Maguidala
Bongo Joe Records (36 mins)
After the success of their compilation Léve Léve: São Tomé and Príncipe Sounds 70s-80s earlier on in the year, Bongo Joe Records follow up with a reissue of an album by one of the islands’ most popular post-independence musicians.
Maguidala was first released in 1985 at the height of singer Pedro Lima’s career. His honeyed voice dances effortlessly among the puxas and rumbas as Angolan and Congolese grooves mix with traditional São Toméan rhythms. Lima’s band, Os Leonenses, are on similarly top form: the razor-sharp twin guitars of Leopoldino ‘Gúndu’ Silva and Rafael ‘Pety-Zorro’ Zuza tickle the dancing muscles while the close-thirds vocal harmonies massage the ears.
The album may only have four tracks, but it makes them count. Each track reaches towards the ten-minute mark, and each brings a slightly different flavour. The hot is balanced with the cool, the energetic with the relaxed, and everyone has just a lovely time.
When Pedro Lima died last year, his state funeral was attended by thousands of fans and admirers. His music and outspoken politics made him a hero in São Tomé, but what a shame that his music is only now reaching a wider international audience.