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1974 was a fine year for Jerry Masucci's golden boys. Following the triumphs of Our Latin Thing, the Fania All Stars broke out across the Americas and Caribbean, surfing the salsa wave that very film helped create. Playing their debut in Puerto Rico, they also hit Mexico, Panama, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. But perhaps the highlight of the year was their trip across the Atlantic. In September, the All Stars played at an 'African Woodstock' in the former Belgian Congo - Zaire. This music festival was part of the crazy circus that became known as the Rumble In The Jungle. The boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman is now, of course, considered one of the greatest sporting events of the 20th century. Quite understandably, but unfortunately, it's dwarfed memories of the music festival which preceded it. In fact, prior to the rumble, an impressive gathering of mostly Afro-American acts, including James Brown, BB King, the Spinners, Pointer Sisters, Miriam Makeba and the Fania All-Stars, all performed in Kinshasa. The shows loosened up the Zairians, the press, promoters, adventurers and miscellaneous freeloaders before the fight and helped create an even bigger world news splash. Crafty promoter, Don King, originally tempted both Muhammad Ali and George Foreman out to Africa with a paycheck of $5 million each. The music festival was partly organized to help recoup this sum. In fact, Leon Gast, who directed the 2 other Fania All Star films, Our Latin Thing and Salsa, initially set out for Zaire to shoot just the Kinshasa concerts. But when Forman cut his eye in training, the fight was postponed for about 6 weeks. This allowed Gast to film the lengthy preamble to the boxing match and all the beautiful madness which accompanied it. The footage, of course, resulted in his Oscar-nominated When We Were Kings. The release of that documentary was knotted up in legal wrangles for years, until 1996. So, too, was the footage of the shows, including the Fania All Stars performance. The Fania All Stars was a sporadically shifting unit, its membership tweaked by Masucci himself or adjusted due to their commitments to other engagements. Willie Colon didn't go to Africa because he was cutting tracks for his LP, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Some other All Star regulars were also unable to attend. But those who hit the jungle groove in 1974 included musicians Ray Barretto, Bobby Valentin, Johnny Pacheco, Nicky Marrero, Roberto Roena. Cuban violinist, Pupi Legarreta, and Yomo Toro, the cuatro player, were also invited. So, too, were vocalists Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Miranda and Santos Colon. Masucci, of course, also hopped across the Atlantic with Fania's graphic artist Izzy Sanabria and Felipe Luciano. Felipe, originally a member of the New York chapter of the Young Lords, divided MC responsibilities with Izzy. When the fighters, trainers, promoters, musicians and technicians were all gathered in Kinshasa, preparing to do their thing - out of the blue - news of the gash above Forman's eye was reported. The Rumble/Jungle executives quickly postponed the fight for several weeks but elected to stick to the original schedule of the festival. Understandably, funding the entertainers and their entourages to hang out for an extra 6 weeks in Zaire was financially intimidating and probably impossible. So, over the proposed 3 days, the musicians performed at the Stadu Du Hai. Director Leon Gast shot the shows on 35mm film, with the help of 6 cameramen, in front of a very enthusiastic crowd of 80,000. At the very beginning of Fania All Stars Live In Africa, the noise of this huge audience seeps into Celia Cruz's dressing room, where she's filmed applying her lipstick. The voice of the MC introducing 'Madame Celia Cruz' resonates backstage and she starts jiggling and wiggling with excitement. The air of anticipation is palpable. With spotlights bombing the crowd, Celia finally emerges on stage, resplendent with bouffant hairstyle and dazzling, multicoloured dress. She and the All Stars then explode into a wild performance of Kymbala. It's a fantastic, percussive groove, with cowbells and timbales deep in the rhythm. A big, wide grin spreads across her face. As she dances, lifting up the ruffled pleats of her outrageous outfit, the Africans, too, are filmed jumping like crazy. Celia' s performance of Guantanamera follows. With its violins and flute, this version is undoubtedly a wink to the charanga days of the early 1960's. Yet despite the million renditions of this track, the All Stars and Celia - bathed in a red glow - breathe fresh life into this Cuban standard. It's a brilliant vehicle for her dynamic voice and the All Stars' chops. Although she exits after this song, the pace doesn't ease. The band whiz into En Orbita, a joyful, jazzy jam where an ecstatic Johnny Pacheco, under the white burst of spotlight, conducts the All Stars. Indeed, it's at the Kinshasa concert that Pacheco is, arguably, at his most puckish. He's always on his feet - grinning, dancing, directing, encouraging and twisting his torso as he blows the flute. The track also features an excellent, lengthy bass solo from virtuoso Bobby Valentin. After a moody rendition of Cheo Feliciano's showpiece, El Raton, which includes a guitar solo from special guest Jorge Santana, the All Stars ride into Mi Gente. A salsa stormer, Hector Lavoe, dressed in a green top and bright red satin slacks, is this track's lead vocalist. After some audience participation and close-up shots of Ray Barretto slapping congas, Lavoe - like a rock star - dives onto the unsuspecting Kinshasa audience. Buoyed by the crowd, he's eventually returned to the stage. "Viva Africa!" whoops a delighted Lavoe. After a slower reprise of Guantanamera - without Celia - the All Stars hit one of their favourite jams, Ponte Duro. It's undoubtedly a showcase for the percussionists and the audience digs the groove. Roberto Roena, dressed in a white satin suit with extraordinary blue lapels, is filmed from the stage floor upwards, battering the bongos with his sticks. Then, amazingly, he's at the front of the stage, leg-splitting, proto-breakdancing and doing the James Brown! After this delightfully unexpected moment, timbalero Nicky Marrero, in his most appropriate leopard-print shirt, executes a tough solo. Following him, Ray Barretto, sporting a red silk suit, takes over, hammering his conga drum against the floor. Johnny Pacheco watches, grinning, urging him on. It's another wild night for the Fania All Stars. Their show was so popular with the Zairians, the All Stars were invited back for an encore performance 2 days later. Indeed, although the African reaction to James Brown at Kinshasa is often noted, the Fania All Stars were equally appreciated. Just as the Zairians recognized African roots in the Godfather of Soul's music, they also felt them in the polyrhythms the Fania All Stars offered up. Unluckily, the music festival was somewhat eclipsed by the huge shadow the extraordinary Muhammad Ali/George Foreman fight cast on 30th October, 1974. But here is indisputable proof that afew weeks before the Rumble In The Jungle, it was the Fania All Stars who dazzled the Zairian population with a little Rumba In The Jungle.
