Giant among giants, legend among legends, Sam Mangwana, born in Kinshasa (DRC) in 1945 of Angolan parents, embodies almost single-handed the golden age of Congolese rumba. Throughout his rich career, having sung alongside Tabu Ley Rochereau, Franco & the TPOK Jazz Orchestra and Wendo Kolosoy, he has been able to mix styles with undisguised joy and emotion. From the lyricism of the Portuguese-speaking world to the swaying and nonchalant rhythms of the rumba of yesteryear and the Afro-Cuban style, Mangwana continues to keep up with the times while keeping an eye on the wonders of the past.
In 2004, after the civil war (1975-2002), Sam Mangwana was finally able to return to Angola to work as a musician in his home country. He was welcomed there as the prodigal son by the Angolan cultural authorities who organised 2 big celebrations in his honour to thank him for his actions during the struggle for independence and for having urged Angolans to work together for peace during the civil war that followed the liberation. Adored at home, he has never stopped giving concerts and galas to the point where he could no longer honour all the invitations he received from abroad.
In 2015, he headlined the first Rumba Festival in Kinshasa, re-launching his international career. In 2016 he recorded the album Lubamba which will be released on CD for the first time in 2021. Lubamba is the ultimate proof that emotion and commitment have no age limit. Indeed, on the first track Juventude Actual Sam is accompanied by another legend of African music, Manu Dibango.
A herald of pan-Africanism, a contemporary witness of the great era of independence, Sam Mangwana still loves getting all generations to dance – and dance they will to the sound of these 8 songs, whether they are sung in Portuguese, French, Kikongo or Lingala.
« Sam Mangwana is a veteran of the golden age of this danceable, Cuban-infused music. »
LE MONDE (FR)
« An album that remembers the essentials… »
ROLLING STONE (FR)
« The last surviving giant of Congolese rumba resurrects the Afro-Latin rhythms of a not-so-distant golden age with sparkling bonhomie. »
TÉLÉRAMA SORTIR (FR)
« The charm of the seductive voice remains, as does its jovial energy. »
TÉLÉRAMA (FR)
« Mangwana continues to keep up with the times, while keeping an eye on the wonders of the past. »
RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE (FR)
« ‘Lubamba’ combines styles and influences with joy and great emotion, layering contemporary lyricism over Afro-Cuban sounds and swinging nonchalant rhythms. »
JAZZ THING (DE)
« The history of Congolese rumba can’t be written without Mangwana. »
CONCERTO (DE)
« With ‘Lubamba’, [Sam Mangwana] looks back to the golden age of Congolese rumba, with Manu Dibango from Cameroon also on board, who enriches the opening track ‘Juventude Actual’ with his characteristic saxophone sounds. »
GOOD TIMES (DE)
« Eight fine examples of Congolese rumba, all as beautifully sung as played. »
HEAVEN MUSIC MAGAZINE (NL)
« The controlled but sensitive singing, the subtle arrangements; just like the eight compositions, it is all very catchy and elegant. »
TROUW (NL)
« A very laid-back, lived-in and contemporary version of Congolese Rumba, in all its facets: great guitar parts, songs taken from life, each of which makes you want to dance. »
ROOTSTIME (NL)
« This album by Sam Mangwana guarantees wonderfully intimate, gently swaying African rumba music. »
BLUESTOWN MUSIC (NL)
« Congolese craftsmanship with a smile and a tear, a lot of nostalgia and above all, wonderfully danceable! »
TROPICALIDAD (NL)
« A wonderful album… catchy, uplifting and danceable. »
MIXED WORLD MUSIC (NL)
« A beautiful album filled with positive energy. »
FESTIVAL INFO (NL)
« This is definitely a highly recommended World Music album. »
STRUTTER MAGAZINE (NL)
« This is a happy sounding dance music that will lift your spirits in no time. »
AUDIO.DE (DE)
Contacts:
BOOKING : CARAMBA
jeanherve@nuevaonda.fr
claire.henault@planet-a.fr
+336 12 44 43 29
PUBLISHING : CYRIL DOHAR
cyril.dohar@editeraparis.com
+331 41 05 40 62
MDC : MAGGIE DOHERTY
maggie.doherty@music-mdc.com
+331 42 01 95 36
