Alias:

Bonga Kwenda Jose Adelino Barcelo de Carvalho

Language:

Portuguese Loanda Mbundu

Genre:

Semba

Instrument:

Male vocals Guitar

Articles:
More on Bonga
Biography/discography

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Complete discography
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Biografi

Jose Adelino Barcelo de Carvalho aka Bonga Kwenda was Portuguese champion on 400 metres for Benfica at the time Angola was still a part of the Portuguese colonial empire, a situation that lasted until 1975.
Bonga Kwenda was born in 1943 in Kipri to the North of Luanda in Angola of a Congolese mother and an Angolan father. In the sixties, when Independence time was coming near, Bonga like some other young people of his generation, began to compose and sing in the capital city, Luanda, where he was studying. But the Portuguese colonial authorities didn't appreciate the young singers who expressed a culture typically Angolan, and Bonga went into exile in Rotterdam, Holland. The Capeverdean community of the city was already significant: men worked on the docks or for the Heineken brewery, women did domestic works. This community had its restaurants, bars, its Saturday night or Sunday afternoon dances. They were places where you put the world to rights, dreaming of independence, of the return home, and where you remembered with nostalgia and heartbreak your relatives who 've stayed home.
Naturally, Bonga hung out with the Rotterdam Capeverdean musicians and he recorded with them on the Morabeza label his first record Angola 72, which is still considered as one of the most interesting albums of modern African music. It was a mix of original and traditional compositions, in which Bonga sang of the tough life reality of the Angolans under the colonial domination, the poorness, the shantytowns... Then, after another recording in 74, it was finally time for Independence, the return home and the beginning of one the most prolific career for an African artist.
Recording album after album, Bonga became a star, all over Africa and in Portugal, giving the audience a dancing and lively music. However, despite his magical voice, Bonga didn't really charm the buffs of the world-music scene. The album "Mulemba Xangola" which is reviving the magic of the Angola 72 album and the dancing atmosphere of his Portuguese career seemed to change that. 2000 was the year of a new beginning for Bonga.
Kuenda Bonga has issued a row of albums, presented here are just a few of his most important.

Relevant artists:
Cesaria Evora
Boy Ge Mendes
Bau
Sam Mangwana
Lura

ANGOLA 72
Morabeza/Tinder/Lusafrica/1972/1998

ANGOLA 74
Morabeza/Tinder/Lusafrica/1974/1998

KATENDU
Celluloid/1994

Compilation of songs recorded between 1988 and 1992.

SWINGA SWINGA
Piranha/1996

MULEMBA XANGOLA
Lusafrica/2000

O MELHOR DE BONGA
BMG/2002

KAXEXE  
Lusafrica/2003

Bonga is here with his, is it his 19th, original album? 14 songs, most of them in Portuguese, but also some in his mother tongue from Angola. Among the latter is the opening track, a lament song of the exiled Bonga, who longs back. The song is typical of what you find on this album, quiet melodies, Bonga's characteristic raspy voice backed by two accoustic guitars and bass. Sometimes addtional instruments like accordion and cavaquinho. Bonga's Angolan background is clearly felt on this album, so is his international orientation through a long career abroad. His music is based on an Angolan mix called semba. The Cape Verdean influence is also heard, consequently "Kaxexe" feels very much as a hybrid. However, this doesn't make the music superficial. On the contrary, Bonga's masterful songwriting can be heard on several tracks. His best songs on "Kaxexe" are those where he looks back on his Angolan background and comments on Angolan matters. Like for instance the gripping "Poeira" ("Dust"). Bonga proves in this song that he is a great songwriter, with a few lines he illustrates a dramatic situation, and the last line makes a strong point. "Poeira" is in fact like a short story, a razor sharp snapshot.
Bonga shows a special interest in children on this album. There are several good songs where he comments on children's situation or remembers his own childhood.
Bonga makes many sharp comments, he cares about his fellow men, his engagement can be felt in almost every song. The music is as moving as his words. Well done.

BONGA LIVE  
Lusafrica/2004

A lovely live album, this one! Recorded at New Morning in Paris, June this year. The atmosphere feels great, Bonga's band is tight and enthusiastic,and the man himself shines. So does Lura, who comes on stage on track 9, "Mulemba Xangola". Some songs origins from "Kaxexe", some are older. But most things work here, the only thing missing are the lyrics. In print, that is. But what you get here is 16 great tracks and a playing time of 75 minutes, and not a dull moment. Highly recommended!
Tracks:
1. Kambomborinho
2. Kamacove
3. Marimbondo
4. Kisangusangu
5. Recordando Pio
6. Mona Ki Ngi Xica
7. Ngana Ngonga
8. Olhos Molhados
9. Mulemba Xangola
10. Praca
11.Galinha Kassafa
12. Bonguinha
13. Agua Rara
14. Kaxexe
15. Diakandumba
16. Sambila

MAIORAIS  
Lusafrica/2005

Bonga continues to produce good albums for Lusafrica. "Maiorais" is his third in 3 years. The man sounds astonishingly vital after so many years in studio and on stage. His voice is as soar and rasping as always, and even if I don't understand Portuguese (and the translations are missing) his engagement shines through for instance when he sings about malaria, which is still one of the major causes of death on the African continent. Bonga's band is also as solid and steady as before, the arrangements are tight and fine, not a bad note to be heard. New this time is the use of pan flute on a couple of songs. Even if it is not at all an African instrument it works very well in the style and groove on this album. Solid and good, Bonga lives on!

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