The Guitar Improvisation of Mwenda Jean Bosco (Part II) Author(s): David Rycroft Source: African Music, Vol.

3, No. 1 (1962), pp. 86-102 Published by: International Library of African Music Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30250162 Accessed: 28/05/2010 14:43
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86

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATION OF MWENDA JEAN BOSCO (Part II)

by
DAVID RYCROFT Threeof MwendaJeanBosco's earliest of recorded and two versions pieces,Bombalaka recorded in Jadotville, in 1952,wereconsidered Masanga, Katanga, byMr.Hugh Tracey in partI of thisarticle'. Ten moreof Bosco's recorded willbe considered guitar-songs here: 1. Namlia-e Gallotone G.B. 1588T. 2. SokuchomaleJikita G.B. 1587T. G.B. 1586T. 3. Tambala Moja 4. MamaKilio-e G.B. 1728. 5. Susanah G.B. 1781. 6. Mamana Mwana G.B. 1700T. 7. Kutembea kwa Wengi C.O. 82. 8. Usichukie C.O. 82. 9. Mwami G.B. 1781. 10. Mnkabe G.B. 1789. Since Part I wentto press I have stillhad no definite news of Bosco's present whereabouts evidence RhodesianBosco-fan who froma Northern apartfrom hearsay believesthatBosco is notin Tanganyika in PartI) butin Leopoldville, (as I suggested and who reports thata number of new Bosco recordings are availablein N. Rhodesia outin theend It mayofcourseturn and arefrequently to be heardovertheradiothere. thatit is onlyBosco's recorded African whichhas made thesewidespread personality whiletheartist all along. hasremained inhisnative himself tours, Jadotville In myview,none of the tenpieceslistedabove risesto quitethe samedegreeof excellence as Bosco's first forwhat they however, Masanga.They are all of interest, reveal of the different facetsof his style.Severalof theselatersongs have distinct affinities with Masanga-melodic figureseitherdirectly borrowedor more faintly of ones in Masanga. Its songtext-though Namlia-e is closestin thisrespect. suggestive notitsvocal notes-consistslargely of a rearrangement linesplusa few of theMasanga mama"-I am weeping(or longing)for "namlia-e interpolations, notablythe refrain: him (or her), mother. It does not emergeclearly, untilthe end, who the object of lamentation or longing is. Butin thelaststanzaBesco seemsto refer actually specifically to his father. occursagain in Sokuchomale Longingor lamentation Moja Jikita(line 6), Tambala (lines4, 6 and 7), MamaKilio-e (first line). Some light-hearted line),and Susanah (first three'sa crowd" (when walkingout)-is offered in philosophy-"two's company, Kutembea "Don't leave your Usichukie bringsa moreobscureadmonition: kua Wengi. owncountry; a stranger shouldstay athome!"It is notclear orforeigners which foreigner are herebeingreferred to-or was it perhaps thefield-recording team? The latter two songs are recorded as vocal duets.The secondvoice is seemingly also Bosco's own, presumably in dubbed in later.The partsproceedalmostentirely thirds. parallel VocalMelody. Thereare strong forasserting in all Bosco's guitar that, songs,thevoice grounds theguitar, rather Bosco's choiceof vocal notesis thanthereverse. really accompanies
1

Vol.2 no.4, 1961, pp.81-98, Music, Afriran

THE

GUITAR

IMPROVISATIONS

OF MWENDA

JEAN BOSCO

87

S 128 U.. S(Gllotone G

N AM L I a0.

A- E GBI588T)

Jean Borco Moends (Tranocribed by Rycroft)

"

-/

"

--

/--

2Vocl

~ 0A.6 I 71 19 NJ,. Pk
12

I mI

13

"'- . A.,0.*,., ,
4
Nami Pa Mie:1!~ yetu Jrndotville,Uead e

ur

IGui tar
ALil

11
_____________________18-2.5

1_

VocaI

4 -, V W m 1 T3 tr_4 Nealiaa aea, ,o.-, y ' i

Goitar

8' 1'.0

r t

nail-a-

s,

Nelie-

r"i

a o

ne e.,,

olia - o

ep I"'

* Capotasta fitted at fifth fret, has been transposed accordingly,

i.e. i.e.

sounding should

one fourth higher than written. sound one fifth lover (key C).

Vocal

line

from thefact that his vocal and stereotyped. This seemsto arisedirectly rather restricted a kindofdescant, tethered to thecycleofharmonic dictated linesarereally progressions harmonic schemes followed in thevarious The rudimentary by theguitar bytheguitar. of themelodicline,particularly on thefreedom when,as in piecesimposeseverelimits start at precisely thesame and end,respectively, someofthesongs,vocal phrases always to the harmonic scheme. relation in points schemes consistalwaysof a shortsequenceof guitarchordsor Bosco's harmonic of either or at mostfourbars,in the brokenchords,witha set duration two, three, is moreor less exactly variouspieces. The chosensequenceof progressions repeated melodicline naturally results thepiece,and a rather stultified whenvocal throughout to therangeofnotesallowedbythislimited series ofchords. This aretiedclosely phrases the in and in is noticeable Mama kwa Kilio-e, Kutembea Usichukie, particularly Wengi,

88
(N.II t-e

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

2)

37 guitar

38

39

40

41

((
Vocal
4442

j
444

(44&48)
(see 4 belo

(45) ,j

kvendipiadia Vocal

ya kapsnga,

O umwambi-e ende

a-rudle

leo.

Namlia-

mama, noalia-

{uitr

rtr
ea l 35 45

P-

50

51

Go

0 maa moult.bob. ase,

Wo -a--Idapa k ko

_.

**

. _.

fl%14'faio-

o4N

4--

In mytranscribed extract from for MamaKilio-e, Masanga song(see partI ofthisarticle). theharmonic one: / CG / FG /. All vocalphrases scheme is a two-bar in the instance, on quaver6 or 7 of an even-numbered bar-G harmony-and end on song commence thefourth bar-G harmony is quaverof thenexteven-numbered again. Slightvariety after bar the into two each halves. But even half 16, so, by dividing phrase provided stillbeginsand endson a G-chord, and thefinal noteused by thevoice overthischord is alwaysB. in theVocalLine. Variety In some of the othersongs Bosco achievesgreater most oftennot by variety, the harmonic but by varying the pointsat whichthe vocal phrase scheme, changing starts and ends in relation to the harmonic In Sokuchomale whichhas ostinato. Jikita, four-bar thevocal line at first followsthisphrasing / D / C / D / G / harmony, fourtwo-barvocal phraseseach startin an oddexactly(bars 21 to 28). The first

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATIONS

OF MWENDA JEAN BOSCO

89

I all!
L I

- 1

81

Kiss.8.

82

83

84

be

1 "

kku

anatu

i.kvede.

nVaLt-

nab.o

aii*Cto

;:4tarh

bar (or itspreceding numbered and end in an even-numbered one,so thattheir up-beat) is alternately the / D / C / and / D / G /. But thereafter, underlying harmony shortened at theend of bar 28 and endingin an odd-numbered bar, phrasecommencing no. 29, reverses theprocess, so that from hereto bar 35 thevocal phasesproceedabove without / G / D / and / C / D / harmony any changehavingtakenplace in the ostinato. The nextvocal entry to theoriginal orderagain, (bars57 to 60) returns guitar witha long four-bar phrasewhichobservesthebasic / D / C / D / G / cycleof After thiswe find an eight-bar barsconsisprogression. phraseofwhichmorethanfive ofa sustained to Western ears. highD-the Dominant, Between thedeviceofshifting bars31 and 37 in Tambala Moja,Bosco againemploys thevocal phrasein relation to theharmonic and in Bombalaka scheme, (see partI) both This occursfrom bar21 onwards, thevoiceand theguitar sucha shift. together operate It has ofcourse whenan earlier off-beat from theguitar figure partis givenprominence. accentuation in theguitar thatBosco introduces stretches of shifted been notedearlier whilethe underlying metrical schemeremains intactand little bass solos of Masanga, alteration to theharmonic takes sceme place(PartI, p. 83). themselves-the within thevocalphrases In mostofthesongstherhythm grouping of beats-is unenterprising withwhathappenson of quavers,or subdivision compared of sequencesof regularquaver the guitar.The vocal phrasesconsistalmostentirely with crotchets. The metrewhichthe single straight four-square dupletsinterspersed is usuallyin completeagreement with the underlying vocal line maintains metrical framework set up by the "roughly scheme-i.e. withthatrepetitive constant cycleof of the guitarist's lefthand,whichwas referred to in Part I in fingering operations" withMasanga connection (see p. 82). The voice seldomgoes in forcross-accentuation In SokuchomaleJikita liketheguitar. and Susanah somevocal syncopation does occur, but with what is in the thismainly upperguitar keeps step happening part.However,in

90
*

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

. 128 M.U. SOKUCHOMALE JIKITA 1587) (Gallotome o1neo M*ndrlA Jl-n I. Rycrort) (Tr.

Uuitar*

F-

r
-_
S--

Percussionin

introduction)

hu-

ki-z-

m-

dii-

no

cha

i-

-a

ko-le;i-

to

(guitar

solo

aS

Na-mu-li-

-a,

na- mu-l-

-a

iyo

ma-

ma

nu

bo-

ma.

3etc..4

W-A-

---d

- --n------0

mta bosll. ma-mas

fo8 Ayu obrr

aam fourth higher thn writtes SCapotast at 5th fret, i.e. sounding accordingly, i.e. should sosad fifth lowera Vocal line ham been trnauposed bottle) continues the seme phrase throughout. Guitar Percussion (struck repeate phrase of bars 5 to 8 during vocal.

yq nbooaCto~o

which ofall thesongs,thevocal lineplaystwos MamanaMwana, has theraciest rhythm threes withtheguitar against partfora lot of thetime. Many of Bosco's songs, but not all, seem to employa Hepta-Do mode, i.e. the common diatonic end with thevocal phrases Western majormode.But in MamaKilio-e a Western musicfeelsto be theDominant, Cadence,i.e, on whatin Western Imperfect
Modalityand Harmony.

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATIONS

OF MWENDA JEAN BOSCO

MwendaJoan Boeco (Tr. D. Rycroft)

91

148 MM.

TANBALAMOJA. (Gallotone GB 1586T)

Vocal

Namsumba Gui tar

Percussion
z Ki-tambala m a5 Guitar a-lmu fungi b 1 aIi ba(le)

-"2.3

r.
vr e

T ' .

fl

..

.11E na Ma- ma zl -nsumb s ta -ki awm Muvwala NA-ba-Ya-

o 13
Ki-tambala $~ Guitarsolo

.. . ..15
eo-ja wi-fnngi yo haliaba'{lo).

16

* Capotasta at the fifth fret, i.e. sounding one fourth higher than written. The vocal line ham been transposed accordingly, i.e. should sound one fifth lower. Despite the regularity of the 3+3+2 rhythmic pattern in the guitar part for the first 15 bars, an all-embracing I time signature is shown at the head - all within 8-quaof the piece owing to variations of rhythm ver units - which occur after bar 15.

nottheTonic. The songcouldthusbe saidto employ a Hepta-Solmode-diatonicwith flatSeventh(the key of G, but withF natural insteadof F sharp,for example).In on theother Tambala hand,thephrases resolveon our Subdominant Moja and Mnkabe, a Hepta-Solmode-diatonicwithsharpFourth(the keyof G with chord,suggesting instead ofC natural). C sharp hereaffords with Mmkabe interesting comparison Namlia-e. almost The twos(ingsaremelodically identical fortheir Namlia-e except modality, using C natural uses C sharp. (Hepta-Do mode)whereMnkabe MamaKilio-e, Tambala all theothersongsappearto Apartfrom Moja and Mnkabe, use the commonWestern Major mode,Hepta-Do. Theirphrasesresolve-to Western witha Perfect ears-onto Tonic chords, cadence(Dominant-Tonic) a or, occasionally, I have borrowedWestern harmonic terms here Plagal cadence(Subdominant-Tonic).

92
(Tambala Woja - 2)

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

Vocal

10
0 Ma-ma 0 nasli-a

21
Boa-co-;

31

saulia,mama nmlaa,

Mamanamlia Guitar

tas&,

namlia

Bosco,

nasmlisa ucndo mamamuvWalamabsya.

79"80

81

o,

9p

-'

8248
4 p

arim

4a

for economy of description.It should not be inferred, however, that the scale of values which Bosco may attachto harmonic relationshipssuch as Tonic/Dominant, or Perfect cadence, etc., is necessarilyidentical with conventional Western feelings towards such phenomena. Bosco's GuitarStyle. Similaritieshinted at earlier,between Namlia-e and the original Masanga song, are not confined to the vocal line alone. Namlia-e on firsthearing sounds ratherlike an additional set of variations on the Masanga theme,but theirharmonic schemes are not two-barscheme-D / A-minor,D / G (as transcribed the same. Masanga's rudimentary in Part I) is replacedin Namlia-e by a four-bar sequence: G / D, D / A-minor,D / D, D / G. Nevertheless,there are several places where melodic phrases are very close to some of those in Masanga. Compare, for example, bars 31-35, 71-73 and 79-80 of Namlia-e with bars 7 and 8 of Masanga (guitar solo version). reminiscent of Masanga's The Namlia-e bass solo, of bars 49 to 57, is rhythmically second bass solo (from bar 37, guitar solo version) with its 3 + 3 + 2 organisation. Melodically, however, it is not a directborrowing fromMasanga, but arises out of the evident frombar 5 (thirdbeat) to bar earliersubsidiaryG-B-D bass figurewhich is first 6 (first beat). This figurerecurseveryodd bar frombar 13 onwards, and alternateswith a contrastingA-D-G progression. These earlier bass figures,marked by slurs in the are used antiphonallyagainst the treble melody of the guitar, somewhat transcription, afterthe fashion of "breaks" in jazz. When developed into an independentbass solo, however, the position of these notes in the bar is slightlyaltered. There is preparation for this by some fillingup, in bar 49. Organic development of an earlier latent figure into a secondarymain themein this way was of course also evident in Bombalakaand in the second bass solo of Masanga. In Sokuchomale Jikita the short ascending bass figure,G to C, in bar 129 is not treble figure,G to C, of bar 1. derived in this way but seems to mirrorthe descending Similarly,in Tamba!a Moja the G to D bass ascent of bar 83 may be regarded as an inversion of the initial trebledescent of bar 1.

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATIONS

MlAMAllO-I

OF MWENDA JEAN BOSCO

93

r . Is3 .M.M Gutar ruk I.--

0b IT8) (0aotete2e

Mwemda Joan Bosac (Yr. D. Rycroft)

r_~-r-

8 IPp.. .FpI

14P

%SL-A

A
0 a- ma
L

dr t -I - I
klli-o na-lia--li-a
L

ki-ll-o

- e;

Iawma

z'-I

..
u-k-li-.
-.ca-

.,I
kill-

I--%.
a -

si-kiti-ka
__

J-

Mama
*L - '-- 1

ki-li-.
i 7r

na-iruba
-

ie-n

kill-

%%

n;

Ma-

-ma

kili-

o-

e,

Mai- -ma RI

kili-o (Guitar

-e, solo as

Ma-

rca

c-i9
TA WI

rr k-li-o- ,

"7 -.. -.,__

Ma-

, i
ma

:-:
J.

2a -a.

._

::

ha-r~etssq.)

eta...

ki-li-

SCapotanta

Voeal line

t 6th fret, i.e. sounding one fourth hibghr tha wrritten. trusponed accordingly, i.e. souading one fifth lower,

scalepassagesin thetreble seemto be one of Bosco's favourite devices. Descending The Masangathemeitself of course,of two such descents-an arrested consists, one, in the transcription). followedby a completeone fromG to G (as transposed An offouror fivenotesturns initial descending figure up in theguitar partof mostof his in Namlia-e, Sokuchomale, Moja, and Mnkabe-butalso songs,mostnoticeably Tarmbala in moredisguised as in Mwami. sometimes form, Metrical Organisation. metrical schemeof Masangawhich,as was suggested The underlying in Part I, its roots in Luba to have tribal dancemusic, is to be foundin many of Bosco's appears flamework is physically otherpieces. The eight-quaver bound up with a roughly of constant lefthand, as was operations cycle fingering performed by the guitarist's this Within thedistribution dercribed earlier. ofaccents, andthegrouping of framework, or mixedrhythmic is frequently altered-and at quaversinto duplet,triplet, figures or in somepiecescontinuously, treble andbassgivetheimpression ofmaintaining times, linesofphrasing which areoffset twocontrasted onefrom theother.

94

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

SSUS0ANAl .(GlllotonG781A) Mvenda Jean loseo D. Rycroft)

VocL

I
a

"Ma

Su-

~ it-

727r
nah. amas
i.

as-

Su-

sa-

nab.

Voca

Mi na-to-ka

Jadot- vill

Mi komve bile

mi na-tumi-ka be me-b.

Su-

sa-

nah.

Ma-mone i.e. fourth should

nah
higher sound than one writtem. fifth lFoc.

* Capotamta at 5Sth fret, i.e. sounding in accordance, Vocal line trannposed

The guitarparts of all the songs dealt with in these articlesare based on an eightquaver scheme of this kind, with the exception of Mama na Mwana and Mwvami-where the foundation is regular compound time with tripletsubdivision of the beats-and which could be said to employ regular2/4 with syncopation. SokuchomaleJikita,

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATIONS

OF MWENDA JEAN BOSCO

Mvenda Jean Bosco

95

tare tui

168 ,M..

GB1TOO) (Gallotone

NA MYANA MAMA

(transcribed

Translosed

* fourth hirher. ke F)(capotasta itted a fifth fret)

GUITAR (transposed

Maaa nav a -

tumbana

to

ja-li

hi

avan

Ito

jali

VICE

162

31 3B4

j-tel;

Mama na
Mas

v irtu.baa
mitan peihan

t.

jali

i m Otel.

W Ap 10, 0 IF
ni m Ldana ftaipt)

na

tipatckiFna

kwen1s;

Apart from these exceptions, the eight-quaver frameworkforms the basis of all the other songs considered here. In some pieces the main bass notes fall on the first and fifth quavers, except in some of the variations-particularlybass solo passages. This can be seen in the two Masangas or in Namlia-e and Mnkabe.Bass solos in these threepieces often bring into prominence not the firstand fifth, but the firstand fourthquavers, togetherwith eitherthe sixth or seventh,since 3 + 2 + 3 or 3 + 3 - 2 grouping is used in place of the standard4 -- 4 bass organisation-see Masanga solo, bars 37-47, or Namlia-e, bars 50-56. In Mama Kilio-e,and in Kutembea and Tambala Moja, however, we have a kwa Wengi

96
VOICE ITPill-

AFRICAN

MUSIC

SOCIETY

JOURNAL

ILf%#-"

iiLA-k

II

S
27

kwend'a, Mapar

_o 28

Ma-ma

Mamna, Mama, 29

30

Mama- Mama. 31

GUTAR

(as

27)

(as

28)

--A

A
Nauvana, ku-ye Ieyo twendo ba-ye-ke; Nammana ku-ya leyn twende

S(guitar
VOICE

simile to bar 50)

44
Mam 53 , Manc, 54 Ma-, 55-0

---

4
a-y

Mama-, Mama-, 61-62 63-64

----------6 (as

TAR52

6)

of thisprocedure. standard bass organisation is not a 4 + 4 reversal f-eretheinitial, withmainnoteson thefirst and fifth quaversas in Masanga grouping, e-c.,mentioned 3 - 3 -- 2. The mainbassnotesfallregularly on thefirst, fourth and above,buta regular variation is laterprovidedby changingto 4 -- 4 seventhquavers. But temporary Moja, bar 16 et seq.). usingquavers1 and 5 (see Tambala grouping, in Bombalaka Fromthewayin whichI have placed thebar-lines (see PartI) and of beingexceptional in thattheir main thesetwo piecesgive theimpression Usichukie, theapparent mainbeat.It might havebeenmore bass notesare consistently off perhaps of theother as follows, in keeping withmytreatment piecesifI had scoredBombalaka with thebar-lines thanthey in thefulltranscription. placedone quaverearlier appear BOMBALAKA-an alternative transcription. F

p-

.R"
-

.. IL-,

rl

r-.

...

3
. .

>

T--'-V-l
M -etcb

etc.
Marie Jo - m'a& kwambia ke -ye bwaua yemgu,

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATIONS

OF MWENDA JEAN BOSCO

Jean Mwenda Homes (Transcription by David Itycroft)

97

184

.M.

kUTEMBEA (Gallotone

KWA WLNGI CO. 82)

Vocal

Guitar
SAt

I'

phae lae o~. fe-)r 1

.m',-

yrii-ebttl ttreryree 1
r+-..-

ihs

ci sth
r c rin ,

repae

xctytruh fbrsI

,-...y

-i

],tbt,'+

th.

to-rprse

For the recording, this piece was played with a capotasta fitted at the fifth
fret, i.e. sounding one fifth lower than written here. The vocal line has phrase, ieredI played by etrikine rsposiet.n a bottle with a stick, is repeated exactly through-

li k-z hkfuS
an
a

etc.,*

of the recording. esornct

indicated Scoredin the manner line and the vocal above, both the guitartreble fallone quaveroff thebeatthroughout thepiece.As a listner, it is difficult to phrasing ofbarring as beingthecorrect ofthis form one for conceive becausethevocal Bombalaka line and the treblemelodyof the guitarare so convincingly phrasedthatit requires ofwill-power not to acceptthem as expressing themainmetrical scheme. quiteand effort The illusionis particularly as an strongsincethe bass nevercomesinto prominence and at one pointBosco evenforsakes it entirely-between metre, accentually expressed bars37 and 44 in thetranrcription thepieceon the (see PartI). Butifone tries playing who manages better thanI can,has finally me guitar-and AndrewTracey, persuaded

98
*a 144 M.M.

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

USICHUKIE (Gallotone CO.82) Jean Boace Mwend& (Transcription by
David Ryeroft)

II GUITAR
(CUpotasta .E , ,

I
W,

at oth fret) ERCUSSIO

CUSSI ON%

OF

0+

L.

7 ! ]/ Tb+

wjl
VOCC;

II

OF

-ni

A 01 1

a-

ki-fika

kunyumba-

ni.

1 a

1 1 1 -1 i PrT
i

-+

WL -1 >I
one fourth higher than written. i.e. sounding fret, in accordance with the guitar here been transposed fifth lower than written. Actual pitch should be one scoring. stands out are than the second voice strongly In the guitar part, are prominent. G-F-E etc. initial i.e. the highest notes, variants are used in the the following of the verse In repetitions 13 and 141 Bare 5 and 6 replace let repeat: guitar parts and 14. and 2 13 I Bars 2nd repeat: replace accidental indicates bars 10 and 11, the superscript In the vocal line, the notes lying between B and B flat in pitch. slight flattening, Capotasta The vocal at fifth line has

themainmetrical scheme does in fact butfeelthat on thispoint-one cannot lic inone's and thatonlythebass is onthebeat. fingers, seemto be usedantiphonally thetreble In Usichukie thetwo-note bassfigures against to them at a distance and thevocal phrases, and to standin polymetric relation melody In mytranscription of Usichukie whichaccompanies thepresent of halfa bar measure. I was swayedby themoreprominently metre article givenout by thevoice expressed

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATIONSOF MWENDA JEANBOSCO

S118 MM. MAMI (Gallotone GIT8118) Boeat iwead JesD (Transcription by David Rycroft)

99

Vocal
K1lGuitar

/3

sandi

we-

1tle

1o,

41-

we- le

Fe

a-

yo

u- t-

va-

b-

di

18 r kubga, Kal-

t
sandi we- Is lo.

sounding one fourth higher them writtee. The vocal lies Capotests at fifth fret, i.e. has been transposed in accordance with the guitar scoring. Actual pitch should be one lower than written, Guitar and percussion fifth (bottle struck with a stick) repeat the phrase shown in bars 5 and 8 throughout the vocal extract shoewnhere.

= 168 U.M.

Introduction from guitar "M N KA1 B EN (Gallotono GB.1780)

usng M[ooNdeJeas fBoec (Tr. D. Rycroft)

(cf.
SCapetasta at fifth

"Namlia-e"
fret, i.e.

)
sounding oea fourth higher thn wrttt+e.

et..

treble line.It wouldprobably be moreconsistent to base thebarring and theguitar on would fallin themiddleof mypresent the bass again here,in whichcase thebar-line

bar measure.

metrical schemepieces, two of Bosco's Apart fromthesevarious eight-quaver and Mwami, havea fixed guitar songs,MamanaMwana compound duplebass organisasubdivisions of thebeat. Off-beat tionin theguitar orientation of the part,withtriple linein relation to thebass is permanent in boththesepieces,butthevocal treble guitar the principal metre metre agreeswiththe mainbeats of the bass and, consequently, whiletheguitar comesto prominent hereactually treble lineis theonly"odd expression, to it. A fewfurther relation man out", in syncopated remarks about Bosco's off-beat article. willbe addedattheendofthepresent phrasing of Mama na Mwanais the quaverdupletgrouping feature One interesting in the vocal line, whichholds out againstthe guitar'striplet subdivisions of the beat. At

100

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

voice and guitar certain fortriplets-asin bars points, swop over-exchanging duplets 16 and 21. Bottle Rhythms. underdiscussion, In six of thesongsat present an additional touchis suppliedby "bottlerhythm", thepercussion accomaccompaniment-a by an anonymous provided on an empty bottlewitha stick.His commonest in the bottlerhythm, plice striking is one or other version of that various "standard pieces, pan-African pattern":

1 4j 4 1:

444: jjjj:11

thissamepattern occurs in itssixteen-quaver-length as a "stickrhythm" form2. Precisely in two itemsof Luba tribaldance musicfromBosco's area (recorded on Gallotone kwa Wengi the bottlerhythm is phrasedin the G.B. 1581 T). WithBosco's Kutembea and one measureon the beats, alternately. mannershown above: one measureoff, In Sokuchomale versionof thispattern, Moja the otherwell-known Jikitaand Tambala is employed as a bottlerhythm. thatwith7/8 + 9/8 phrasing, Dependingon whether a singlemainmetrical scheme the music-such as or not one presupposes underlying to Bosco's fingering thatpertaining cycleon theguitar-this mayof coursebe pattern two ways. From the uppermost scoredin eitherof the following of the two transtherelationship of thisversion of thepattern to theversion shownearlier can criptions most clearly be seen. They mayin factbe regarded as two different of the phrasing samepattern.

),
b,.)

8 r F lr r prnI rr r IIlIF lr r r r +,F

is a shorter, form of thistypeofpattern For thesongMwami twelve-quaver-length ofthe the6/16half as 6/16 + 3/8.It maybe notedthat usedas a bottle rhythm, phrased tha bass notes(whichexpress and theguitar hereagreeswiththevocal phrasing pattern while the 3/8 halfagreesmore or less with the off-beat main metrical framework) of theguitar treble line. phrasing madeup in3 + 2 + 3 hasa less subtle, bottle Usichukie rhythm, eight-quaver-length as 3 + 3 + 4 has a rapidsixteen-semiquaver-length Susanah pattern, grouped grouping. 2 which almost with the treble + 4, + exactly agrees guitar's phrasing-butthelatter fromthebass within the measure, beingin stepwitheach downbeat. onlysyncopates thisbottlerhythm is suggestive of the commonCuban pattern Though muchfaster, Rumbaclavesfigure:

and occursagain withtwo of Bosco's latersongs,Mbele The same pattern ya Kuenda I consideration. which from have omitted Kutembea present Njiani, orPolymetre? Syncopation vexed raisesa rather and polymetre Whereto drawthelinebetween syncopation conventionally "Syncopation" question-or do we need to reviseour terminology?
in African to by Dr. Jones. See A. M. Jones:Studies has frequently been referred 'This pattern Music, OUP, 1959, pp. 210-213. in Yoruba Music", African See also Anthony Music,Vol. 2, No. 3, 1960, pp. 51-54. King: "The StandardPattern

lf:+ 4. bj

4J ,+,J+
s

THE GUITAR IMPROVISATIONS OF MWENDA JEAN BOSCO

101

the usuallyby an upperpartand usuallyonlytemporarily--within impliesdeviation, measures-from an established measure or extending overnot morethantwo or three seemsto cover maintained and continuing "main"metre by another part."Polymetre" that there is on a but without scale, asserting necessarily predominance divergence larger of one overtheother or others. from whichthe a givenpiecehas in facta single"main" metre, Decidingwhether and one over is a difficult which of often the other question, phrasing partsdiverges, has summarised themain P. Merriam has in thepastbeen somecontroversy-A. there It seemsthat in much ofdissention in his"African Music South Sahara3. points ofthe aptly of a "main"metrical scheme which evidence African and in somejazz, one finds music, are is givenlittleor no accentual whilethe various"off-beat" phrasings prominence, coveredbytheterm that seemto be satisfactorily so convincingly hardly expressed they Lambert noted something of sense. Constant restricted in its normal, "syncopation" bands thiskindin jazz whenhe wrote, 'thirties: "In (American) in theearly Negrojazz thantheunderlying theirregular are givenso muchmoreweight cross-accents pulse, . . ."4. that themetrical framework therhythmic obscure almost completely arabesques his framework-and, succeedsin entirely Bosco, of course,frequently obscuring or apparent metres off-set beyondthis,in jugglingwith two divergently phrasings case in some other also be the this one fears,possibly simultaneously-and might, as polymetric, African musicwhichhas initially the non-African struck investigator without anysinglemainorganising principle. framework The questionof the presence or absenceof a single"main" metrical or not thisactually of whether it seems,safely be answered on the criterion cannot, comes to overtexpression accentuation. Playingany of Bosco's tunesfor through tiedup with therepetitive oftheframework oneself on theguitar, onebecomes conscious as a basicunifying butbe felt hand.This cannot in theleft cycleoffingering operations it comesintoprominence or not,in one or other whether ofthetunes, through principle in many of accent it cannot be expressed-ashappens Sometimes temporarily placement. the thepieces,and permanently in Bombalaka-without spoiling deceptive completely subtleties of theseemingly in theupperparts. phrasings independent a form ofsyncopationbe regarded as basically Bosco's rhythmic technique might farenough-but one in which or "off-beat if"syncopation" willnot stretch phrasing", ofthe obscured in favour themainmetrical or completely framework is at times partially to as as a such off-set line or lines,whichare often in individual, way pose phrased "main beats" is metres in theirown right.But theproblemof invisible independent still a bitofa strain on ourpresent terminology.
Editor's far asweknow, these arethe broad details ofMwenda's movements. Note.--As hisfirst with He wasworking as a junior andthrough clerk at a 'pasport' I discovered office in Jadotville when me, him, recordings of'Masanga' career. and'Mama na Mwana' hewaslaunched on a part musical time especially a jobas where in 1953heobtained to Jadotville thelarger centre heleft hispostthere andwent to Elizabethville after Shortly myvisit several a localbank, theguitar, for for to sing andplay a position hehasheld tenyears. He hascontinued making appearances messenger ofa inElizabethville from ofKatanga. Thiswasin 1961attherequest time totime, itis understood, hasonly theprovince onceleft and, a round heundertook commercial inEastAfrica film which film While wanted him totake ina short inNairobi. company advertising part ofconcerts waswith Gallotone inNairobi, Mombasa Thisonceagain andDares Salaam, andalsorecorded a third time. for having already hisfourth session. last for inElizabethvillin recorded them inElizabethville 1953. Thesame recorded Mwenda 1962, November, company a stroke oftheold hisrecent returns do notfulfill thepromise ofhisearly ones.With thelawofdiminishing only Unfortunately songs onMwenda's infuture. would belikely tokeep artists ranks ofrecording him inthe genius part should Letters to him He still lives inElizabethville, where hisaddress is c/oM. Capelouto, Box397,Elisabethville, Congo. Katanga, be written inFrench, hissecond language. HughTracey. 1959. sin:Continuity and ofChicago inAfrican andHerskovits, ed.Bascom Press, Calares, University Change 'Constant Lambert: Musir Ho,Pelican Books, 1948, 1934), published p. 159.(First

102

AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL

DISCS RECORDED BY MWENDA JEAN BOSCO

and published by Gallo (Africa)Limitedunderthe GallotoneLabel
C.O. 123 C.O. 126 C.O. 130 C.O. 133 C.O. 138 C.O. 142 C.O. 143 C.O. 145 C.O. 149 C.O. 152 C.O. 156 C.O. 157

G.B. 1586 G.B. 1587 G.B. 1588 G.B. 1700 G.B. 1725 G.B. 1726 G.B. 1728 G.B. 1754 G.B. 1789

in 1952. Published

Masanga. Tambala Moja. SokuchomaleJikita. Mama Kilio-e. Namlia-e. Bombalaka. Masanga. Majengo sitakwenda. Paulina-e. Teresawalala. Mama kilio-e. Paulinamubaya. Mama na mwana.

Published in 1953. Mari Kiloko. Mukabi. G.B. 1790 Soya. Kubisha Na Bakuba.

C.O. 23
C.O. 24

in 1954. Published bwaMukizungu. Bundugu

Mara Mingi. Sac Inapita.

C.O. 25 C.O. 26
C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O. 34 35 36 37 38 39 41

Kitu Gani Kumulango.

Ee Bibiee Bwana. KuvaeKulaKunwa.

Mulevi. Chaffeur Kufikakwa Mfalme. ZamaniCongo. KwimbaNako Nikuzuri. KabumbaPart1. KabumbaPart2. Kijana Moja. Ninikukosea. ku Meza. Uninikuta Bibi Twende Kwetu. Safari Mena Kwenda. Bwivu. BinginaMbiri. Shikuya Kangua. MunongoWatwa. Kwenda ku Soko. Kucheza Mizuri. Bibi Sofia. Kutembeayu Sheko. ana Penda. Kilamuntu Bibi Kunua. Masimango. Mungia.Kutembea. MusanaBongo. Published in 1958. TuendeTurupi. Vidiwa. na Bwana. Mukisema Ukiwana Maneno. Mama Lillianne. Safari. MiakayaZaman. Wavijana. Kizeng Unakevea. Bibi wa Oumba. Usafi. she Sikombiyo. Ukifuki WakubwaWazaman. Safari Bunyeka. Kufwa. Rudia Mpezi. Marianne. Uziwaze Mingi. Published in 1959. TurudiNyumbani. Kulia Stephanie. Rosa. WakatiNilikupenda Hutu wa Bwana Masasi. Baba Muko. ShangweMkubwa. Kulia Sousane. SiweziKurudiLucia. Usitingizike. KisqahiliInaachana. Tajirina Mali Yake. PitaBakuone. PilipiliYasipo Kula. BembelizaMapendo. Mama Maria. Congo Inaendelea. Published in 1950. Bwana Alisema. WakatiWa Kuowa. Poa Moto. Walikwambia Bibi Cha Cha Cha. UsitokeNyumbani. KukumbukaBayeke. MagontwaYatakwisha. Eshima. Sema Wazi. Pole Kwa Bwana. WeziNiWabaya. Owa Bibi. Bilombe Distingue. Na Kezengela Yo. Njila Takwenda. Wapi Suzune. jau va Frankas. Safariya Mpenzi. Kipenza Wee.

CO. C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O. C.O.

0 81 82 88 89 96 97 98

C.O. 100 C.O. 101 CO. 102

C.O. 103 C.O. 110 C.O. 111 CO. CO. CO. 113 115 116

Mtoko Kidogo. Muchoko wa Mukwazi Moja. Kulia mi Nalia Maria. Wauzaii wa Mankinga. TuwaeshimuWazazi. Tembea Uwone. Bibi VasangushiMtoto. MatataVasilo. Uisfawye Mwendo Wasipo Tayaki. Kuwowo Pasipo Kunwaza. Kubudongo. Pole Pole njoa Mwendo. Mubar. Ukinikuta MukwenuWadima Madima. Singa Tumbo Yawa. Ndumba. Published in 1955. Cheka Mama. Bibi Mpenzi. Kupendana Tuapendana. Kupokelewa Vizuri. Usichukie. Kutambeakwa Wengi. Bulofua. Nimemukata. Kuturizana. Watoto Wawili. KufuataMpenzi. UsisemeWongo. Usiwe Nasikitiko. Mbele Yakuwina. Watu Wapuzi. Wageni Wanafika. Unge NikatalaMbele Bibi. Wawili. Tukizungumuza Nbele ya Kuenda muBar. KutembeaNjiama. Bosco Pishi. Masikitiko ya Mpenzi. Mukinija Coniense. Mtoto. Published in 1956. Kitu Unapenda. WangaWalote. Siku Moja Nilikwenda. TukianjaKulewa. MapendanoBosco. Lizzie. WakatiNilikuwaMtote. WakatiBali Kuowa. Wa Bibi Zetu. BakikuowaUsiombeKings, WakatiMuli Owana,

Tulikwenda. Mwendo

C.O. 168 C.O. 175 C.O. 176 C.O. 177 C.O. 181 C.O. 182 C.O. 188 C.O. 190 C.O. 193 C.O. 194 C.O. 195 C.O. 196 C.O. 197 C.O. 198 C.O. 199 C.O. 200 C.O. 201

C.O. 202 C.O. 203 C.O. 204 C.O. 205 C.O. 206 C.O. 207 ASL. 523 ASL. 519 ASL. 520 &SL. 521

in1962. Published

C.O. 121

Tukienda Jadotville.