A quick look back at Congolese guitarist and composer, producer and arranger Bopol Mansiamina, who passed away last November. He began his career with the great Congolese orchestras of Dr Nico, Tabu Ley and Franco. He was heard with Ray Lema and worked for a long time with the singer Mpongo Love before moving to Côte d’Ivoire and collaborating with Sam Mangwana. Mansiamina formed the Les Quatre Etoiles orchestra in Paris, which also included Nyboma, and worked with Ricardo Lemvo until about ten years ago. He remains one of the major contributors to soukous in the 80s, as illustrated by this eponymous album released in 1985 by Celluloid, on which we find other references such as Denis Hekimian on drums, Manu Lima on keyboards, Lokassa Ya Mbongo on guitar and Ballou Canta on backing vocals.
Bopol Mansiamina – 1985
