Wendo Kolosoy

Infobox musical artist
Name = Wendo Kolosoy


Img_capt = The cover of his last record, "Banaya Papa Wendo"
Img_size = 165
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Antoine Kalosoyi (var. Nkolosoy) [ [http://www.congovision.com/wendo.html ANALYSE MUSICALE "Marie Louisa" Antoine WENDO NKOLOSOY] . Interview and Review: Norbert MBU MPUTU, Congo Vision (2005)]
Alias = Papa Wendo, Wendo, Windsor, Wendo Sor, Sor, Wendo alanga nzembo, Wendo mokonzi ya nzembo ["Wendo Kolosoy, 62 ans de carrière musicale" (4 June 2005)]
Born = birth date|1925|4|25|mf=y
Mushie, Mai-Ndombe Province, Belgian Congo
Height =
Origin = Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Spouse =
Died = Death date and age|2008|07|28|1925|4|25
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Genre = Rumba
Soukous
World Music
Occupation = Singer, Guitarist, Band Leader
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar
Years_active = 1943-1964/1993-2004
Label =
URL =

Antoine Wendo Kolosoy (April 25, 1925 - July 28, 2008), known by the stage name Papa Wendo, was a Congolese musician considered the "father" of Congolese rumba music.

Early life

Wendo was born in 1925 in Mushie "territoire", Mai-Ndombe Province (now District of Plateaux in Bandundu Province) of northwestern Congo, then under Belgian colonial rule. His father died when he was seven, and his mother, a singer herself, died shortly thereafter. He was taken to live in an orphanage run by the Society of the Missionaries of Africa, and remained there until he was 12 or 13, expelled when the fathers disapproved of the lyrics of his songs. [ [http://www.marabi.net/on_the_rumba_river_en.html Wendo Kolosoy - On The Rumba River] , Artists page: Marabi Records. Retrieved 2008-07-30.] Wendo began playing guitar and performing at age 11. [Banning Eyre interview (2002)]

Kolosoy became a professional singer almost by chance after having worked also as a boxer, sailor and longshoreman in Congo, Cameroon and Senegal. From 13 Wendo traveled as a worker on the Congo River ferries, and entertained passengers on the long trips. Between 1941 and 1946 he traveled as a sometime professional boxer, as far from home as Dakar, Senegal. [Banning Eyre interview (2002)]

tage name

His birthname was Antoine Kalosoyi (also spelled Nkolosoyi), which he eventually regularised to Kolosoy. Later he was called "Windsor" (a homage to the Duke of Windsor and a play on the British Royalty theme of his band "Victoria Kin") which evolved into "Wendo Sor" and simply "Sor". He is most widely known as Wendo or Papa Wendo [ [http://www.aliaagency.com/artists/artist.php?id=10 Wendo Kolosoyi] ] .

"Father" of Soukous

In the mid 1940s, he began playing guitar around the capital Kinshasa (then Leopoldville) with his Cuban style band Victoria Bakolo Miziki. He had met Nicolas Jéronimidis, a Greek businessman, on a steamer returning to Leopoldville from Dakar in 1946, and in 1947 Jéronimidis agreed to record Wendo's music for his new Leopoldville based record label "Ngoma". [Banning Eyre interview (2002)
"Evolution de la musique congolaise moderne de 1930 à 1950" (2005)]

Victoria Kin Orchestra

Imitating the bandleader Paul Kamba, Wendo and Me Taureau Bateko created the "Victoria Kin" orchestra, which later became "Victoria Bakolo Miziki", recording for Ngoma, but also other Congolese labels. [ [http://www.bolingo.org/audio/africa/congo/disco/facsimile/catalogues/olympia/web/index.htm Collector Lars Fredriksson] has scans of a late 1940s era catalog from a rival comapany, ("Olympia"), featuring a sizable set of Victoria Kin records. Retrieved 2008-07-31.] Fronted by Wendo's echoing and soaring vocals, the group was also famous for is dancers, called "La reine politesse" directed by Germaine Ngongolo. ["Wendo Kolosoy, 62 ans de carrière musicale" (2005)]

Wendo and Victoria Bakolo Miziki released their first full record in 1949, "Mabele ya mama" which Wendo dedicated to his late mother.

"Marie-Louise"

His first international hit, in 1948, was "Marie-Louise", co-written with guitarist Henri Bowane. Through the publicity of "Radio Congolia", along with the controversy which followed the song (a back-and-forth between Wendo and Henri over Wendo's persuit of a girl, thwarted by Henri's wealth, with salacious undertones), [The Lingala lyrics are transcribed in detail at [http://www.congovision.com/wendo.html ANALYSE MUSICALE "Marie Louisa"] . Norbert Mbu Mputu, Congo Vision (2005) and in brief in Bob W. White (2002)
The song is also analysed in Jesse Samba Wheeler. [http://www.imageandnarrative.be/worldmusica/jessesambawheeler.htm Rumba Lingala as Colonial Resistance] , Image & Narrative, No. 10, March 2005] the song became a success throughout West Africa. With its success came trouble: the song had "satanic" powers attributed to it by Catholic religious leaders. Stories from the time even claimed that the song, if played at midnight, could raise the dead. The furor drove Wendo out of Kinshasa, and resulted in a brief imprisonment by the Belgian authorities in Stanleyville and his excommunication from the Catholic Church. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7533358.stm 'Father' of Congolese rumba dies]
"Evolution de la musique congolaise moderne de 1930 à 1950" (2005)
[http://www.lepharerdc.com/www/index_view.php?storyID=5591&rubriqueID=17 Wendo est mort] . A.Vungbo, Le Phare Quotidien (Kinshasa), 2008-07-30 ] The combination of African lyrics and vocals with Afro-Cuban Rumba rhythms and instrumentation spawned one of the most successful African musical genres: Soukous. Wendo's time on the ferries also contributed to his success as one of the first "national" artists of the DRC: he learned the music of the ethnic groups up and down the river, and later sang not only in his native tongue of Kikongo, but also in fluent Lingala and Swahili. ["Wendo Kolosoy, 62 ans de carrière musicale" (2005)]

Congolese popular music

in a brightly painted Ngoma van, performing and selling records. The music culture this created not only propelled Congolese Rumba to fame, but began to develop a national culture for the first time. [Bob W. White, Congolese Rumba and Other Cosmopolitanisms, Cahiers d'études africaines, 168, 2002 details this process, and Gary Stewart's Rumba on the River (1999) is the definitive English language work on these years, which made Kishasa the musical capital of the continent.
See also the review of the 1996 compilation "Ngoma: the Early Years" at [http://ntama.uni-mainz.de/content/view/13/31/ Ntama: Journal of African Music and Popular Culture] . African Music Archive at Mainz University (1996) ]

1950s

In 1955, Wendo, along with two other singer/guitarists (Antoine Bukasa and Manuel D’Oliveira) formed an all-star orchestra known as the "Trio Bow", recording new variations on the rumba and other dance musics for Ngoma, with hits such as "Sango ya bana Ngoma", "Victoria apiki dalapo", "Bibi wangu Madeleine", "Yoka biso ban’Angola", and "Landa bango". ["Wendo Kolosoy, 62 ans de carrière musicale" (2005)] Although he never achieved comparable international success similar to that of Papa Wemba or Zaiko Langa Langa, he played throughout Africa, Europe and the USA and is recognized as one of the fathers of modern African music and an elder statesman of Congolese Soukous. In reviewing the recent film on Wendo, a writer in the Kinshasa daily Le Potentiel wrote that "One cannot speak of modern music without evoking the name of Wendo Kolosoy." [Quoted at [http://www.frif.com/new2007/rhumb.html Icarus Films] .] Soukous musicians who have come after him have referred to the 1940s and 50s as "Tango ya ba Wendo" ("The Era of Wendo" in Lingala). [ [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/jeune_afrique/article_jeune_afrique.asp?art_cle=LIN04053nostaemhtyr0 Nostalgie bien rythmée] . Mia Ma, Jeune Afrique, 4 May 2003]

50 year hiatus

At the height of his fame, Wendo developed friendships with some of the DRC's future independence leaders, most notably Patrice Lumumba. The murder of Prime Minister Lumumba in 1961, followed by the 1965 seizure of power by Lieutenant General Mobutu Sese Seko, soured Wendo on politics, music, and public life. He decided to stop performing, citing use of music by politicians as his reason.

"Because political men at the time wanted to use musicians like stepping stones. That is to say, they wanted musicians to sing their favors. Me, I did not want to do that. That's why I decided it was best for me, Wendo, to pull myself out of the music scene, and stay home."

[Wendo Kolosoy interviewed 2002. Banning Eyre, Afropop Worldwide, 2002.]

When Laurent-Desire Kabila returned to power in 1997, he (and later his son Joseph Kabila) supported Wendo in restarting his recording and touring career. Performing with old members of his Victoria Bakolo Miziki band and his "Dancing Grannies" backup dancers, Wendo toured across the Africa and Europe, recapturing audiences in a fashion similar to the Buena Vista Social Club and Orchestra Baobab. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2539469.stm DR Congo's dancing grannies] . Mark Dummett, BBC news. 4 December 2002.] Original members of Victoria Bakolo Miziki who returned to Wendo's reformed big band included Antoine Moundanda (thumb piano), Joseph Munange (saxophone), Mukubuele Nzoku (guitar), and Alphonse Biolo Batilangandi (trumpet). [ [http://www.frif.com/new2007/rhumb.html Icarus Films] .]

Later life

Kolosoy gave his last public appearance in Kinshasa, DR Congo in 2004. The last known recording from that time, the album "Banaya Papa Wendo" was released on the IglooMondo label in 2007. A compilation called "The very best of Congolese Rumba - The Kinshasa-Abidjan Sessions" was released in 2007 with Papa Wendo and two other Soukous/rumba legends; Antoine Moundanda and the Rumbanella Band. In 2008, prior to his death, French filmmaker Jacques Sarasin released a biographical documentary about Wemba's life, entitled "On the Rumba River". [http://www.rumbariver.com/] [ [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/jeune_afrique/article_jeune_afrique.asp?art_cle=LIN11058cinmueuqisu0 Cinémusique] . Renaud de Rochebrune, Jeune Afrique, 11 May 2008.]

He took ill in 2005, and ceased performing publicly. At the time he returned to his disgust with politicians, claiming that the Kabila family, who had resuscitated his career in 1997, had abandoned him financially. ["Wendo Kolosoy entre la vie et la mort"(June 2005)] Wendo Kolosoy died on July 28, 2008, in Ngaliema Clinic in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7533358.stm 'Father' of Congolese rumba dies] ]

A state funeral in Kinshasa for Wendo is planned, and expected to be "amongst the biggest the city has seen." [Global Hit: Wendo Kolosoy. The World: PRI/BBC Radio. July 30,]

Discography

*"Nani akolela Wendo?" (1993)
*"Marie Louise" (1997) -- Indigo LBLC 2561 (2001)
*"Amba" (1999) -- Marimbi 46801.2 (2002) -- World Village 468012 (2003)
*"On The Rumba River" (Soundtrack) Marabi/Harmonia Mundi 46822.2 (2007)
*"Banaya Papa Wendo" IglooMondo (2007)

Compilations

*"Ngoma: The Early Years, 1948-1960" Popular African Music (1996). Includes the orginal recording of "Marie-Louise", 1948 (Antoine Kolosoy "Wendo" / Henri Bowane)
*"The Very Best of Congolese Rumba - The Kinshasa-Abjijan Sessions" (2007) Marabi Productions
*"The Rough Guide to Congo Gold" -- World Music Network 1200 (2008)
*"Beginners Guide To Africa" -- Nascente BX13 (2006)

References

* [http://www.rumbariver.com On the Rumba River - A film by Jacques Sarasin]
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-06-03/film/on-the-rumba-river/ On the Rumba River: Papa Wendo's Story] . Village Voice, Julia Wallace. 3 June 2008.
* [http://www.afropop.org/multi/interview/ID/27/Wendo+Kolosoy,+2002. Wendo Kolosoy interviewed 2002] . Banning Eyre, Afropop Worldwide, 2002.
* [http://www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/CelebZone/Article.aspx?id=811369 Papa Wendo, father of Congolese Rumba dies] . AFP . 29 July 2008.
* [http://www.bakchich.info/article3792.html Papa Wendo chante l’idylle du Congo] . Olivier Azam, Bakchich.info. 17 May 2008
* [http://www.lepotentiel.com/afficher_article.php?id_edition=&id_article=23870 Musique: Wendo Kolosoy entre la vie et la mort] . Okapi.net/Lp. Le Potentiel (Kinshasa) June 2005.
* [http://www.lepotentiel.com/afficher_article.php?id_edition=&id_article=60575 Wendo Kalosoy «On The Rumba River»] . Jeannot ne Nzau Diop. Le Potentiel (Kinshasa), 2007.
* [http://www.lepotentiel.com/afficher_article.php?id_edition=&id_article=6155 Evolution de la musique congolaise moderne de 1930 à 1950] . Jeannot ne Nzau Diop. Le Potentiel (Kinshasa), 14 May 2005.
* [http://www.lepotentiel.com/afficher_article.php?id_edition=&id_article=7471 Wendo Kolosoy, 62 ans de carrière musicale] . Jeannot ne Nzau Diop. Le Potentiel (Kinshasa), 4 June 2005.
* [http://theworld.org/?q=node/19796 Global Hit: Wendo Kolosoy] . Radio broadcast and transcript from The World: Public Radio International//BBC Radio. July 30, 2008. "Includes parts of the rare original 78 recording of "Marie-Louise"."
* [http://etudesafricaines.revues.org/document161.html Bob W. White, Congolese Rumba and Other Cosmopolitanisms] , Cahiers d'études africaines, 168, 2002.
* [http://www.label-bleu.com/artist.php?lng=e&artist_id=51 Wendo Kolosoy artist profile] , label-bleu records, (extracted and translated from Terre de la chanson, la musique congolaise hier et aujourd’hui, by Mpanda Tchebwa, Editions Duculot 1996).

Bibliography

*"Rumba on the River: A History of the Popular Music of the Two Congos" (1999). Gary Stewart - ISBN 1859843689