Samba Mapangala releases new song in partnership with World Wildlife Fund to aid in protection of endangered mountain gorillas of the Congo's Virunga National Park.
"Les Gorilles des Montagnes"* an upbeat dance song commissioned by WWF to increase awareness of conservation in the Congo Basin, begins with the still-stunning, instantly recognizable a cappella prelude to his 1981 hit "Tolinga Virunga" (We Love Virunga). But then the beat drops into a beautiful new melody and lyrics telling of the need to preserve the rare mountain gorillas and their fragile environment, and expressing gratitude to the park rangers who risk their lives daily to prevent poaching and illegal charcoal production. WWF will use this music to reinforce its efforts in East Africa and Congo, especially in the Goma and Bukavu regions where years of war and turmoil have impacted the gorillas' habitat in the Virunga mountains, home to around half of the world's remaining 700 mountain gorillas.
“Music is such a natural way to spread a message in Africa, and I’m thrilled with the positive and uplifting message Samba has created in "Les Gorilles des Montagnes," says Matthew Lewis, Senior Program Officer for African species conservation with WWF.
Adds Samba: "I am so happy to be helping the WWF protect the wildlife and the environment of the beautiful Virunga mountains, from where I took the name of my band Orchestre Virunga in 1980."
"Les Gorilles des Montagnes" will debut on "Ambiance Congo" WRIR-FM 97.3 FM, Richmond, VA, on Sept. 27, 3-5 p.m. Eastern time, streaming and archived at WRIR.org and http://www.ambiancecongo.blogspot.com/. Host David Noyes and Samba will discuss the new song and upcoming festival appearances by the Virunga band at the Richmond Folk Festival Oct. 9-10, and the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Pittsboro, NC, on Oct. 11.
On Sept. 29, Samba makes a personal appearance to launch the song at the International Conservation Council Forum bi-cameral hearing and reception on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, attended by representatives of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership member nations Burundi, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, and Rwanda.
Beginning Sept. 30, the song "Les Gorilles des Montagnes" will be posted for listening at http://www.myspace.com/sambamapangala .
Visit the World Wildlife Fund's site for information on efforts to save the mountain gorillas: http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/mountaingorilla/mountaingorillas.html
For media review copies or for airplay please contact: http://www.blogger.com/mc/compose?to=getthebeat@sbcglobal.net.
Lyrics (kiSwahili):
Tuyatunze mbuga yetu, mbuga yetu ya wanyama ya Virunga
Tuwalinde magorilles des montagnes, wa milima ya Virunga
Tunawashukuru walinzi wa parc des Virunga
Na wafanya kazi wote, kua kazi yeno mzuri
Kwa kulinda magorilles
Ukipata chakula leo
Kumbuka kesho oh kukatakata miti si vizuri
Kuwinda wanyama wa pori ni kuji haribia riziki
Wanyama wetu uvutia watalii wa leta pesa, pesa za kigeni
Africa, Africa karibu watalii
Magorilles, magorilles wetu tuwalinde
Let’s protect our national park, our national park for the wildlife of Virunga
Let’s protect our mountain gorillas of the Virunga Mountains
We are grateful to the rangers of Virunga park
And all the workers and their good work of protecting the mountain gorillas
If you get food today, remember tomorrow that to cut trees without regard is not good
To hunt bushmeat is to destroy your means of subsistence
Our wildlife draws in tourists
They bring in money, money from tourism
Africa, welcome all tourists
Our gorillas, our gorillas, let’s protect them
Author/composer: Samba Mapangala © 2009
English translation by Matthew Lewis
Recording information:
Lead vocal: Samba Mapangala
Harmony vocal: Dodo Munoko
Lead and rhythm guitar: Huit Kilos
Bass: Dante Pascuzzo
Drums: Kiko Cornejo
Congas: Papo Rodriguez
Saxophone: John King
Recorded at Ecuasound Studio, Hollywood, CA, Sept. 2009
Engineer: Ivan Castro
Produced by Samba Mapangala for the World Wildlife Fund.
Executive producer: CC Smith
Thanks to Matthew Lewis for his assistance in making this project a reality.
*Pronounced: Ley Goh-rill dey mon-TY-nya -- means The Mountain Gorillas in the French language.
For more information, contact:
CC Smith, Virunga Management
http://www.blogger.com/mc/compose?to=getthebeat@sbcglobal.net
http://www.myspace.com/sambamapangala
"Les Gorilles des Montagnes"* an upbeat dance song commissioned by WWF to increase awareness of conservation in the Congo Basin, begins with the still-stunning, instantly recognizable a cappella prelude to his 1981 hit "Tolinga Virunga" (We Love Virunga). But then the beat drops into a beautiful new melody and lyrics telling of the need to preserve the rare mountain gorillas and their fragile environment, and expressing gratitude to the park rangers who risk their lives daily to prevent poaching and illegal charcoal production. WWF will use this music to reinforce its efforts in East Africa and Congo, especially in the Goma and Bukavu regions where years of war and turmoil have impacted the gorillas' habitat in the Virunga mountains, home to around half of the world's remaining 700 mountain gorillas.“Music is such a natural way to spread a message in Africa, and I’m thrilled with the positive and uplifting message Samba has created in "Les Gorilles des Montagnes," says Matthew Lewis, Senior Program Officer for African species conservation with WWF.
Adds Samba: "I am so happy to be helping the WWF protect the wildlife and the environment of the beautiful Virunga mountains, from where I took the name of my band Orchestre Virunga in 1980."
"Les Gorilles des Montagnes" will debut on "Ambiance Congo" WRIR-FM 97.3 FM, Richmond, VA, on Sept. 27, 3-5 p.m. Eastern time, streaming and archived at WRIR.org and http://www.ambiancecongo.blogspot.com/. Host David Noyes and Samba will discuss the new song and upcoming festival appearances by the Virunga band at the Richmond Folk Festival Oct. 9-10, and the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Pittsboro, NC, on Oct. 11.
On Sept. 29, Samba makes a personal appearance to launch the song at the International Conservation Council Forum bi-cameral hearing and reception on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, attended by representatives of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership member nations Burundi, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, and Rwanda.
Beginning Sept. 30, the song "Les Gorilles des Montagnes" will be posted for listening at http://www.myspace.com/sambamapangala .
Visit the World Wildlife Fund's site for information on efforts to save the mountain gorillas: http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/mountaingorilla/mountaingorillas.html
For media review copies or for airplay please contact: http://www.blogger.com/mc/compose?to=getthebeat@sbcglobal.net.
Lyrics (kiSwahili):
Tuyatunze mbuga yetu, mbuga yetu ya wanyama ya Virunga
Tuwalinde magorilles des montagnes, wa milima ya Virunga
Tunawashukuru walinzi wa parc des Virunga
Na wafanya kazi wote, kua kazi yeno mzuri
Kwa kulinda magorilles
Ukipata chakula leo
Kumbuka kesho oh kukatakata miti si vizuri
Kuwinda wanyama wa pori ni kuji haribia riziki
Wanyama wetu uvutia watalii wa leta pesa, pesa za kigeni
Africa, Africa karibu watalii
Magorilles, magorilles wetu tuwalinde
Let’s protect our national park, our national park for the wildlife of Virunga
Let’s protect our mountain gorillas of the Virunga Mountains
We are grateful to the rangers of Virunga park
And all the workers and their good work of protecting the mountain gorillas
If you get food today, remember tomorrow that to cut trees without regard is not good
To hunt bushmeat is to destroy your means of subsistence
Our wildlife draws in tourists
They bring in money, money from tourism
Africa, welcome all tourists
Our gorillas, our gorillas, let’s protect them
Author/composer: Samba Mapangala © 2009
English translation by Matthew Lewis
Recording information:
Lead vocal: Samba Mapangala
Harmony vocal: Dodo Munoko
Lead and rhythm guitar: Huit Kilos
Bass: Dante Pascuzzo
Drums: Kiko Cornejo
Congas: Papo Rodriguez
Saxophone: John King
Recorded at Ecuasound Studio, Hollywood, CA, Sept. 2009
Engineer: Ivan Castro
Produced by Samba Mapangala for the World Wildlife Fund.
Executive producer: CC Smith
Thanks to Matthew Lewis for his assistance in making this project a reality.
*Pronounced: Ley Goh-rill dey mon-TY-nya -- means The Mountain Gorillas in the French language.
For more information, contact:
CC Smith, Virunga Management
http://www.blogger.com/mc/compose?to=getthebeat@sbcglobal.net
http://www.myspace.com/sambamapangala
