"Cheri Samba" is a potent cocktail of concert and documentary that tenders an irresistible invitation to dance: "Life Is Short. Life is Sweet. Come dance with us." The film melds Orchestra Virunga's infectious 2013 performance with rehearsal footage and interview to paint a portrait of this golden-voiced singer, bandleader and global treasure, Samba Mapangala.
Renowned throughout East Africa and beyond for his sonorous voice, Samba's style blends the music of Central and East Africa into what he calls "CoKen" (Congo-Kenya), a result of his personal musical journey. Samba relates his career story, his influences and history of the popular music intercut with his contagious classic African Rhumba and seductive Soukous live before 1200 ecstatic, Los Angeles music converts.
On this balmy summer evening Samba fulfills his promise to his inspiration and mentor, the architect of Soukous and Congo's greatest singer - Tabu Ley Rochereau - by uniting three members of his abandoned-in-America, Afrisa International band and singing Rochereau's bequeathed song, "Cheri Samba". Samba Mapangala and his volcanic Orchestra Virunga ignite LA's Skirball Center into a dance eruption with their molten rhythmic flow proving Samba's words true: "Music has no barrier. No language, but melody, the beat, the feel of the music. The human body needs music. We need music."
With the passing of African icon, Tabu Ley Rochereau on Nov. 30, 2013, Samba Mapangala inherits torch-bearer responsibility for the style and majesty innovated by Tabu Ley and the classic sound of the Belle Epoch of Congolese music.
