Moreno and L'Orch First Moja-One

• Sister Pili + 2 [Sterns Africa, 2012] A-

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Sister Pili + 2 [Sterns Africa, 2012]
Batamba Wendo Morris was born in Patrice Lumumba's east Congo hometown in 1955 and died at 38 having migrated to East Africa itself like such fellow Congolese musicians as Samba Mapangala, with whom he sang for a while in a rough baritone pitched so luxuriously low some call it a bass. When he was leading the band, he not only made sure the guitars slackened soukous's high-tension-wire acrobatics in the casual Kenyan-Tanzanian manner but generally gave a single saxophone its say. Recorded in his home base of Nairobi, the 1983 title album comprises four nine-minute tracks, the most notable the half-English closer and "Kaka Puneira Wivu" with its drolly twangy second guitar. The clattery plus two are from 1977, with Tabu Ngongo horning in irrepressibly. A good groove is had by all. A-