Syran Mbenza
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Syran Mbenza (or M’Benza; born May 31, 1950) is a
guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...
, originally from the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
, who has lived in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
since about 1981. He has recorded and performed prolifically over five decades, including as a
solo artist In music, a solo () is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung featuring a single performer, who may be performing completely alone or supported by an accompanying instrument such as a piano or organ, a continuo group (in Baroque music) ...
; as one of the four members of the popular
soukous Soukous (from French '' secousse'', "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of the Congo (formerly French Congo). It derived from Congolese rumba in ...
"supergroup" Les Quatre Étoiles; as a founding member of the acoustic,
Congolese rumba 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 ru ...
revival band Kékélé; in other bands; and in support of numerous artists. He has been described as one of the greatest guitar players of
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
.


Career/History


Early years: Congo/Zaire (1950 to early 1970s)

Mingiedi "Syran" Mbenza was born on May 31, 1950, in a family of six, in Leopoldville (now
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...
), in what was then the
Belgian Congo The Belgian Congo (, ; ) was a Belgian colonial empire, Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960 and became the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville). The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Repu ...
(and was later the
Republic of the Congo The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo), is a country located on the western coast of Central ...
, then
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 is now the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
). Mbenza began to play guitar at about age 11. He grew up hearing the music of
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 ...
, and taught himself to play guitar in Franco's style. He played in a number of local bands, and learned from "Docteur Nico" (Nicolas Kasanda) of African Jazz. In 1968, while still in school, he joined a neighborhood group called La Banita and stayed until about 1970. This was followed by stints with Jamel Jazz, Dynamic Jazz, Ewawa de Malph, and Somo-Somo. (This list is included in several thumbnail biographies of Mbenza, though not confirmed by the few available sources on those bands, e.g. a list of renowned musicians with early experience in Jamel Jazz.) He then joined the band Lovy du Zaire, formed in 1971 or 1972 by Victor "Vicky" Longomba, who was previously a co-founder of
OK Jazz OK Jazz, later renamed TPOK Jazz (short for ''Tout Puissant Orchestre Kinois de Jazz''), was a Congolese rumba band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo established in 1956 and fronted by Franco. The group disbanded in 1993. Location The OK ...
and afterward a member of African Jazz. Other later-famous musicians in Lovy du Zaire included Bumba Massa,
Youlou Mabiala Gilbert Youlou Mabiala (born 3 March 1947), popularly known as Prince Youlou, is a Congo music recording artist, composer and vocalist, in the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). He was once a member of the Congo Music band TPOK Jazz which ...
and Mose Se Sengo (Mose Fan Fan).


Beginning of Musical Career: Zaire and West Africa (1970s)

After leaving Lovy, Mbenza decided to become a professional musician, working with a group called Orchestre Kara (or Kara de Kinshasa) in a nightclub with the same name. Vicky Longomba had created that group in 1973 or 1974, as the successor band to Lovy. In 1978 Mbenza moved to, in the words of Congolese-music historian Gary Stewart, "what looked — from downtrodden Kinshasa at least — like the more prosperous climate of
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
," initially
Lomé Lomé ( , ) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in Togo, largest city of Togo. It has an urban population of 837,437
,
Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...
. There he joined the African All Stars of his cousin
Sam Mangwana Sam Mangwana (born 21 February 1945) is a Congolese musician and songwriter. He was the frontman of his bands Festival des Maquisards and African All Stars. Mangwana was a member of François Luambo Makiadi's seminal band TPOK Jazz, and Tabu Ley ...
, with other Congolese musicians including guitarist
Bopol Mansiamina Bopol Mansiamina (26 July 1949 – 7 November 2021), also known as Bopol or Don Paolo, was a prolific and renowned Congolese musician (bass player, guitar player most commonly as a rhythm guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer). He recorde ...
, who would become a lifelong collaborator, and drummer Ringo Moya. The original version of that band only lasted about a year, though, then split in two, with one group (including Mangwana, Mbenza, and Bopol) moving to
Abidjan Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of the overall population ...
, Cote d'Ivoire, and another group staying in Lomé. After the split, Paris-based producer Eddy Gustave flew Mangwana, Mbenza, Bopol, and Pablo Lubadika to Paris for a September 1979 recording session, which resulted in two albums on his Eddy'son record label, including remakes of some African All-Stars hits. Confusingly, the covers of both albums are titled ''Eddy'Son Presente Sam Mangwana''. For the next year, those four musicians "shuttled back and forth between Paris and the Abidjan-Lomé corridor," playing together as International Sam Mangwana. The caption of a photo of the 1979 version of the African All Stars lists Mbenza's instrument as "mi-solo guitar." In Congolese music the mi-solo, or half-solo, guitar plays a part "between the solo guitars and the rhythm guitars." Mbenza's work with Mangwana made his name in Congolese music circles. In 1990, the
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
noted his lead guitar work on Mangwana's 1979 "Maria Tebbo," which it described as "a pan-African hit." While in West Africa, in 1980, he recorded his first solo album, ''Kouame''.


With Les Quatre Étoiles: Paris (1980s and early 1990s)

In about 1981 Mbenza moved to Paris, where he has been based since, while frequently touring worldwide with other African musicians, including in Europe, North America, and East Africa. The years immediately following his move to Paris were his most prolific, to this date. In Paris, Mbenza was in great demand as a session musician. As one of a number of Congolese "session men" in Paris — other such guitarists included
Diblo Dibala Diblo Dibala (born 9 August 1954), often known simply as Diblo, is a Congolese soukous musician, known as "Machine Gun" for his speed and skill on the guitar. He was born in 1954 in Kisangani. He moved to Kinshasa as a child, and aged 15 won a ...
, Rigo Star Bamundélé, and Dally Kimoko — he was often called on by producers to play guitar on others' records, for which he received a flat fee, in addition to leading on his own records, for which he earned royalties. He continued to work often with Bopol, who had moved from Lomé to Paris at about the same time, usually with Mbenza playing lead guitar and Bopol playing rhythm guitar. Producers who engaged Mbenza included Eddy Gustave and his Eddy'Son label, Moumouni Outtara and Afro-Rythme, Richard Dick and Africamania, and
Ibrahim Sylla Ibrahima Sylla (2 April 1956 – 30 December 2013) was a Senegalese record producer born in Ivory Coast and founder of the African music label Syllart Records. He was a musician whose production and music direction defined popular African music. ...
and Syllart, as well as the Salsa Musique, Melodie, and Buda Musique labels. Mbenza released several more solo albums: ''Ilanga'' on Eddy'Son, ''Elisa Dangwa'' on Africamania, ''Sisika'' on Syllart, and ''Symbiose''. In 1982, initially for Outtara's label, Mbenza and Bopol joined well-known Congolese singers
Nyboma Nyboma Mwan'dido (or Muan'dido), often simply Nyboma (born 1952), a prominent Congolese soukous tenor vocalist, has been over a fifty-year span a leading member of several outstanding bands, including Orchestre Bella Bella, Orchestre Lipua Lipua, ...
(Nyboma Mwan’dido) and
Wuta Mayi Gaspard Wuta Mayi, commonly known as Wuta Mayi, is a Congolese rumba and soukous vocalist and composer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). From 1974 to 1982, he was a member of the band TPOK Jazz, led by Franco (François Luambo Mak ...
to found the popular and influential
soukous Soukous (from French '' secousse'', "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of the Congo (formerly French Congo). It derived from Congolese rumba in ...
group Les Quatre Etoiles (the Four Stars), which released seven studio albums and three live albums (though two of those may be the same) through the mid-1990s, and played live shows as recently as 2010. Each of its four members was a star in his own right who recorded solo albums. Les Quatre Étoiles was a loose-knit arrangement rather than an exclusive one; Mbenza and its other three members released solo records, formed other bands, and played as sidemen in support of other musicians (notably including one another) throughout the time of their membership in Les Quatre Étoiles. When Mbenza was touring the United States, Ibrahim Kanja Bah, who ran an African music radio show, record store, and record label in Washington, D.C., arranged recording sessions for him, resulting in his album ''Africa: The Golden Years'', a medley of West African songs covered in Congolese style that was lamented by aficionados as starting a genre of "megamix" albums, and a similar approach to American soul classics released as ''Soul on Fire'' by "Maloko." In 1988, Mbenza joined Congolese vocalists Passi Jo and Jean-Papy Ramazani to create a "side project" band called Kass Kass, which recorded several albums of high-energy, dance-floor soukous. Some of its music showed an influence of
zouk Zouk is a musical movement and dance pioneered by the French Antillean band Kassav' in the early 1980s. It was originally characterized by a fast tempo (120–145 bpm), a percussion-driven rhythm, and a loud horn section. Musicians from Mart ...
, the French Caribbean dance music of that time, and in an interview Mbenza noted that he had worked in the studio with the zouk band
Kassav' Kassav', also alternatively spelled Kassav, is a French Caribbean band that originated from Guadeloupe in 1979. The band's musical style is rooted in the Guadeloupean gwoka rhythm, as well as the Martinican tibwa and Mendé rhythms. Regarded ...
.


Recent years: Paris (late 1990s to present)

In addition to continuing to record and tour, Mbenza has engaged in two significant projects since Les Quatre Etoiles. First, in 2000, with other veteran African musicians he formed
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. Ke ...
, a band that played slow-tempo Congolese rumba in a revival style harkening back to the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, using acoustic guitars. Its founders took this approach in reaction to the direction of Congolese music in the 1990s; as Mbenza explained, "There were no more songs, no more melodies. We thought about this and decided we had to get back to the rumba, what we played in the past. . . . Our music was becoming decadent. We had to wake it up again." He said that producer François Bréant "had the idea of asking me to form a band that would make records in the style f vintage Congolese rumbaso that this great music should not die." Kékélé was assembled under executive producer Ibrahima Sylla. The band's consistent core members were Mbenza on guitar and vocalists Nyboma, Wuta Mayi, Bumba Massa, and
Loko ‘Djeskain’ Massengo Loko may refer to: * Port Loko, Sierra Leone, Africa * Loko people, a people of Sierra Leone * Loko language, a language of Sierra Leone * Loco (loa) or Loko, a figure in Haitian Vodou belief * Loko, a goddess in Dahomey mythology * Lokomotiv (disa ...
. Other members of the band's cast at different times included guitarists
Papa Noël Nedule Antoine Nedule Monswet (29 December 1940 – 11 November 2024), known professionally as Papa Noël Nedule or simply Papa Noël, was a Congolese rumba singer-songwriter and guitarist. A seminal figure in Music of the Democratic Republic of the C ...
, Yves Ndjock, and Rigo Star Bamundélé, saxophonist
Manu Dibango Emmanuel N'Djoké "Manu" Dibango (12 December 1933 – 24 March 2020) was a Cameroonian musician and songwriter who played saxophone and vibraphone. He developed a musical style fusing jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian music. His father w ...
, and singers Jean-Papy Ramazani, Mbilia Bel, and
Madilu System Jean de Dieu Makiese (28 May 1950 – 11 August 2007), popularly known as Madilu System, was a Congolese rumba singer and songwriter, born in what was then Léopoldville, Belgian Congo. He was once a member of the seminal band TPOK Jazz which do ...
. Kékélé released three studio albums and one live album between 2001 and 2006, and toured Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Africa until 2010. Second, in 2009, Mbenza recorded ''Immortal Franco: Africa's Unrivalled Guitar Legend'', an album that paid tribute to the guitarist who had been his childhood inspiration, Franco. Its personnel included vocalists Wuta Mayi, Elba Kuluma, Ballou Canta, and Ketsia, guitarist Bopol, bassist Flavien Makabi, and saxophonist Jimmy Mvondo. It received positive notices from the Evening Standard (London) and Songlines magazine (UK), the Australian Broadcasting Company, RootsWorld (concluding, "Mbenza and his associates here salute the man in fabulous fashion"), and Concertzender radio (Netherlands). The Indie Acoustic Project named it as one of three finalists for Best CD of 2009 in the World Music: Africa category.


Evaluations

Mbenza has been one of the best lead guitarists in a genre of music that is, as he explained to ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', guitar-driven. He has played with nearly all of the top Congolese musicians of his time. His work is recognizable, with solos featuring fast runs of sparkling high notes that circle around a short theme, restating and amending it. The interplay of his guitar work with that of his frequent collaborator Bopol has been described as "legendary." Evaluations by those familiar with his work include superlatives and references to the world's greatest guitarists. Examples include: “an exceptionally gifted guitarist,” “extraordinary master guitarist,” "one of the best guitar virtuosos in Africa" and other descriptions as one of Africa's greatest guitarists, “one of the world’s finest guitarists,” and “for me, forget
Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...
, forget
Ali Farka Toure Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until Assassination of Ali, his assassination in 661, as well as the first imamate in Shia doctrine, Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muha ...
, the greatest living guitarist.” Writers also like to repeat the line from the BBC’s
Andy Kershaw Andrew J. G. Kershaw (born 9 November 1959) is an English broadcaster and disc jockey, predominantly on radio, and known for his interest in world music. Kershaw's shows feature a mix of country, blues, reggae, folk music, African music, spoken ...
, that
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
isn’t fit to tune Mbenza’s guitar strings.


Discography


Solo albums

* ''Kouame'' (Syran M'Benza & L'African All Stars) (1980) * ''Ilanga'' or ''Syran'' or ''Signé Eddy'Son'' (1983) * ''Elisa Dangwa'' (1984) * ''Sisika'' (1986) * ''Bana'' or ''Mister (Super Hit Track Bana)'' (1987) his is an alternative packaging of the album ''Kass Kass'', by Kass Kass (listed below, under "As a Band Member").* ''Africa: The Golden Years'' (1989) * ''Symbiose'' (Syran M'Benza with the Best of Paris) (1990 or 1991) * ''Immortal Franco: Africa's Unrivaled Guitar Legend'' (Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo) (2009)


Featured With Other Artists

* Syran Mbenza & Bopol Masiamina ic ''The Best African Sound'' or ''Sambela'' (1987)


As a Band Member

* Vicky & Lovy du Zaire, ''(1971/1972/1973)'' (early 1970s singles, compilation released 1993) * Orchestre Kara de Kinshasa, ''Orchestre Kara de Kinshasa'' (1979) * Orchestre Kara de Kinshasa, ''Kiyika Masamba (Flamy)'' (1970s) * Sam Mangwana & African All-Stars, ''vol. 1'' (or ''Matinda'') (1979) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''4 Grandes Vedettes de la Musique Africaine'' (1983) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''4 Stars'' (or ''Enfant Bamileke'') (1984) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''Dance'' (1985) * Kass Kass, ''Kass Kass'' (1987) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''6 Hits / 6 Tubes'' (1987) * Kass Kass, ''Kass Tout'' (1988) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''Zairian Stars Show in the US - Kilimanjaro Heritage Hall'' (1988, live) * Maloko, ''Soul on Fire'' (1988) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''Four Stars'' (or ''Kouame'') (1989, live) ay be same as Kilimanjaro live album* Les Quatre Étoiles, ''Les 4 Etoiles'' (or ''Souffrance'') (1991) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''Sangonini'' (1993) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''Adama Coly'' (1995) * Les Quatre Étoiles, ''Live in London'' (1996, live) * Kékélé, ''Rumba Congo'' (2001) * Kékélé, ''Congo Life'' (2003) * Kékélé, ''Kinavana'' (2006) * Kékélé, ''Live: Tournée Américaine & Canadienne'' (2006)


As a Supporting Artist

This is a partial list, a representative sample of the many albums on which Mbenza played guitar. * Sam Mangwana, ''Maria Tebbo'' (1979) * Sam Mangwana, ''Eddy'Son Presente Sam Mangwana'' or ''Georgette Eckin’s'' (1979) * Sam Mangwana, ''Eddy'Son Presente Sam Mangwana'' or ''Matinda'' (1979) * Asi Kapela, ''Jocker'' (1970s?) * Bopol Mansiamina & Besisimou, ''Maillot Jaune'' (1982) * Bumba Massa, ''L'Argent Et La Femme'' (1982) * Pablo Lubadika, ''Idie'' (1982) * Bopol Mansiamina, ''Manuela'' (1983) * Nyboma Et Les Kamale Dynamiques Du Zaire, ''Aïcha Motema'' (1983) * Wuta May ic ''Zalaka Mayele'' (1983) * Wuta Mayi, ''Blaise Pasco Chante Saka Mache'' (1983) * Bopol Mansiamina, ''Bopol'' (or ''Samedi Soir'' or ''Afric'Ambience'') (1984) * Bopol & Innovation ''Helena'' (12" single) (1984) * Lea y Domingo, ''Jalousie'' (c. 1984) * Pablo Lubadika, ''Concentration'' (1984) * Wuta Mayi, ''Tout Mal Se Paie Ici Bas'' (1984) * Lady Isa, ''Malembe'' (1986) * Bopol Mansiamina, ''Belinda'' (1989) * Fefe David Diambouana, ''Fefe David Diambouana'' or ''Mama Cathie'' (1980s?) * Mayos, ''Muana Ngombo'' (1980s?) * Passi-Jo & Kass Kass Connexion, ''Kayifi'' (1980s?) * Wuta Mayi, ''Le Beach'' (1980s) * Madilu System, ''Sans Commentaire'' (1993) * Sam Mangwana, ''Rumba Music'' (1993) * Pablo Lubadika, ''Okominiokolo'' (1994) * Awilo Longomba, ''Moto Pamba'' (1995) * Monique Seka, ''Okaman'' (1995) * Mose Fan Fan & Somo Somo, ''Hello Hello'' (1995) * Samba Mapangala and Virunga, ''Karibu Kenya'' (1995) * Samba Mapangala and Orchestra Virunga, ''Vunja Mifupa'' (1997) * Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, ''Mambo Yo Yo'' (1998) * Passy-Jo, ''Les Hommes Voltigeurs'' (1990s?) * Sans Papiers, ''Sans Papiers'' (2000) * Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga, ''Song and Dance'' (2006) * Madilu System, ''La Bonne Humeur'' (2007)


References


External links

DJ Daudi (David Noyes), Ambiance Congo radio program, WRIR radio, Richmond, playlists and narratives from series of programs on Syran Mbenza, (July 27–28, 2009):
Part 1: The Bands






* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mbenza, Syran 1950 births Democratic Republic of the Congo musicians Soukous musicians 21st-century guitarists Living people