Zengue Fever

"Is Zengue the new Tsonga Disco?" - that is the question on the lips of all of us here at Leggies HQ. As for the answer, only time will tell.

I was in Musicanova in Brussels the other week when my eye was caught by this CD:

It took me a while to work out that the Jack Palance referred to was not the notorious Hollywood tough guy but, presumably, the rather dapper dude with the stick. But by then I was sufficiently intrigued by the promise of "Zengue full option" to buy the CD anyway.

The CD is from Cameroon and, from what little information I have been able to find on the Web, zengue is a variant on makossa which first started in the mid 1990s. I assume from the reference to "The Best Soukouss" that it is a mix of traditional Cameroonian makossa and Congolese soukous, but if anyone knows more please share.

The CD features six tracks each from Jack Palance (probably not the name his parents gave him) and D.J. Ballas (likewise). Here is one apiece:

"Kibinda - Dance" - Jack Palance

"Tomba" - D.J. Ballas

As a bonus, here is a nifty little ditty from Mighty Sparrow inspired by the original Jack Palance:

"Jack Palance" - Mighty Sparrow

Back to the zengue to finish. Here is Mpande Star with his very own "Zengue Militaire". It is really rather jolly.