Galo Negro

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Galo Negro
Studio album by
Sam Mangwana
Released1998
LabelPutumayo World Music[1]
ProducerChristian Polloni
Sam Mangwana chronology
No Me Digas No
(1995) 		Galo Negro
(1998) 		Sam Mangwana Sings Dino Vangu
(2000)

Galo Negro is an album by the Angolan Congolese musician Sam Mangwana, released in 1998.[2][3] Mangwana deemed his sound "Congolese Rumba."[4]

Mangwana supported the album with a North American tour, accompanied by labelmate Ricardo Lemvo.[5]

Production[edit]

Recorded in France, the album was produced by Christian Polloni.[6][7] Mangwana sang in Swahili, Lingala, Kikongo, Portuguese, French, and English.[8][9] Several songs are about oppression and the effects of colonialism.[10]

"Manjani" is a duet with Murray Head; Mangwana yodels on the song.[11][12] The title track, about a freedom fighter, was written by Mangwana with his guitar player, Papa Noel Nedule.[13][14] Dizzy Mandjeku also played guitar on Galo Negro.[15]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[16]
Robert Christgau(2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention)[17]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[18]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide[7]
The Tampa Tribune[12]

The Chicago Reader wrote: "The gently rolling rhythms come from former Portuguese colonies like Angola and Cape Verde as well as Cuba, the sweet accordion lines from Madagascar, and the lovely lead guitar work from Congo, courtesy of former OK Jazz member Papa Noel Nedule Montswet."[8] The Sun-Sentinel called the album "full of Congolese rhythms and Latin rhythms—from rumba to vallenato."[9] The Los Angeles Sentinel labeled it "groundbreaking," writing that it "blends pan-African pop styles with influences from Portugal, the Caribbean and Latin America."[19]

The Gazette deemed Galo Negro "a delicate, sensuous set highlighted by Mangwana's evocative tenor voice."[20] The Washington Post noted that "the island flavor of Mangwana's music is reinforced by the presence of the great Malagasy accordionist Regis Gizana and by Mangwana's use of Cape Verdean falsetto vocals."[4] The New York Times considered the album "pretty plainly indicative of an African-Cuban (and African-South American, with hints of music from Colombia and Brazil) cross-pollination."[21]

AllMusic wrote that a listener "hears elements of everything from Afro-Cuban salsa and Dominican merengue to Spanish flamenco and Colombian vallenato."[16]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Galo Negro" 
2."Manjani" 
3."Ghetto" 
4."Elima" 
5."Zengolo" 
6."Maloba" 
7."Nakupenda" 
8."Cara Mabanzo" 
9."Balobi" 
10."Ya Mbemba" 

References[edit]

  1. ^ McCallister, Jared (7 June 1998). "Afro-Latino Night". Suburban. Daily News. New York. p. 14.
  2. ^ Hund, Peter (Sep 1998). "Music". World Trade. 11 (9): 82.
  3. ^ Reece, Doug (Jun 20, 1998). "ROADWORK". Billboard. 110 (25): 19.
  4. ^ a b Himes, Geoffrey (23 July 1999). "SAM MANGWANA 'Galo Negro'". The Washington Post. p. N13.
  5. ^ Lannert, John (May 30, 1998). "Latin Notas". Billboard. 110 (22): 64.
  6. ^ "Singing songs of struggle and love". Daily Hampshire Gazette. July 15, 1999. p. D1.
  7. ^ a b MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 478.
  8. ^ a b "Sam Mangwana". Chicago Reader. July 29, 1999.
  9. ^ a b Cazares, David (12 June 1998). "SINGERS FIND SYNERGY IN AFRICAN, CUBAN BEATS". SHOWTIME. Sun-Sentinel. p. 26.
  10. ^ Armstrong, Gene (August 6, 1999). "World music's hot beat coming". Arizona Daily Star. p. 36E.
  11. ^ Sayani, Fateema (4 Aug 1999). "Son of Africa has a global message: Sam Mangwana to play at Wakefield's Black Sheep Inn tonight". Ottawa Citizen. p. C16.
  12. ^ a b Ross, Curtis (January 8, 1999). "Sam Mangwana, Galo Negro". FRIDAY EXTRA!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 15.
  13. ^ Cantor, Judy (June 11, 1998). "The Congo, by Way of Cuba". Music. Miami New Times.
  14. ^ Shepard, T. Brooks (Feb–Mar 2000). "Earworthy". American Visions. 15 (1): 49.
  15. ^ Seigel, Stephen (August 5, 1999). "NEGRO GOLD". Soundbites. Tucson Weekly.
  16. ^ a b "Sam Mangwana - Galo Negro Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  17. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Sam Mangwana". www.robertchristgau.com.
  18. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. pp. 472–473.
  19. ^ "Legendary African Musician Performs Congolese Soukous". Los Angeles Sentinel. No. 33. 15 Nov 2000. p. B4.
  20. ^ Feist, Daniel (27 June 1998). "Mangwana plays African ambassador". The Gazette. p. D11.
  21. ^ Ratliff, Ben (27 July 1999). "Africa and Cuba Meet in a Melody". The New York Times. p. E6.
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