Man from Kinshasa

{{Infobox album

| name = Man from Kinshasa

| type = compilation

| artist = Tabu Ley Rochereau

| cover = Man from Kinshasa.jpg

| alt =

| released = 1991

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio = Harry Son

| genre = Soukous

| length =

| label = Shanachie{{cite book |last1=Barlow |first1=Sean |last2=Eyre |first2=Banning |title=Afropop! |date=1995 |publisher=Chartwell Books, Inc. |page=29}}

| producer =

| prev_title = Babeti Soukous

| prev_year = 1989

| next_title = Muzina

| next_year = 1994

}}

Man from Kinshasa is a compilation album by the Congolese musician Tabu Ley Rochereau.{{cite magazine |last1=Birnbaum |first1=Larry |title=Man from Kinshasa by Tabu Ley Rochereau |magazine=DownBeat |date=Feb 1992 |volume=59 |issue=2 |page=36}} It was released in 1991.{{cite magazine |title=New Releases |magazine=The Beat |date=1991 |volume=10 |issue=6 |pages=70–71}} Rochereau supported the album with a North American tour.

Production

The compilation's songs were taken from albums Rochereau released between 1988 and 1991.{{cite news |last1=Himes |first1=Geoffrey |title=Captivating Soukous from Rochereau |work=The Washington Post |date=29 May 1992 |page=N21}} Rochereau sang in Lingala and French. Huit Kilos played guitar on the songs. Rochereau used a drum machine on some of the tracks.{{cite magazine |last1=Tarte |first1=Bob |title=Memoirs of an Egg Yolk |magazine=The Beat |date=1992 |volume=11 |issue=2 |page=70}}

Critical reception

{{album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/man-from-kinshasa-mw0000279089|title=Tabu Ley Rochereau Man from Kinshasa|website=AllMusic}}

|rev2 = Robert Christgau

|rev2score = A−{{Cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Tabu+Ley+Rochereau|title=Tabu Ley Rochereau|website=Robert Christgau}}

|rev3 = DownBeat

|rev3score = {{rating|3.5|5}}

|rev4 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev4score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=5 |page=219}}

|rev5 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev5score = B{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1991/09/20/man-kinshasa/|title=Man from Kinshasa|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}

|rev6 = MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide

|rev6score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |title=MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide |date=2000 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=644}}

}}

Robert Christgau wrote: "Catchy tunes, plangent pace changes, Cuban/Ethiopian horns, musette accordion—and enough rippling guitar to keep them coming back for more." Entertainment Weekly opined that "it’s not until the chugging climax of 'Ponce-Pilate', the sixth song in, that the album at last puts across the insane happiness that marks great soukous."

The Gazette stated that "Rochereau's large Afrisa International Orchestra—16 members in all—provides a sumptuous backdrop for lively, lilting songs."{{cite news |last1=Feist |first1=Daniel |title=Rochereau's Kinshasa sounds lively, lilting and sumptuous |work=The Gazette |date=28 Dec 1991 |page=E10}} The Washington Post determined that "Rochereau has a warm, sweet tenor that lends a tone of sly bemusement to his tales about gossips, seducers and beauties."

AllMusic wrote that Rochereau "dares accordion-driven soukous on one of the many highlights here, including 'Tour Eiffel'."

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| title1 = Seli-Ja

| length1 =

| title2 = Londende

| length2 =

| title3 = Tour Eiffel

| length3 =

| title4 = Lisolo Ya Ngungi

| length4 =

| title5 = Kinshasa

| length5 =

| title6 = Ponce-Pilate

| length6 =

| title7 = Maputo

| length7 =

| title8 = Dernier Espoir 'Itou'

| length8 =

}}

References