PAPA WENDO

WENDO KOLOSOY (B. APRIL 25, 1925 - DIED JULY 28, 2008) "PAPA WENDO" WAS BORN IN MUSHIE IN THE NORTH WEST OF THE ACTUAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. HE IS CLAIMED TO BE THE FATHER OF MODERN CONGOLESE MUSIC AND THE DANSE CALLED THE "RHUMBA KINOISE". HE WAS ALSO A BOXER.
EX COMMUNICATED BY BELGIAN PRIESTS FOR HIS SUBVERSIVE WRITING, HE KNEW SUCCESS, PRISON, SOLITUDE AND MISERY. NEVERTHELESS THE "MONUMENT" AS HE WAS CALLED BY HIS PARTISANS; HE NEVER STRAYED FROM HIS DESTINY, AS THE IMAGE OF THE RIVER WHICH CRISS CROSSES THE COUNTRY.
A SELF TAUGHT GUITAR PLAYER; HE WAS THE FIRST TO MIX TRADITIONAL RHYTHM (ZEBOLA), LATIN MUSIC (THE CUBAN RHUMBA) AND THE WEST INDIES (MARTINIQUE) AND GAVE IT THE NAME OF THE ZAIROISE RUMBA (OR CONGOLESE RUMBA).
WENDO KOLOSOY'S MUSIC IS A SUBTLE MIXTURE OF INGREDIANTS DRAWN FROM AFRICA, HIS VOICE FORMED BY YEARS OF EXERICISE IN THE CREATION OF HIS SPECIAL SOUND.
HISTORY HAS IT THAT, WHILST A CHILD, HE SAW A VISION OF HIS DEAD MOTHER AND WAS DRAWN INTO MUSIC AND FORMED HIS FIRST SCHOOL SOMETIME AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL AT THE AGE OF ELEVEN. DENOUNCED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR THE FORCE OF ITS INFLUENCE AND ITS EMOTIONAL RITUAL EXCITEMENT, WENDO BROUGHT OUT A SONG CALLED MARIE LOUISE THAT SOLD SO WELL IN 1948 THAT IT BROKE ALL KNOWN SALES RECORDS. DESPITE BEING BANNED BY HIS OWN COUNTRY, THE SONG BECAME A PAN AFRICAN HIT.