Docteur Nico & African Fiesta Sukisa

Home Preorders Docteur Nico Presents African Fiesta Sukisa 1966 – 1974

Docteur Nico Presents African Fiesta Sukisa 1966 – 1974

Planet Ilunga

PI-13

3LP Black

$55

SHIPS BY 2025-12-19

3LP with 30 tracks
Features never before reissued tracks from the Sukisa catalog
The result of many years of preparations and in close partnership with Liliane Kasanda, Nico’s eldest daughter

Description

In collaboration with the children of Nico Kasanda, better known as Docteur Nico, Planet Ilunga proudly presents an anthology dedicated to African Fiesta Sukisa, available as a 3LP set. This release is the result of many years of preparations and was realized in close partnership with Liliane Kasanda, Nico’s eldest daughter. Marking forty years since his passing, we felt that the year 2025 was the right time to honor Docteur Nico’s legacy with this original collection.

Almost all of the African Fiesta Sukisa songs were released on Nico’s Sukisa label which translates in Lingala for “the final accomplishment”. The music on Sukisa, crafted by Nico and legendary vocalists such as Chantal, Sangana, Apôtre, Mizele, Lessa Lassan and Josky, embodies the essence of that powerful phrase with genius, class and depth. The label ran between 1966 and 1975 and released approximately 280 songs. Ngoma also issued the group between 1967 and 1971 and, in addition, reissued material from the Sukisa label. Many of these songs have become part of the collective memory of Congolese society and are still heard, discussed, and analyzed daily on numerous Congolese radio and TV stations, as well as across digital platforms worldwide.

The album we put together features some of Nico’s signature songs alongside never before reissued tracks from the Sukisa catalog. It furthermore contains a large booklet with song commentary, testimonial interviews from well-known musicians, journalists, fans and Nico’s entourage, besides never before published photography about his personal and musical life. Alastair Johnston, author of the book ‘A Discography of Docteur Nico’ and longstanding Planet Ilunga collaborator, designed a stylish booklet and cover using all our collected material. Audifax Bemba, longtime admirer, compiler and connoisseur of Nico’s music, and the author of most of the song commentary in our accompanying booklet, offers his portrait of Docteur Nico:

“After displaying technical virtuosity with African Jazz, expert and accomplished guitar with African Fiesta, which musicologist Sylvain Bemba described as a dream guitar, Nico Kasanda was consecrated ‘dieu de la guitare’ by the public in the late sixties. With his band African Fiesta Sukisa, Docteur Nico displays his wide palette of unusual sounds. While exploring the Hawaiian guitar with its clear, airy, plangent, psychedelic effluvia, he continues to replicate the piano comping technique, and adds two missing strings to his bow: a simulation of the sanza (likembé or thumb piano), whose sounds he reproduces right down to the noisemakers of the tiny tin rings, on the one hand, and the sounds of the Luba balafon on the other. The right note, in the right place, at the right time, is the triptych on which Nico Kasanda’s playing is based, a note dressed in the perfect sound. A guitar of pure emotion. With African Fiesta Sukisa, his playing takes a ‘Chopin-esque’ turn, sending out more notes in a sublime adagio.

The true artist is the one who simplifies everything. Docteur Nico is a genius of our time, whose style makes him the supreme exponent of the most important guitar school in Congolese music. He is recognized by his peers as the greatest African solo guitarist of all time. Sculpting sound in a tireless quest for beauty, Nico Kasanda has sublimated the guitar throughout his career.”

1 Mobali Nakobala (Nico – Ngoma J
2 Nalingi Yo Na Motema (Nico
3 Mokili Makambo (Nico – Sukisa ) Kiri-Kiri
4 Ata Osali (Chantal – Ngoma DNJ
5 er Boeing (Kwamy – Air Congo) Merengue
6 Hommage A Lumumba Patrice (Sukisa ) Mabanga
7 Bougie Ya Motema (Nico – Sukisa ) Rumba Lingala
8 Okosambuisa Ngai (Mizele – Sukisa ) Rumba Lingala
9 Sule (Nico – Sukisa ) Rumba Lingala
10 Okosuka Wapi ? (Josky – Sukisa ) Danse Kono
11 Kamungaziko (Lessa Lassan – Sukisa ) Danse Kono
12 Mokili Matata (Nico – Tcheza .
14 Baoulé (Lassan – Sukisa ) Kiri-Kiri
15 Beauté (Nico – Sukisa ) Rumba Lingala
16 Mansanga (Nico – Sukisa ) Rumba Lingala
17 Souzi (Sangana – Sukisa ) Rumba Lingala
18 Naboyi Koswana (Sangana – Sukisa ) Rumba Cha Cha
19 July (Julie – Sukisa ) Madre Rumba
20 Runeme Mama (Nico – Sukisa ) Cha Cha Cha
21 A Morow (ArrNico – Sukisa ) Cha Cha Cha
22 Apôtre Del Si Boney (Apôtre – Sukisa ) Charanga
23 A La Savana (ArrNico – Sukisa ) Pachanga
24 Alto Songo (ArrNico – Ngoma J
25 Para Bailar (Nico – Sukisa ) Pachanga
26 Meta Fua Mudia (Kaba – Sukisa ) Rumba Lingala
27 Exhibition Show (Nico – Sukisa ) Instrumental
28 Exhibition Dechaud (Dechaud – Sukisa ) Instrumental
29 Bolala - Ayando (Nico – Sukisa ) Extrait Show Kasanda
30 Excitation - Makwandungu - Ngombele (Nico – Sukisa ) Extrait Show Kasanda
31 Kamulangu [Outro] (DrKasanda – Sukisa ) Folklore Baluba