K I N S H A S A  1 9 5 5 :

FRANCO, VICKY, ROSSIGNOL, ESSOUS, DE LA LUNE, DESSOIN, ROITELET, DE WAYON, & NGANGA
were creating a style of music that was to conquer all of Africa and strongly influence several generations of musicians. This album features the founders of the Tout-Puissant O.K JAZZ in their first recordings.

Originally released on Crammed in 1993, this beautiful 20-song collection - rereleased as part of the "Congo Classics" series on Crammed that began with "Roots of Rumba Rock" in 2006 - documents the fine early work of the "Tout-Pouissant Orchestre Kinois de Jazz" or Almighty Kinshasa Jazz Orchestra, as led by the imposing "Grand Maître" Lokanga La Ndju Pene Luambo Makiadi aka Franco. In the mid-fifties, modern afro-cuban music served a cultural role in Congo similar to that of Rock 'n Roll in the West: played by the young for the young, it was adorned with all the charms of rebellion. Recorded the year preceding the official launch of O.K Jazz in June 1956, these tracks provide the last missing elements for a complete discography of this considerable orchestra (more than a hundred LPs, more than a thousand songs); they have been lovingly restored from original 78 rpm record by Vincent Kenis, producer of Crammed's "Congotronics" release series and renowned expert on Congolese music, who also provides extensive liner notes for the compilation.