Product Review

The Congolese singer, songwriter and bandleader Tabu Ley Rochereau, now retired, is one of the rare artists whose career was as illustrious in the second half as it was in the first. He reunited with the greatest of all Congolese guitarists, Dr. Nico; recorded a series of landmark albums with his biggest rival, Franco; discovered Mbilia Bel and made her the brightest female pop star in Africa; signed with European and American labels; toured the world; and made his home in Paris and Los Angeles before returning to Congo to join a new government.

The Voice of Lightness Vol. 2 picks up where Vol. 1 (soon to be reissued) left off, in 1977, and follows through to 1993. A 2-CD boxed set, it contains 2 and 1/2 hours of glorious modern Congolese music and a 56-page booklet replete with photos, essays and translations of song lyrics.