''Non Stop Dancing'' is the debut studio album by the Congolese

rumba The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated music styles. Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for "party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th century it was used to denote the complex of secular music styles known as Cuban rumba ...

band Zaïko Langa Langa. Produced by Mfumu Muntu Bambi, it was released on the Zaire Music label in late 1974. It consists of songs recorded and released between 1973 and 1974, during multiple recording sessions of the band in Kinshasa. Prior to the album's release, Zaïko Langa Langa performed at the Zaire 74 music festival at the Stade Du 20 Mai, Kinshasa, along with other notable artists such as

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, sh ...

Tabu Ley Rochereau Pascal-Emmanuel Sinamoyi Tabu (13 November 1940 – 30 November 2013), better known as Tabu Ley Rochereau, was a Congolese rumba singer and musician. He was the leader of ''Orchestre Afrisa International'', as well as one of Africa's most influe ...

, and

Franco Luambo François Luambo Luanzo Makiadi (6 July 1938 – 12 October 1989) was a Congolese singer, guitarist, songwriter, bandleader, and cultural revolutionary. He was a central figure in 20th-century Music of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cong ...

Background

Shortly after Zaïko Langa Langa's debut in December 1969, the band established itself as the "third Congolese school of music". Because of their "rebellious" and "hippie" attitude and their innovative approach to Congolese rumba, they became a symbol of the new generations of post-independence

Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...

, and are sometimes compared to the

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for their appeal to the youth. Before releasing Non Stop Dancing, in 1973, while traveling from Brazzaville to Pointe-Noire, the band's drummer, Meridjo Belobi, pioneered the Cavacha drum rhythm. The Cavacha was later played by all Kinshasa bands and other African artists from all over the continent. Cavacha was also the name of a dance created by Evoloko Jocker.

Recording

Recording sessions took place in 1973 ("Zania", "Mbeya Mbeya", "Eluzam" and "Zena") and 1974 ("Semeki Mondo" and "Mwana Wabi") in Kinshasa in various recording studios. Songs were previously released as singles.

Track listing

Side one Side two {{Track listing , title4 = Mwana Wabi , length4 = 8:48 , writer4 = Bimi Ombale , title5 = Zena 1 , length5 = 4:41 , writer5 = Bimi Ombale , title6 = Mbeya Mbeya , length6 = 10:09 , writer6 = Evoloko Jocker , total_length = 43:00

Personnel

* Evoloko Jocker – vocals * Papa Wemba – vocals * Mavuela Somo – vocals * Bozi Boziana – vocals * Gina Efonge – vocals * Bimi Ombale – vocals * Manuaku Waku – lead guitar * Teddy Sukami – rhythm guitar * Oncle Bapius – bass guitar * Meridjo Belobi – drums

References list

1974 albums Zaïko Langa Langa albums