The Congo Acoustic

Mose "Fan Fan" returns to the roots of Congolese rumba with a fluid acoustic guitar style that harks back to the 1950s heydays of Jean-Bosco Mwenda and Wendo. But this is no mere exercise in nostalgia. Fan Fan brings his decades of experience with Franco and OK Jazz and with Somo Somo into play to produce a very satisfying, gently percolating, tasty blend of an album. Fan Fan's supple guitar and warm voice are featured, and the sound is filled out by accordion, melodica, saxophone, bass, and percussion. The sweet-voiced female backup singer Deesse Mukangi steps into the lead role on the lovely song "Mama Yeye." Tribute is paid to the late Franco in the sad and moving "Lwambo," and the subtle interplay of musicians is the focus of the two instrumentals on this recording. Another standout tune is "Sikulu," which features a surprising and effective saxophone solo.