From Kimbele to the World
The inspiring soundtrack for the beginning of this text is his song "Muleta", which has the following sentence: "in the name of those who stay, in the name of those who leave, respect the crutch, Oh Mariana, respect the scars". In this context, the crutches are the Pop Show songs that serve as support, the fans and friends being Mariana and the scars the positive energies that King transmitted.
Pop Show leaves timeless themes either in solo works such as "Puro Kangolê" and "Escala", or in the collaborative "Pop & Bevy" and of course with the Afra Sound Stars with the eternal brothers Tubarão, Gato Betseyele, Ket Hagaha, Nvond Sheriff, Groove, Wau Uau, Mambulino, Manbuley and others. The highlight of his discography is the LP Afra Sound Stars, edited by the late ENDIPU, which includes the masterpieces "Landilila Mama", "Mulata", "Mano António", " Don't Cry Girl” and “Kimbele”.
The album "Kilapanga", from 2015, marked the reunification of the group. The Afra Sound Stars still have in their discography "Saparam", "Idebele", "Absaite", "Soke Soke" and "Nação Angola". The album "Crioulinha", a collaborative work by Abel Dueré and Afra Sound Stars, cannot be forgotten. It is in it that reggae "Kimbele" gains strength, with Pop Show sharing the voice in the anthem and colleagues helping the Angolan Duerê to " desbrasileirar-se” and to rediscover the rhythms he heard in childhood, in the lands of Ombaka.
Pop Show inspired and supported several young instrumentalists, as witnessed by a text by Simmons Mancini, which is several years old, and which we publish below. In these last years, he had young people like Tukas, Bernas, Berlin, Esperança Mirakiza and others as support on stage.
According to music critic Jomo Fortunato, Pop Show, one of the main faces of Kilapanga, was a renewer of the aesthetics of this style and was always open to other sounds. This opening was largely responsible for being invited to close Francisco Rasgado's Jazz festivals in Benguela. In Huambo and Catumbela, he took his Blues side to their respective festivals. And in certain spaces of Luanda, he did not let his brothers in the art of Reggae worship down.
With the Afra Sound Stars
Manuel Miguel was born in Kimbele, Uíge, on March 12, 1960. Son of Tanda Miguel and Madalena Maládia, he began singing in his native village at the age of 11, against his parents' wishes. At the same time he sought to master various musical instruments.
Contrary to what many think, it was in the city of Uige, then in the Carmona district, that Rock, Blues and other rhythms penetrated the young Miguel. At the same time, he absorbed the national rhythms and the rhythms of the neighboring Congo. In 1975, he leaves for Luanda, where he meets his cousin Manuel Tomás "Mambolinho" at the Santa Isabel student house, in Maianga, and meets Tubarão. Miguel wins the admiration of his friends, and not only, for his virtuosity in playing the guitar and is invited Shark to form a group, but denies it.
Mambolinho convinced him and thus the group "Liberdade África" ​​was born in 1977, which became "Afra Sound Stars" in 1980. (Manuel Tomás), police commanders (Manuel Diogo da Cunha), university professors (Zito Silva), Adriano Panzo (soccer player), etc. etc. Drummer Dinho Silva and superstar Eduardo Paim also had a short stint with the Afra Sound Stars. Read More...
