Awela-Awela (Franco) - Franco & le T.P. O.K. Jazz 1988

This was probably recorded in the 51st week of 1988. It is on the same record side as Lukoki ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IS-a0Ze8Bw ). Basically, it is an unfinished track and Franco was not involved in the mixing of it, otherwise the electronic drums might not have ended up so blatantly prominent in the mix.

On vocals, we hear Franco and Ntesa Dalienst. On bass: Mpudi Decca, rhythm guitar probably Dizzy Mandjeku. But the main reason I posted this is the last two and a half minutes, because when Franco starts to play that guitar, everything becomes bearable.

In the clip, we see the sleeve of the original LP, Sam Mangwana only enters on side B so cannot be heard here. The corrections on the sleeve were made by Dizzy Mandjeku: A1 is Lukoki (and not Lukoli) by Franco, A2 is Awela-Awela by Franco and not by Decca Mpundi, B1 is Aziza by Dizzy Mandjeku and not by Franco, B2 is Decca by Mpudi Decca and not by Dizzi Mandjeku.

The concert pictures were taken in the early morning of Sunday, December 25th, 1988 (so probably only a few days after the song was recorded) in Salle Concert Noble in Brussels.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Franco
• Rumba
• Zaire
• Africa
• TPOKJazz

[larryboy1995]

Well there were 2 tours, TPOK jazz being the most popular band in kenya then. The All Africa games were in 1987, and Franco was the opening (or closing) act. The previous tour was '86 or late '85, I think.

[AboubacarSiddikh]

Anyway, in January 1989, he said he had been ill for 8 months.

[larryboy1995]

Surprising how much weight Franco had already lost by this time, just a short 15 months after his Nairobi tour when he was still his old self...

[AboubacarSiddikh]

I think you missed a year, the Nairobi tour was 1986, wasn't it?

[otiipiach72]

indeed these must be some of last recordings.... to me it was like he was bidding us bye bye.......