Kékélé

Kekele was a band formed in 2000, composed of leading veteran African musicians, mostly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They played Congolese rumba in a revival style harkening back to the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, using acoustic guitars. Kekele seems to be dormant or defunct, having not released a recording since 2006 nor performed since (apparently) 2010.

Origins

The African-record producer Ibrahim Sylla formed Kekele in 2000 to record its first album, ''Rumba Congo''. According to one report, the band was originally intended as a "one-off" effort, only meant to exist for that one album. The word ''kekele'' in the Lingala language means a type of fibrous vine, sometimes woven together to make rope. One writer speculated that this is a metaphor for the musicians who comprise the band.

The band's inspiring spirit was a dissatisfaction with the direction Congolese popular music had recently taken, and a desire to return to its roots. As Kekele guitarist Syran Mbenza said, "There were no more songs, no more melodies. . . . Our music was becoming decadent. We had to wake it up again."

As an effort by a group of older musicians to revive an older style of music, many writers compared this group's work to the Buena Vista Social Club, the 1990s Havana band and album. Perhaps along similar lines to the Buena Vista Social Club, Kekele seems aimed at a largely non-African target audience; Martin Sinnock, a U.K. expert in Congolese music, described Kekele's first album as "the most popular Congolese release of 2001"—among those " tside the African community," because African fans of Congolese music were more interested in other musicians such as Koffi Olomide.

Personnel

As Kekele has recorded and toured, its membership, the ten to twenty musicians in the studio or on stage, has regularly changed. Each lineup, however, has consistently been an all-star cast of experienced musicians, most from the Democratic Republic of the Congo but some from elsewhere in Africa.

The consistent core members of Kekele include vocalists Nyboma (Nyboma Mwan'dido), Wuta Mayi, Bumba Massa, and Loko 'Djeskain' Massengo, and guitarist Syran Mbenza. Loko 'Djeskain' Massengo is from the Republic of the Congo, while the other four are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and all were between age 50 and 55 in 2001. These five core members of Kekele include three of the four "stars" who comprised the supergroup Les Quatre Etoiles (The Four Stars): Nyboma, Wuta Mayi, and Syran Mbenza.

History: personnel changes, musical styles, critical reactions

First album, ''Rumba Congo'' (2001)

The first iteration of Kekele was led by the older guitarist Papa Noël Nedule as music director, and included, in addition to the five core members named above, Jean-Papy Ramazani (vocals), Yves Ndjock of Cameroon (guitar), Sungu Debat (conga), and Viviane Arnoux of France (accordion).

By contrast to the increasingly fast, electronic Congolese music of the 1990s, the album's musical style was a throwback, with slow rumba tempos, acoustic guitars, and accordion. Reviewers noted the high quality of the musicians and the slow, smooth nature of the music. For example, Mark Romano wrote, "Here is the full glory of Congolese rumba, played with style and an elegant sensuality that is without equal in the world of African music. . . . There is no filler here, only unguent guitar work, honey-laced vocals, piping-hot percussion, and tight fat horns." Christina Roden wrote, "The tunes uniformly reflect the languid yet well-marked Cuban clavé beat, chiming strings, and close-harmony vocals that characterized the older, more classic styles. There is not a single rough edge or hurried tempo within earshot. Ultimately, the project comes across as a mellifluous living history taught by those who know." Rock critic Robert Christgau wrote "As long on lilt as it is devoid of drive, the abiding quietude is irrelevant to an up-and-at-'em mood. But when nothing seems sweeter than home, it's a blessed comfort--the harmonies whispering, the drums twining, the groove massaging each overtaxed muscle until the blood can do its work there and flow on."

The album was critically well-received. Christgau gave the record an A−, and Romano concluded "It would be difficult to top this recording for Congolese rumba album of the year or, for that matter, African album of the year."

Second album, ''Congo Life'' (2003)

Papa Noël was ill when the second Kekele album was recorded, and did not participate. He was replaced on guitar by Rigo Star Bamundélé. Ramazani and Ndjock also did not return for the second album.

Similar to the first album, the second featured acoustic guitars and slow conga rhythms. Differently, it added flute, clarinet, and violin. It includes a tribute to OK Jazz, ''Souvenirs-OK-Jazz''. Reviewers again focused on the record's beauty. John Armstrong, for BBC Music, described the album's " licious melodies, inspired and original arrangements, faultless and non-indulgent playing, scalp-tingling voices." The album's song composed by Rigo Star, ''Oyibi Bien'', was singled out by two reviewers as particularly outstanding.

Christgau preferred the first album over the second, but other reviewers felt differently. Rick Sanders of ''fRoots'' magazine wrote "here, a couple of years down the line, comes number two, an album that shows even more warmth, wit and soul than its predecessor." John Pareles wrote in the ''New York Times'', "Kekele is an alliance of musicians who have played in some of Congo's best-known bands, and on "Congo Life" (World Music), they feature acoustic instruments—guitars, woodwinds, marimbas—in pristinely recorded soukous that's no less danceable for its gentle arrangements."

Third album, ''Kinavana'' (2006)

Papa Noël returned for the third album, on which Kekele was joined by saxophonist Manu Dibango, from Cameroon, and singers Mbilia Bel and Madilu System, both from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The title of the third album refers to an imaginary place, a combination of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), and Havana

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