DFC announces Soukous acts for WCMF 2014

A view of the WCMF
A view of the WCMF

The Dominica Festivals Committee (DFC) has announced a number of Soukous acts for the 2014 edition of the World Creole Music Festival.

The artistes coming from Africa will be Lokassa Ya Bongo, Ballou Canta, Dally Kimoko and Yondo Sister.

Lokassa Ya Bongo is a Congolese guitarist; born in Kinshasa, Africa.

He became famously known after he strung his guitar in two E strings creating a style called the Compose.

He created the Soukous Stars’ biggest seller only a few months later. Megamix Vol. 1, two medleys of old hits from West and East Africa set to the up-tempo rumba called soukous, earned instant fame for Lokassa and the band.

In the ensuing years Lokassa presided over a changing cast of characters, but his Soukous Stars survived.

Another medley of African hits, Soukous Attack from 1994, began to rival Megamix in popularity.

Over his more than thirty years experience as a musician, Lokassa has become one of the best-known Congolese rhythm guitarists, rivaled only by Bopol and Dechaud. His nimble fingers have paced a number of Kinshasa rumba classics and a variety of Paris soukous hits. He has also made his mark as a leader and arranger, contributing heavily to the evolution and outpouring of the Congolo-Paris sound.

Ballou Canta is a well-known Congolese musician in the diaspora for Congolese music. He is the most sought after musician to accompany numerous African singers and is also known for composing and producing music. He is originally from Congo – Brazzaville.

He founded the first Congo workers orchestra group: Tele-music. His first record, entitled ‘Sambala’ released in 1978 was a big hit in Congo. He has lived in France since the early 80s where he worked with many artists including Manu Dibango, Ray Lema, Lokua Kanza, Papa Wemba, Koffi Olomide and Oliver Ngoma. In 1990 he founded the Soukous Stars with Lokassa.

Dally Kimoko, one of the top guitarists to come from Africa and Yondo Sister who was also part of the Soukous Stars founded by Lokassa & Ballou, will add their own Soukous flavor to Dominica’s Pulsating Ryhthms of World Class Creole Music.

The 18th annual WCMF will be held, October 24-26, at the Windsor Park Stadium, Roseau, Dominica.

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18 Comments

  1. just saying
    July 27, 2014

    I would like to know if wck, midnight groovers, ophelia, or any other Dominican artist has had the chance to visit let alone perform in an African Music festival. Instead of providing a platform for local artists on island or from the neighbouring islands DFC are recruiting artists unknown to Dominican people for a Dominican based Creole festival…… should have just postponed this year’s festival. Wasting tax payers money

  2. Albert joseph
    July 26, 2014

    Braking News;I understood a successful Promoter in Foreign is planning a big Jam with a number of Dominican bands in foreign, at a location to be named, around the WCMF time,It’s going to be free,also to let the People get a taste of what some of the Dominican groups out there sound like.Stay Tuned.

  3. DJ
    July 25, 2014

    Do we have any performances for the Spanish populous in Dominica? We need to get them involved too.

  4. DJ
    July 25, 2014

    That’s gonna be hype

  5. no name
    July 25, 2014

    I will be home for the festival this year and I was disappointed when they changed the dates for the festival as it messes up my travel dates, but it looks like I will not be missing anything. I will enjoy creole in the park instead.

  6. X
    July 25, 2014

    Everyone knows that the best way to promote an annual event is to use the current event to showcase the next. That’s your best market right there.

    @Pedro, you couldn’t be more right. This thing needs some help! The best years of the festival were the beginning years and I think the vision died with Eddie! May his soul rest in eternal peace….

    So many Dominicans that can bring this thing to a resounding success! They have a man there now who cannot even shout. Putting ppl to sleep with a speech. Tell Piper come out there!

  7. ki
    July 24, 2014

    Happy that there are gonna be some soukous bands this year..that’s what festival is all about..they need to send for loketo…

  8. Commentry
    July 24, 2014

    Where alison hinds and Squareone I want that reunion

  9. dcamassive
    July 24, 2014

    Still no Nasio but ‘eat de dockside and cornflakes’ there.

  10. Simple
    July 24, 2014

    So no Grovers then!!!

  11. Jedi
    July 24, 2014

    FYI… Kinshasa is in The Democratic Republic of Congo which is a country in Africa.

  12. so what
    July 24, 2014

    why allu you doh bring dr sakis stupes

  13. JoJo
    July 24, 2014

    I thought this was a Creole Music festival, our own, and not an Africa Music Festival. I’m not going, even if they start to discount the tickets again. Nothing against African music but this is not the occasion for that.

    • Anonymous
      July 25, 2014

      Jojo! They don’t like us, here in London, they think West Indian got a better deal than them so they don’t like us :twisted people

  14. Anonymous
    July 24, 2014

    Last year’s line up was really exciting. There was an act that one wanted to see every night. But this year it’s like…… hmm I don’t even have a word to describe it.

  15. Faceup
    July 24, 2014

    Come on guys you people can do better than that, and is EXILE ONE reunion coming to the stage? hope they will..

  16. Brave Hart
    July 24, 2014

    Stupes. DFC needs to be investigated. Someone needs to explain to the public why are we getting these sub standard acts for the festival. We need a real top acts. This year festival acts are boring to say the least.

  17. Pedro
    July 24, 2014

    Why is the Commission still confirming the line up a mere 3 months before the festival? If this is being promoted to the World and the acts are supposed to be attractions to help patrons decide whether to attend, then timing matters! After almost 20 years in existence the WCMF lacks serious planning. For those who decide that they are going to the WCMF regardless, then fine, but for all others, these partial releases of information on confirmation is not good enough, and reflects poorly on the festival commission and Dominica!

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