Tchico Tchicaya, La Voix d’Or
Tchico Tchicaya · La Voix d’Or · Congo · 1990 · CBS
Who is Tchico Tchicaya
His real name is Denis Pambou Tchicaya, born near Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). He is a singer, guitarist, composer and arranger of Congolese rumba and soukous, singing in Lingala.
His career, according to the biographies I found:
1970: begins as a singer in Brazzaville with the band Manta Lokoka. From 1972: joins Les Bantous de la Capitale, one of Brazzaville’s most important orchestras, as one of the solo singers. Sources disagree on when he left: 1974 or 1976. Late 1970s: lives in Nigeria (around 1976/77–1979) and records four albums there, with afrobeat influences. This is where the nickname “la voix d’or” takes hold, along with “le rossignol de Pointe-Noire”, which is in fact the title of track 3 on side 1. With Mavoungou Lolo Lolita he forms a duo (one source says from 1981) and records one of his big hits, Jeannot, considered a classic. 1983: moves to Paris, before many other Congolese musicians, and records for various labels. His band changes names often: Afro Festival, Les Evadés de Ponton la Belle, Les Officiers de la Musique Africaine. The album Soukous Machine came out in 1987. Early 1990s: according to one source, his star begins to fade. In 1990 he tours Australia with Passi Jo. From 1999 to 2005 he lives in Australia and founds Warako Musica with Passi Jo, then returns to France. More recently he is reported to lead Maya-Maya Musica.
What the object tells us:
“Spécial 1990” places the release in 1990, during his Paris period, shortly before the decline some sources mention. The title La Voix d’Or is his historic nickname, so it looks like a compilation or “celebratory” release rather than a concept title. “Le Rossignol de Pointe-Noire” likewise evokes his city and his legend. The track “Congo-Zaïre Show” names both banks of the river together, which makes sense for a musician from Brazzaville who grew up in the scene shared with Kinshasa (Zaire reverted to the name Congo in 1997).
Covers
Tracklist
Side A
- Africa Vcarnaval (sic)
- Congo-Zaïre Show
- Le Rossignol de Pointe-Noire
Side B
- Escale aux Antilles
- Pamela
- Fleur des Tropiques
- Loango