Defao's contribution deserves greater recognition, Koffi Olomide's superstar excess could be evaluated and the schools of Viva and Zaiko need more updating. Of course, even 394 pages are a constraint on any author, but I was left frustrated by the lack of coverage of many artists; for example, Mimi Ley's  Afro-International, Orchestra Kiam, the various East African-based Zairean groups, Ibo-Congo bands in the late 70's, the folklore Bantandu groups, and no mention of  the (ironic) return of singers to the Catholic church where many had first learnt their craft. Maybe the answer is a collective project for us all, logging the contributions of those artists still overlooked and tracing the evolution of smaller bands membership; would an internet site be worthwhile as a historical record of these unheralded musicians like Roy Langa and Monza Premier, to name but two ?       
Nevertheless, this book is a brilliant addition to our growing literature on the music of the two Congos, and well worth the asking price. Now we need an African perspective on this wonderful African heritage.