Among the excellent works of rehabilitation of African musical heritage by the Analog Africa label is this double volume released in 2014, and devoted to the historic Verckys Kiamuangana Mateta, or more simply Verckys. The Congolese musician, composer, etc. had started out in Franco’s TPOK Jazz before forming his orchestra Vévé. Musicians like Pépé Kallé passed through his training, before Verckys finally left music in the 80s. In the meantime, we owe him a number of early rumba and soukous hits. But that’s not all, as evidenced by the afrobeat of Bassala Hot which opens this compilation, the Latin groove of Matinda Comono and the afro-funk accents of Cheka Sana!
[Edit] Verckys sadly passed away a few months after this post was published, in October 2022.
