ekottomagazine
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mastho Ribocho
Kölékò
Ë KOTTÒ, is a magazine of the cultural field in all its disciplines.
We are committed to bringing culture closer to our readers. Our goal is to give visibility to sectors that lack this opportunity of presence in large media platforms.
Our publications will be monthly and we will focus on four basic sections and four complementary ones.
INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS, ACTIVITY AND PROMOTION, and SOKKÒ, ËTYÖ LAÖTYA, OPINION y EDITORIAL
INFORMATION: Its content will be based on knowing the path of our guests. That is, what you could call their biography.
2. INTERVIEW. Focused on the professional field.
3. ACTIVITY: Focused on our guest's current affairs.
4. PROMOTION: Publicize everything related to the works of our guest or in its case what it believes necessary to promote related to his or her professional work.
SOKKÒ
It is a section with a variety of socio-cultural news.
ËTYÖ LAÖTYA
It is a section of learning and knowledge about the Bóbë-Bubi identity in its different manifestations.
OPINION
It is a section for sociocultural opinion articles.
EDITORIAL
A general story on a specific theme of each edition.
With the magazine Ë KOTTÓ, we will bring culture a little closer to our homes.
Editorial
Congolese by birth, Cameroonian by adoption and Parisian with all the accents. We are talking about a person whose values instilled by his professional mentor not only simply represent how good a professional he is, but also has deep moral values that make him a bigger and better professional every day. Seriousness in his professional field is a guarantee for anyone who knows him. Mvoama, has worked on many of the exciting songs in the eighties, music that many of us have enjoyed with the bases that were once called drum programming and the rhythmic part of the piano and synthesizer. He has worked with the best singers from Central Africa, his background also includes those from Equatorial Guinea. He masters many musical genres perfectly. If you are an artist in the world of African songs, we at Ekottomagazine.com recommend working with Ernest Mvoama, because you will be in good hands.
Story
ERNEST MVOUAMA
Ernest Mvouama is a studio, live and mastering sound engineer. Originally from Congo Brazzaville, which he left at the age of five, he spent his childhood and adolescence in Cameroon, where he immersed himself in the liturgical music that his father, formerly organist at the seminary, played at home on his harmonium.
The jazz sound of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Duke Ellington playing in a loop on the family electrophone would lay a foundation on which other influences would be built.
Still a teenager, Ernest was introduced by Just Choupo-Moting, a friend of his older brother, into his first college orchestra.
Meeting other young musicians will produce a great emulation for all these passionate teenagers in constant search of excellence.
Very quickly, Ernest Mvouama was spotted by professional musicians with whom he hosted private parties or in cabarets, and accompanied both local and international artists in concerts.
Young adult of twenty-one, Ernest arrives in France where he will quickly abandon his studies to practice music professionally.
It was in Normandy that he settled down and quickly found his place within the group Ideku Dinasty in which he replaced Justin Bowen whose verve did not fail to influence him. There he met Dominique Delahaye, a musician and writer, with whom he began a long and exciting collaboration.
After a few years in the city of Le Havre, Ernest, like his predecessors, moved to Paris where he was immediately immersed in this unique cultural melting pot of the eighties, where music in France knew an unparalleled eclectic freshness.
Through his encounters, Ernest Mvouama made a place for himself on the Parisian stage and studios and particularly in the world of African music.
Thanks to a collaboration with the Cameroonian bassist-arranger Aladji Touré, Ernest tried his hand at arranging, conducting and directing as the orchestra's official MAO programmer. During this period of close collaboration with sound engineers, Ernest Mvouama finally gained enough experience to ensure recording sessions behind the console as a freelance sound engineer in many Parisian studios where he shared many experiences with the elite of Afro-Caribbean music and other successful artists such as M. Pokora.
Then comes the encounter of Gospel with Georges Seba, choirmaster emeritus and artistic director of the choir "Les Chérubins".
He also took part in several tours of the choir "Gospel pour 100 voix" Then, alongside pastors David and Jocelyne Goma, Ernest joined the fledgling choir "Total Praise" where, after having taken on the role of musical director, he continued to collaborate as technical director and sound engineer.
For more than ten years, Ernest Mvouama acquired, notably through the Gospel Festival of Paris and the Caribbean Gospel Festival, a solid experience in the art of live mixing by ensuring the sound for the elite of American Gospel:
Cece Winans, Marvin Sapp, Yolanda Adams, Donnie Mc Clurkin, Kirk Franklin, Ezekiah Walker, Damita Chandler, Israel Houghton etc...
Ernest has also collaborated with Pastors Marcel Boungou, Ricardo Apollon, Carlyto Lassa, as well as Sarah Jeanmaire, Mélina Ondjani, Linda Lee Hopkins, Tori Robinson, Joniece Jamison
Ernest Mvouama continues his musical career as a musician, sound engineer, stage manager, arranger, producer of musical projects, and walks on the path of the pastoral call.
Source: Chretiens.com, The Christian Journal
Interview
Hello Ernest.
Thank you for accepting the invitation of Ë Kottò magazine.
1. WHO IS ERNEST MVOUAMA?
I am a
-musician (keyboards player)
-Music producer and
-Sound Engineer.
For studio and live performances.
2. What is music for you?
Music is first and foremost the expression of a God-given talent. It's a universal means of communication. Acting directly on the soul, which is the seat of emotions, it is also and above all a vehicle of spiritual influences.
3. What was your impression the first time you went on stage and in direct concert as a pianist?
These are distant memories... However, the zeal of a musician playing in public is always excellence and cohesion with the rest of the orchestra, in order to win the approval of the audience. This produces satisfaction and communion with the audience, and makes us realize the power we exert over the emotions of others through our music.
4. Born in Congo and almost adopted Cameroonian. In the 80's Cameroonian music, especially the MAKOSSA was a reference in Africa, what can be the reason for its fall since it is less and less listened to?
Music, like everything else in life, obeys the law of trends and fashions. The world we live in is not static. Everything evolves, tastes change and new talents emerge periodically. There's also constant interaction with everything around us, including technology. It's not just Cameroonian music that's in decline. Take a good look: there was Congolese rumba, makossa, soukouss, zouk, zouglou.
I'm sure you'll agree that all these musical styles, which were all the rage in their day are now largely in the minority. Today, we've come to the so-called urban music: rap, afrobeat.
It's the inevitable evolution I mentioned earlier. Everything is changing. Do you remember Michael Jackson and the revolution he produced in music and music video production? Who today still listens to Michael Jackson or dances to his music?
5. To speak of African music without listening to FRANCE-PARIS would be unthinkable in the mind of African musicology. You who have been living for many years in these lands, do you think that PARIS is no longer the brand?
Paris has been a crossroads for musicians of all origins. This has helped to make it the benchmark for African music production, with our forerunners and pioneers like Manu Dibango, Aladji Touré, Toto Guillaume, Jean Dikoto Mandengue, Jacob Desvarieux, Slim Pezin etc... ... At the time, these pioneers were able to showcase their talents and produce quality African music with the technology that was offered to them. So anyone wanting to produce quality African music back then often had to refer to these people living in Paris who paved the way. Today, with technology more accessible and musical knowledge having evolved, Paris is less and less of a must. Good music can be made anywhere, it's a question of talent and inspiration. I wouldn't say, however, that Paris has become obsolete in terms of music production.
Interview
6. Mr. Mvouama. As a specialist in the world of the art of music and song, and you live many modalities of music or genres and of course you have heard many messages of some songs. Our question from ekottomagazine is: why do you call mundane the songs that have nothing to do with GOSPEL?
It's not me, but Christians call music that doesn't relate to God "worldly". I'll try to give a short, pertinent answer to this question. To do so, I must spirituality according to the Word of God, and I apologize in advance if my explanation may offend some. According to the Bible, music was used to praise and worship God. It therefore had a sacred role. The direction of praise was entrusted to a magnificent and powerful angel named Lucifer, which means "bearer of light". This angel became so corrupted by his beauty and power to the point of coveting the throne of God his Creator. As a result, he was cast out of heaven and cast down to earth. Since then, he has devoted all his efforts to destroying what God holds most dear that is man. The aim of this fallen angel, now called Satan, which means "the one who opposes", is to divert man's worship. He inspires them to profane music by desecrating it. As a result, music is no longer to the worship of God, but to entertainment or the things of the world, hence the expression the expression "worldly music" or "profane music" used by Christians to qualify music that is not intended for the worship of God.
7. Ernest Mvouama: pianist, sound engineer etc. According to your knowledge, tell us
any detail that can be classified as a good sounding song?
According to one dictionary definition, music is the art of combining sounds harmoniously. I agree with this definition. If you can combine instruments and voices, as well as words, in a harmonious way, the result will be a good-sounding song. Here's an anecdote: I co-produced over a dozen albums with the late Guy Lobé. He always used to say: "Don't disturb my clients". So, at every stage of production, he would exclude anything that to his ears was dissonant or disturbing.
8. In one of the songs of an artist from Equatorial Guinea, he sang in one of his pieces: Equatorial Guinea, a small but great country of profit.
As you have worked with many artists from this country, can you specify any reason why GE music is hardly heard in the African continent?
The fact that a country's music is more or less listened to depends on several factors
combined :
-Inspiration
-talent
-Authenticity
-Opportunities
-Exposure
You can't blame a country or region for its music not being listened to. That depends on too many factors that often go beyond the individual artist. A country’s cultural policy also plays an important role.
9. From 1 to 3. Which are the universal singers you like the most?
1/Samara Joy
2/Nat King Cole
3/Concha Buika
Interview
10. A number 1 pianist for you? We know that your choice would be more than one, but take a chance and name just one.
-/Oscar Peterson
11. You have worked with many artists in the world of African song. Is there one that has generated less complication for you in their musical pieces, knowing how complicated African music is? If you want, don't mention any artist and focus the answer on the genre of music.
Congolese music has always been very simple, in search of harmony and the right cadence.
12. Tell us about a genre of music that you have not experienced or participated in a recording as a pianist or sound engineer and that you would like to live this experience?
Symphonic music as a sound engineer, and my gospel music creation as a pianist.
13. Africa has many genres of music. Which of these many genres impact or can impact the western world?
Any genre of African music can have a strong impact, it's a question of opportunities. Take the example of Manu Dibango's "Soul makossa", which was covered by Michael Jackson under the title "Wanna be star-n' something".
14. It is clear that the music business is not going through its best moments, although it is said that now this business moves more on digital platforms. Don't you think that traditional distribution is still necessary? We are talking about physical stores for the sale and distribution of music media.
Both forms of distribution have their advantages and disadvantages. But it's clear that digital distribution has precipitated the collapse of the audio production economy. The fundamental point to revisit is artist remuneration. And in this respect, politicians, as well as distributors and all cultural and technological players have their part to play. This overhaul has to be carried out on a global scale, which means it will be difficult. Yes, I think physical points of sale would be useful.
15. When you were a child you listened to the greats of jazz: Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. How did they influence you musically?
These greats of jazz and music in general influenced me through their excellence, poise, inventiveness and charisma.
Activity
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SOKKÒ
TIMELY NEWS
source: Social media
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source: Social media
Wala Riosaoko
OPINIÓN
Let's go back two years, right up to 2003, when, enraged by that suggestive voice of Mastho Ribocho, the sisters asked us without any other kind of process: hukálálèe! The album was made in Madrid, with contributions from Chery Malé, Yolanda Eyama, Muana Sinepi and David Bass. Several tracks on that album attracted attention for their innovative character in relation to what the artist had been offering in the nineties. This trend will also be noticed the following year, in 2004, with the production of the CD Rikélékélé.
Source: Facebook
The Bööbe Song Channel
ËTYÖ LAÖTYA
A bë Ntá, a bó m'më. A bahue amma, tö há'am ö bösualo lö bötáko wé ëtyö ötyóbo. Ëbówëla à ö lötö'óló luaó ötyomma lué ribéle.
Parents, moms, family in general, let's continue with the project *the bubi at home* for the perseverance of our language, thank you very much (bubi).
Ë KOTTÒ
Publisher
Diversity Ëtyö Project
Magazine Director
Barbara May
Editor in Chief
Tomás May Pelico
Designer
Böhulá
ISSN 2833-4124
© 2024
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May not be reproduced without the written permission of Ë KOTTÒ.
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