AFRICAN FIESTA - ROGER IZEIDI PRESENTS VITA MATATA WITH AFRICAN FIESTA (2LP)

Planet Ilunga announces a double LP dedicated to the VITA label, one of the leading Congolese 1960s imprints created by Roger Izeidi, legendary entrepreneur in music publishing in the 1960s Congolese rumba scene. VITA is best known for its catalog featuring the band African Fiesta, established in 1963 by three renowned musicians: Nicolas Kasanda, Tabu Ley Rochereau and Roger Izeidi. The output of the band (232 songs) occupies an exciting chapter in the history of Congolese popular music. During the mid-1960s, African Fiesta consistently reached the top of the hit parade. The band, which back in the day positioned itself as a competitor to a current called 'Fiesta Cubana', breathed new energy into Congolese Rumba, continuing the tradition of the African Jazz school started by Joseph Kabasele. The VITA label, with African Fiesta as their sole provider, besides four songs of Eduardo De Veracruz Vinagre et Son Orchestre, ran between May 1963 and early 1966. It created a spectacular legacy and back catalog full of tasteful sentiments and sensual melodies, deeply rooted in the Afro-Latin sound. This new compilation offers a few of the classic African Fiesta songs and complements them with an eclectic and original selection, divided into four thematic sides: Showcase, Rumba Lingala, Cha Cha Cha & Bolero. This double LP album comes with a large 16-page booklet featuring the history of VITA and African Fiesta, song commentary by Congolese Rumba expert Herman Bangi Bayo (vice president of the national commission for the promotion of Congolese Rumba), and a written catalog of the VITA label. The heirs of Roger Izeidi kindly gave permission in Kinshasa to release this album of African Fiesta on Planet Ilunga.