His debut album 'Tembo Kia Ngoma' is set for release on March 5, 2021.
West coast Congolese sensation Kiazi Malonga announces his debut album Tembo Kia Ngoma set for release on March 5, 2021. The album pays tribute to Kiazi's late parents, including world renowned ambassador of central African dance and Kiazi's father, Malonga Casquelourd. The first single "Lomami" is out now and premiered with Pan African Music.
Kiazi Malonga is a second generation Congolese American. Kiazi was born into a family of artists one of which being his father Malonga Casquelourd. Kiazi's father was a world renowned artist who taught Congolese dance, drum and folkloric performance art. Casquelourd established the Fua Dia Congo Performance Dance Company, the first African Dance and Drum Camp in the US, and played a major role in building the African Diaspora Community in the Bay Area (East Palo Alto, Oakland and San Francisco) and the United States. With Tembo Kia Ngoma, Kiazi honors his father's legacy. Kiazi states, "This is my first studio project honoring the work he did, showcasing my culture and recording compositions and songs from his generation that were never captured." Tembo Kia Ngoma translates from Kikongo to English to mean "the wind of the drum." Kiazi, who also grew up in the inner city said, "Tembo (being wind) can also refer to the vibration of the sound waves that hit you often when a car with an amazing stereo system pulls up alongside you." The Ngoma, a traditional drum from sub-Saharan Africa, is the primary instrument showcased throughout the album.With Tembo Kia Ngoma, Kiazi Malonga aims to elevate the platform with which Congolese traditional music is listened to and appreciated. Kiazi concludes, "It's a first step in my contribution to sharing the beautiful culture that I am a part of...Congolese Culture." Kiazi Malonga's debut album Tembo Kia Ngoma is due out March 5, 2021.
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