Félix Manuaku Waku

Félix Manuaku Waku
Upper body photograph of a Congolese man playing an electric guitar
Félix Manuaku Waku performing
Background information
Also known as Pépé Fely; Pépé Felly
Born August 19, 1954
Origin Kinshasa
Genres Soukous, Rhumba, Cavacha
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Guitar
Associated acts Zaiko Langa Langa, Grand Zaiko Wawa

Félix Manuaku Waku, also known as Pépé Fely (or Felly)[1] is a soukous guitarist from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has been described as the foremost Congolese solo guitarist of his generation,[2] and is credited with establishing the guitar as the lead instrument in contemporary Congolese music.[3]

A graduate of the Kinshasa Academie des Beaux Arts,[4] he was one of the founders of the popular Congolese musical group Zaiko Langa Langa,[5] and his rapid guitar-playing style[6] was a distinctive feature of the group's music.[7] In Zaiko Langa Langa he attracted critical praise for his ability to play continuously without a break, and earned the sobriquet "the hardest left hand in Zaire".[8] He was noted also for his mastery of the sebene technique.[9]

He left Zaiko Langa Langa in 1979 to found another group, the award winning[10] Grand Zaiko Wawa,[11][12] which in turn cultivated a new generation of prominent Congolese musicians.[13]

Manuaku Waku now lives in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he has formed a new group named African Mambo.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Bimi Ombale, "si Jossart l'avait vraiment voulu, il m aurait retenu à ses côtés"" (in French). Angola Presse. 10 September 2010.
  2. ↑ Chebwa, Manda (1996). Terre de la chanson: la musique zaïroise, hier et aujourd'hui (in French). De Boeck Universite. p. 166. ISBN 2-8011-1128-7.
  3. ↑ Graham, Ronnie (1988). The Da Capo guide to contemporary African music. Da Capo. p. 205. ISBN 0-306-80325-9. Manuaku had redefined the role of the lead guitar as the lead instrument in modern Congo music
  4. ↑ Enyimo, Martin (31 October 2009). "Pépé Felly Manuaku Waku revient sur scène à Kinshasa" (in French). Le Potentiel.
  5. ↑ Eyre, Banning (2002). Guitar Atlas Africa: Your Passport to a New World of Music. Alfred Music Publishing. p. 12. ISBN 0-7390-2474-4.
  6. ↑ Coelho, Victor (2003). The Cambridge companion to the guitar. Cambridge Companions to Music. Cambridge University Press. p. 58. ISBN 0-521-00040-8.
  7. ↑ Stewart, Gary (2004). Rumba on the river: a history of the popular music of the two Congos. Verso. p. 213. ISBN 1-85984-368-9.
  8. ↑ Stapleton, Chris; Chris May (1987). African all-stars: the pop music of a continent. Quartet. p. 153. ISBN 0-7043-2504-7.
  9. 1 2 Muanza, Jossart (25 February 2005). "Manuaku Waku "Pépé Felly" fait à nouveau parler de lui". Afrique Echos Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26.
  10. ↑ Larkin, Colin (1992). The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music. 4. Guinness Publishing. p. 2767. ISBN 1-882267-04-4. They were voted best orchestra in 1984
  11. ↑ "Manuaku Waku "Pépé Felly" fait à nouveau parler de lui" (in French). Afriquechos. 25 February 2005. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26.
  12. ↑ White, Bob (2008). Rumba rules: the politics of dance music in Mobutu's Zaire. Duke University Press. pp. 214–5. ISBN 0-8223-4112-3.
  13. ↑ Graham, Ronnie (1992). The world of African music. Pluto. p. 118. ISBN 0-7453-0657-8.


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