Tempelo

AMG Review of Tempelo

Chris Nickson
All Music Guide

It's been too long since Tabu Ley -- the birth name that Tabu Ley Rochereau seems to prefer these days -- set foot in a recording studio. As befits the comeback of a vocal giant, this is a very detailed album, which would be lost without Maika Munan, whose multi-instrumental talents keep everything flowing. While most other veterans have recently returned to the golden days of Congolese humba, Ley doesn't go all the way back, with plenty of touches of Paris soukous in the drums, for example. But it's an excellent disc, with some strong, thoughtfully arranged, and well-sung songs; his voice still retains that smooth, emotive quality that was his trademark for years. The only odd note comes when daughter Melodie performs the R&B-inflected "Move Around," although her duet with her father on "Bebe" is exquisite. But there's nothing wrong with some parental indulgence, especially when it's part of the return of a legend.