Johnny Bokelo - Catherine (African 90.343)

"Dewayon himself had a group called Watam, where a twelve year old Franco as well as Bokelo started to play guitar in 1950. After playing in his brother's follow up bands, Conga Jazz and Orchèstre Cobantu, Johnny Bokelo formed in 1958 his own group, Orchestre Conga Succès which was joined by Dewayon in 1960. "Their songs followed the usual themes of love and death, but stood out musically as harder-edged, at times raucious." The brothers split "amicable" in 1962. "Bokelo continued to lead the musicians of Conga Succès, but with a self-restraint that smoothed out the sound and brought it even closer to Franco's. Bokelo's series of recordings entitled 'Mwambe' (No. 1, No. 2, etc.) voiced his concern with the direction society was taking." The musical styles of Bokelo, Dewayon and Franco remained close. "Many of Bokelo's own compositions sounded uncannily like Franco's, and he often continued the themes or replied to Franco's subject matter." ... (read more)

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