Ben ' s Belinga with photograper Andreas Zacharatos during the 90 ' s
As composer and arranger , mixing African and modern sounds with the dexterity of an alchemist , Ben ' s was the archetype of the shadow worker contributing to the success of groups like Touré Kunda with whom he worked and arranged the wind instruments section of the famous West African group for 7 years . After the Toure Kunda adventure Ben ' s Belinga will get together with other former Toure Kunda musicians , to contribute to Kaoma ' s adventure , notably Chico ( bassist , native of Martinique ), Jacky ( guitarist , native of Guadeloupe ), Jean- Claude ( keyboardist , originally from Toulouse ), Michel ( drums and percussion ) as well as Fania Niang ( a Senegalese chorister ). Loalwa Braz Brazilian singer already quite well known in Brazil for a fairly solid solo career , will join this team produced by the French Olivier Lorsac .
Although Lambada ultimately turns out to be an illicit cover of the song Llorando se fue , by the Bolivian group of Andean music Los Kjarkas the flute being replaced by the rifts of the accordion ; despite the controversy of this song , Kaoma will go from success to success in the 90s with 3 albums Worldbeat ( 1989 ) Tribal-Pursuit ( 1990 ) A La Media Noche ( 1998 ).
Still in the 90s , for two years Ben ' s will stay in the United States under the invitation of the Cameroonian guitarist Vincent Nguini who at the time was the conductor of the musician Paul Simon . The United States , country of jazz par excellence . Based in Washington D . C ., he realizes that the heritage transmitted by Africa is not only vast but essential . He finds Africa everywhere : both in black American music ( jazz , soul …) and in Afro Caribbean music , or Afro Brazilian music ( Salsa , Calypso , Samba ).
32 Flashmag ! Issue 126 February 2022