Henrique Tinapa was a guitarist, singer, and songwriter originally from Angola who found himself in Kinshasa (then Léopoldville) in 1957, where he recorded four records for Ngoma in July of that year (Ngoma 1799, 1800, 1801, and 1802).
He moved to Kisangani in 1958 where he formed the Rico Jazz Orchestra. They recorded again for Ngoma in 1963 – releasing 8 songs on two 45 rpm EPs (Ngoma No. 83 and No. 84).
He later found a career as a griot who performed at hotels in Kinshasa – and was regularly performing at the Intercontinental Hotel as recently as the 1980s.
This lilting rumba is endearing, with Tinapa’s guitar solos between verses.
Recorded in Léopoldville, Belgian Congo, on August 7, 1957.
Released as Ngoma 1800 (mx. J.3.600)
Credits:
Henri Tinapa – guitar, vocals
Sefu Stephane – bass
Louis Mongalu – maracas
The flip side of this record, “Mambo Zille”, can be heard at:
https://youtu.be/WTb6GSbIXgs
Sources:
Dictionnaire Des Immortels De La Musique Congolaise Moderne by Jean-Pierre François Nimy Nzonga, Bruylant-Academia, 2010.
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