Camille Feruzi

Camille Feruzi (1912 – 24 April 1990) was a Congolese accordionist, singer, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Alongside Antoine Kasongo Kitenge, Paul Kamba, Zacharie Elenga, Antoine Wendo Kolosoy, Henri Bowane, and Manuel d'Oliveira, Feruzi is commonly regarded as one of the pioneers of Congolese rumba and is often credited as the first musician to introduce the accordion into Congolese urban music.

Life and career

1912–early to mid-1940s: Early life, career beginnings, and urban music scene Camille Feruzi was born in 1912 in Stanleyville (now Kisangani), in the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). He learned to play maringa music, one of the main predecessors of modern Congolese rumba, from his father, who was also an accordion player. As a child, Feruzi often practiced the instrument in secret while his father was away at work. In 1927, at the age of fifteen, he moved by riverboat to Léopoldville (now Kinshasa), the colony's largest urban center. There, he became immersed in the city's expanding musical and entertainment scene, and developed his musical abilities through performances at dances, social gatherings, and popular venues. The quartet consisted of accordion, piano, guitar, and saxophone and is regarded as one of the earliest instrumental groups in Léopoldville. Local musicians adapted elements of Cuban son, including its instrumental arrangements and melodic structures, to guitars, saxophones, and other instruments. Some performers even sang in phonetic Spanish or French. Over time, these influences were fused with indigenous rhythms, vocal traditions, and melodic ideas, which gave rise to a distinctly Congolese musical idiom. Although maringa had little direct connection to Cuban rumba, the emerging style became known as "Congolese rumba" because imported Cuban records were commonly marketed as "rumba". During this period, Congolese musicians also experimented with other Caribbean genres, including biguine and merengue.

Late 1940s–1970s: Releases, Mystérieux Jazz, and later years Through his quartet, Feruzi became one of the first musicians signed by the Ngoma label in 1948. His earliest successes included the recordings "Makango" (Ngoma 27) and "Polina" (Ngoma 29). At the end of 1971, he recorded with Franco "Recours à l'authenticité" ("recourse to authenticity"), a song that combined acoustic guitar, accordion, and traditional percussion instruments. Label Details Ref. 1948 Side A: "Makango" Side B: "Therese" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala 1957 Side A: "Lolendo Nayo na Ngai" Side B: "Eugénie" Ngoma Format: Shellac

Language: Lingala Written by: Camille Feruzi Vocals by: Ténor Mariola and François Jacqy Side A: Accordion, double bass, tam-tam, and two guitars Side B: Two guitars, double bass, accordion, maracas, and tam-tam 22 April 1958 Side A: "Gaby wa Ngai" Side B: "Rosa Nayali Nayo" Ngoma Side A Written by: Ténor Mariola Vocals by: Ténor Mariola and Léon Kabuya Accordion: Camille Feruzi Guitar: Emmanuel Tshilumba wa Boloji "Tino Baroza" Double bass: Augustin Moniania "Roitelet" Language: Lingala Format: Shellac

Side B

Written by: Camille Feruzi Vocals by: Ténor Mariola and Léon Kabuya Guitar: Tino Baroza Double bass: Roitelet Language: Lingala Format: Shellac 24 April 1958 Side A: "Cherie Martha"

Side B: "Feca Nalinga Yo" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Camille Feruzi Vocals by: Ténor Mariola and Léon Kabuya Guitar: Tino Baroza Double bass: Roitelet 1958 Side A: "Emiyama" Side B: "Na Motindeli Mokanda" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Written by: Camille Feruzi Vocals by: Léon Kabuya and Ténor Mariola Instrumentation: Two guitars, accordion, double bass, and tam-tam 14 August 1958 Side A: "Bernadette" Side B: "Nani Wana (Béatrice)" Ngoma Side A Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Written by: Camille Feruzi Vocals by: Mariola and Aembeston Guitar: Tino Baroza Second guitar: Delafrance Double bass: Roitelet

Side B

Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Written by: Léon Kabuya Vocals by: Kabuya and Mariola Guitars: Tino Baroza and Delafrance Double bass: Roitelet – Side A: "Marie Sombo" Side B: "Marie Josée" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Written by: Ténor Mariola Accordion: Camille Feruzi Vocals by: Ténor Mariola and Léon Kabuya Instrumentation: Two guitars, accordion, double bass, and tam-tam – Side A: "Nazelaki Makango" Side B: "Mabe ya Ngai" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Written By: Feruzi and Mariola – Side A: "Eliko Chikita" Side B: "Mexicana" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Written By: Feruzi and Mariola 20 March 1959 Side A: "Okoluka Nani" Side B: "Aimee Wa E'Ville" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala Side A written by: Feruzi Side B written by: François Jacquy and Aembeston Contrabass: Bernard Tchébaud Guitar: Albert Tawumani and André Castor Vocals: Aembeston and Jacquy 1959 "Cha Cha Cha Bay" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Indoubil Written By: Feruzi 1959 Side A: "Rico Baila"

Side B: "Kolela Cherie" Ngoma Format: Shellac Language: Lingala 1971 "Recours à l'authenticité" Fiesta and Editions Populaires series Format: Vinyl record

Language: Lingala Written By: Feruzi and Franco Luambo 1972 Side A: "Mbanda Nasali Nini" Side B: "Siluvangi Wapi Accordéon?" Fiesta and Editions Populaires series Format: Vinyl record Language: Lingala Written by: Feruzi 1978 "Gida Accordéon" – Format: Vinyl record Language: Lingala Written by: Feruzi