Kongo Dia Ntotila - Seben Steps To Heaven '2012; 2019

Tracks list

‘Seben Steps to Heaven’ is the debut album by London based
Congolese band Kongo Dia Ntotila. The core of the band formed around 2009 in
West Yorkshire, when a group of African and western musicians began to play and
learn new styles from each other. These were bassist/guitarist Mulele Matondo
(DRC), guitarist John Kelly (UK), drummer David Lessie (DRC) and vocalist Dady
Kisonga (DRC). Further members were gradually selected from a countrywide pool
of both Congolese and western musicians, and the album was completed in 2011
before the band relocated to London. The vision amongst the founding musicians
was to bring subtle changes to the sound of Congolese Rhumba, Cameronian Makossa
, French/Caribbean Zouk and other Central African dance floor favourites,
without compromising the music’s authenticity. This is achieved by
skillfully (and sparingly!) adding some jazz harmonies and soloing, and a live
horn section – reminiscent of the early years of Congolese Rhumba before
the use of synth became all too common. The band has been making waves on dance
floors across the UK, introducing these irresistible rhythms to an ever-widening
audience. 

‘Seben Steps to Heaven’ takes its title from one of the identifying
characteristics of Congolese music - the ‘seben’. Similar in many
ways to the coros and montunos in salsa, this refers to the passage/passages in
almost every song on this album (usually towards the end) where the guitar plays
a repeated phrase as the rhythm section plays a heavier groove, making everybody
within earshot dance..... 

Tracklist:
01. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Seben Steps To Heaven (7:07)
02. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Didier (9:09)
03. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Oyanga (5:28)
04. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Musique Africaine (5:23)
05. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Coco (5:28)
06. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Kita Na Velo (3:52)
07. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Mi Amor (5:31)
08. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Kupe Dekale (4:00)
09. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Adieu Sabina (4:05)
10. Kongo Dia Ntotila - Diantoti (5:04)

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