Les Quatre Etoiles[1] was a Congolese musical group active from 1982 to 1996. They played the Soukous style of dance music, which gained widespread popularity in the 1980s and 1990s.
The members were Paris-based musicians Bopol Mansiamina (bass and rhythm guitar), Wuta Mayi (vocals), Syran Mbenza (lead guitar) and Nyboma (vocals). It was commonly called a "supergroup," since each of the four members of Les Quatre Etoiles had long established individual musical careers before joining forces.[2][3]
Band history
editThe band was formed in Paris in 1982, upon a request to Syran Mbenza from David Ouattara Moumouni, who produced their first album and released it on his Afro-Rythmes label, although they did not adopt Quatre Etoiles as the band's name until a year and a half later, when they recorded their second album in late 1983.[4]: 270–271 [5] The first album was recorded in late December 1982, and included one song by each of the four musicians.
When the group formed, each of its four members was a well-known and prolific musician. Based on its members’ negative experiences with bandleaders such as Franco and Tabu Ley Rochereau, Les Quatre Étoiles was a loose-knit arrangement rather than an exclusive one; during its existence, each of its members continued to release solo records, formed other bands, and played as sidemen in support of other musicians (notably including one another).[4]: 271 [5] As two of many examples, in 1988 Syran Mbenza formed another band, Kass Kass, with Passi Jo and Jean-Papy Ramazani, and all four members of Les Quatres Etoiles played on the 1995 album "Hello, Hello" by Mose Fan Fan and Somo Somo Ngobila.[6][7][8][9]
The band also seemed to involve an egalitarian arrangement among the four members—for example, several of their albums contained four songs, one written by each band member. Finally, its lineup was flexible - a particular version of the band might be missing one member and/or include other African musicians.[10][11]
Their polished renditions begin in the Soukous tradition, with a slow, harmonious introduction; this then breaks out, again as in the Soukous tradition, into a fast-paced chorus known as the 'sebene' with resonating, repeated electric guitar rhythms in the background, interwoven with a choice assortment of African percussion instruments accompanied by orchestras.
Following the end of Les Quatre Etoiles in 1996, in 2000 three of its members (Syran Mbenza, Wuta Mayi, and Nyboma) joined other African musicians to form Kékélé.
The group reunited for at least two concerts in 2010; on June 20, 2010, they played the Afrika Festival Hertme, in the Netherlands, and on July 11, 2010 they played Bozar at Brussels, Belgium, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[12][13][14][15]
Discography
editAlthough it is difficult to be complete in listing African recordings, from the discography compiled below it appears that they released seven studio albums and three live albums, although one of the three live albums may be a repackaged version of another.
Their album, Sangonini, was produced by the renowned African music producer Ibrahim Sylla. The song "Doly", from Sangoni, enjoyed worldwide popularity, reaching no. 3 in the Colombian music charts. The song "Papy Sodolo", has been covered by Tabu Ley Rochereau, another African musician of note. Another song, "Sangonini", produced in Paris and released in 1993, has also been popular.
Albums
edit| Title | Album Artist | Album details | Tracks (credits, as listed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Afro-Rhythmes Presente] 4 Grandes Vedettes de la Musique Africaine | 4 Etoiles [this is on cover, but it might be the album name, given statement above that the band name was not chosen until later] |
|
|
| 4 Stars [or (on record label) "4 Super Etoiles" or (first song) "Enfant Bamileke"] | Les Quatre Etoiles |
|
|
| Dance | 4 Stars / Etoiles |
|
|
| 6 Hits / 6 Tubes | Quatre Etoiles / 4 Stars |
| |
| Zairian Stars Show in the US - Kilimanjaro Heritage Hall | 4 Stars |
Based on list of musicians on back cover, Nyboma was not with the band here. |
|
| Four Stars [also known as Kouame or Live] | Four Stars/Quatre Etoiles |
Live album from their 1988 US tour. (Based on similar track names, this may be a repackaging of the "Zairian Stars Show" album from Kilimanjaro.) |
|
| [Eti-Edan 1er Presente] Les 4 Etoiles [also known as Souffrance] | Les 4 Etoiles |
|
|
| Sangonini | 4 Etoiles |
Includes two tracks from Enfant Bamileke, all of 6 Tubes, plus new material.[5] |
|
| Adama Coly | 4 Etoiles |
|
|
| Live in London | Les Quatre Etoiles du Zaire |
|
|
References
edit- ^ Also known as Quatre Etoiles du Zaire, Quatre Etoiles, 4 Etoiles, 4 Stars, versions with or without the accent on the E, etc.
- ^ a b Bessem, Frank. "Les Quatre Etoiles (The Four Stars)". Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "Les Quatre Étoiles - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ a b Stewart, Gary (2000). Rumba on the River : a History of the Popular Music of the Two Congos. Verso. ISBN 1-85984-744-7.
- ^ a b c "Quatre Etoiles (Four Stars)". Rumba on the River: website of the book. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ Smith, C.C. "Syran Mbenza". African Musicians Profiles. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Mose Fan Fan & Somo Somo Ngobila". www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "Hello Hello". amazon.com. Stern's. 7 June 1996. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "Mose Fan Fan & Somo Somo - Hello Hello 1995". World News. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (3 February 1990). "Review/Pop; Modern Soukous of Zaire By Three of Four Etoiles". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ a b "4 Etoiles - Zairean Stars Show In The US - Kilimanjaro Heritage Hall". Discogs. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ "African music and European World Music Festivals 2010". Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "4 Etoiles, "Double Double" - AFH493". Afrikafestival Hertme site on Youtube. 13 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "Afrikafestival Hertme 2010 - 4 Etoiles part 1". Ton Kraayenvanger on Youtube. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2017.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "Bozar à Bruxelles: 'African Gospel Day' et concerts de rumba acoustique". Congo Forum. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "Quatre Etoiles - Afro Rythmes Présente 4 Grandes Vedettes de la Musique Africaine". Discogs.
- ^ "Quatre Étoiles* - 4 Super Etoiles". Discogs.
- ^ "4 Stars Etoiles* - Dance". Discogs.
- ^ "Quatre Étoiles* - 6 Tubes / 6 Hits". Discogs.
- ^ "6 Tubes, Quatre Etoiles (4 Etoiles ou 4 Stars)". Afrisson.
- ^ "Les 4 Étoiles* - les 4 Étoiles". Discogs.
- ^ "4 Étoiles - Sangonini". Boomkat.
- ^ "Quatre Etoiles - Adama Coly". Discogs.
- ^ "Live in London - Quatre Etoiles du Zaire". CDBaby.
External links
edit- Les Quatre Étoiles discography at Discogs