Virunga Volcano

Virunga Volcano is an album by the Congolese musician Samba Mapangala, released in 1990.[4][5] He is credited with his band, Orchestre Virunga.[6] The album was first released, in Europe, in 1985.[7] "Malako" was a hit in Africa, and is regarded as a perennial classic.[2][8] The album was a breakthrough for Mapangala, and led to steady international touring.[9]

Virunga Volcano
Studio album by
Samba Mapangala
Released1990
GenreSoukous[1]
LabelEarthworks[2]
Virgin[3]
ProducerJustus Musyoka Kasoya
Samba Mapangala chronology
Paris-Nairobi
(1990)		 Virunga Volcano
(1990)		 Feet on Fire
(1992)

Production

The album was produced by Justus Musyoka Kasoya.[9] The album's sound is marked by double saxophones and vocals in Lingala and Swahili.[10]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Robert ChristgauA–[12]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide[9]

Robert Christgau wrote that "Virunga's snaky bass and nimble guitar come off as spaced and delicate as the falsetto leads Mapangala trades with Fataki, his only permanent sideman, and the twin saxophones are low-budget funky, their cheesy embouchure stuck between alto and soprano."[12] The Gazette determined that "there are delicious guitar and saxophone performances, undulating bass lines—and it's thoroughly absorbing, a silkier, jazzier sound than the modern rat-tat-tat of Zairean soukous"; the paper later labeled the album "a classic."[13][14] The Herald-American called Virunga Volcano "electrified and funky, borrowing as much from Western pop as from Kenyan tradition."[15]

The Los Angeles Times noted that "the real ace in the hole is Mapangala's strategic use of horns for earthy, bluesy interjections—their mournful harmonizing is crucial in elevating 'Maloko' to genuine classic status."[7] In 2001, The Sunday Telegraph deemed Virunga Volcano "one of the great guitar discs in the history of African music, also blessed by Mapangala's warm vocals."[16]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Malako" 
2."Ahmed Sabit" 
3."Virunga" 
4."Yembele" 
5."Neliya" 
6."Mansita" 

References
  1. Riemenschneider, Chris (12 Sep 2008). "AFRICAN". Austin American-Statesman. p. E6.
  2. VanderKnyff, Rick (26 June 1996). "Out of Africa, Some Double-Time Dance Appeal". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  3. Gonzalez, Fernando (July 24, 1994). "AN AFROPOP SAMPLER". Arts. Miami Herald. p. 41.
  4. Heim, Chris (10 Aug 1990). "Britain's Earthworks label...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 10.
  5. Edmonds, Arlene (7 July 2009). "Samba Mapangala brings native songs to Perelman stage". The Philadelphia Tribune. pp. B6, B7.
  6. Trillo, Richard (July 25, 2002). "Kenya". Rough Guides – via Google Books.
  7. Snowden, Don (6 Jan 1991). "Cool Breezes Out of Africa". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 62.
  8. Timpane, John (7 July 2009). "Groovin' multiculturally". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Tribune Content Agency LLC.
  9. MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 481.
  10. Barlow, Sean; Eyre, Banning (1995). Afropop!. Chartwell Books, Inc. p. 34.
  11. "Samba Mapangala, Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga - Virunga Volcano Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  12. "Robert Christgau: CG: Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga". www.robertchristgau.com.
  13. Feist, Daniel (6 Sep 1990). "SAMBA MAPANGALA & ORCHESTRE VIRUNGA Virunga Volcano". The Gazette. p. B6.
  14. Feist, Daniel (9 July 1993). "Virunga's Club Balattou show promises to be electrifying". The Gazette. p. C2.
  15. Bourke, Bryan G. (March 17, 1991). "INTERNATIONAL RHYTHMS FLAVOR WESTERN MUSIC". Herald-American. Stars. p. 26.
  16. Broughton, Simon (26 Aug 2001). "Sounds like Kenya". Travel. The Sunday Telegraph. p. 11.
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