By Chris Nixon
Union-Tribune
August 2, 2007
Open Ricardo Lemvo's latest CD, “Isabela.” Just inside the front cover, you'll find an old photo of a dapper-looking man with the inscription: “1900 photo of grandfather Dom Joao N'lemvo, 1867-1938.” This image gives Lemvo's listeners insight into his 2007 release, along with his musical direction for the past two decades.
Born in the Central African city of Kinshasa (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Lemvo's grandfather, Dom Joao N'lemvo, hailed from the former Portuguese colony of Angola. The young Ricardo grew up speaking many languages, including Portuguese and Lingala (the language of the Congo). He also was enraptured by the music of the Congo, a blending of Cuban melodic sensibilities and African percussion.
“Cuban music has been popular throughout the continent of Africa since the late '30s and '40s,” said Lemvo during a recent interview from his current home in Los Angeles. “As a matter of fact, African musicians back in the '40s and '50s – in particular Congolese musicians – were already incorporating Cuban elements in the Congolese music. For example, they would take the piano line in Cuban music and then transpose it to the guitar. It yielded a sound or a style that is known to this day as the Congo rumba.”
DETAILS
RICARDO LEMVO & MAKINA LOCA
When: Tomorrow, 6 p.m.
Where: Pine Avenue Park, 3205 Harding St., Carlsbad
Tickets: Free
Phone: (760) 434-2904
Online: www.carlsbadca.gov
From that springboard, Lemvo came to the United States and launched his career in music, bringing the Congolese rumba to America. Lemvo burst onto the world music scene with his 1996 debut “Tata Masamba,” combining the big brassy melodies of Cuban son music with salsa's swing and Congolese percussive rhythms.
Along with his band, Makina Loca, Lemvo followed with two excellent releases on the popular Putumayo label: 1998's “Mambo Yo Yo” and 2000's “Sao Salvador.” The humble Lemvo gives proper respect to Franco & OK Jazz, Dr. Nico (Kasanda), Kalle and African Jazz, the musicians who created Congolese rumba: “I do not feel like I've created anything new. I'm just following in the footsteps of the pioneers of Congolese music.”
On “Isabela,” Lemvo sings in Spanish, Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili and the language of his grandfather, Portuguese.
“On my last album, I wrote a song called 'Serenata Angolana,' 'Angolan Serenade,' ” explained Lemvo. “Naturally, that song had to be in Portuguese because I am paying tribute to my beloved Angola, the land of my grandfather. I wrote that song the very first time I went to Angola in 2005.
“The journey for me was a spiritual one, on a personal level. Going there, I felt like I was going back home. And also, it was the very first time I had performed in Africa. So, it was fitting that I performed in the land of my grandfather.”
Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca will perform in a free concert tomorrow as part of Carlsbad's 2007 TGIF Jazz in the Parks schedule. Now in its 22nd year, the series – which features artists like Sue Palmer and Big Time Operator every Friday at 6 p.m. – is presented by the Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office and Rob Hagey Productions (the people behind Street Scene).
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
