Jean-Emile Biayenda has been leading the Congolese percussion orchestra Les Tambours De Brazza, known for the use of their large wooden ngoma drums, ever since its inception in 1991. It had already been five years since we last heard from the band, and for 'Kongo' not only some lineup changes were made, but the vocal parts in the music of Les Tambours came a lot more to the forefront as well. 'Kongo' opens with 'Ya Samba', a festive tribute to the ngoma drums, and hearing the even more energetic sounding 'Ba Kwaku Wo' you'd never suspect it was in fact a lament. A tad more intimate, but almost equally danceable is 'Ah Me Bunsana', in which the band wonders how one can survive alone in this world without the support of family or loved ones. With 'Brazza' the drummers pay tribute to their homeland, and title track 'Kongo Diani', for which Les Tambours De Brazza were joined by singer Bakaboula Monie, is of the same order. 'Cameleon', a musical interpretation of an old Congolese saying, was written by Brussels based Congolese singer-songwriter Fredy Massamba. The most traditional track on 'Kongo' is definitely 'Nzila Bangou', an indictment of the devastation caused by mass logging in Congo-Brazzaville, in which only voices and percussion (ngoma drums, maracas and ngongui bells) can be heard. The closing piece 'Makangou Ma Tata' is of the same musical order and finally the band treats us to a nice piece of soukous with 'Nsaka Soukous Tambours'. Excellent Congolese party!