Sebene

Franco Luambo is often credited for popularizing and revolutionizing sebene.[1]

Sebene, also known as seben, is an instrumental section commonly played in Congolese rumba.[2][3] It is usually played towards the end of the song and is the dancing section where the lead and rhythm guitars take the lead in the dance.[4][5][6][7] It is characterized by the repetition of a specific number of notes during the passage of second chords: one major chord and one-seventh chord, which gives rise to the Lingala derivation "sebene," derived from the English numeral "seven" or its ordinal rendition.[8]

Guitarists use a combination of lead and rhythm guitar to produce a distinct sound that is accompanied by vocalists, including an atalaku who energetically engages the audience and may call out to sponsors.[9][10][11] The use of arpeggios, rapid chord changes, atalaku, and melodic embellishments is extensive in sebene and gives Congolese rumba a dynamic and energetic rhythm.[9][10][11]

  1. ^ White, Bob W. (27 June 2008). Rumba Rules: The Politics of Dance Music in Mobutu's Zaire. Durham, North Carolina, United States: Duke University Press. pp. 56–59. ISBN 978-0-8223-4112-3.
  2. ^ Ellingham, Mark; Trillo, Richard; Broughton, Simon, eds. (1999). World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East. London, England, United States: Rough Guides. p. 460. ISBN 978-1-85828-635-8.
  3. ^ Clark, Duncan Antony; Lusk, Jon; Ellingham, Mark; Broughton, Simon, eds. (2006). The Rough Guide to World Music: Africa & Middle East. London, England, United Kingdom: Rough Guides. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-84353-551-5.
  4. ^ Coelho, Victor, ed. (10 July 2003). The Cambridge Companion to the Guitar. Cambridge, England, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-521-00040-6.
  5. ^ Salawu, Abiodun; Fadipe, Israel A., eds. (31 May 2022). Indigenous African Popular Music, Volume 1: Prophets and Philosophers. Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany: Springer International Publishing. p. 352. ISBN 978-3-030-97884-6.
  6. ^ Yankah, Kwesi; Peek, Philip M., eds. (March 2004). African Folklore: An Encyclopedia. Thames, Oxfordshire United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. p. 527. ISBN 978-1-135-94873-3.
  7. ^ White, Bob W. (27 June 2008). Rumba Rules: The Politics of Dance Music in Mobutu's Zaire. Durham, North Carolina, United States: Duke University Press. pp. 53–58. ISBN 978-0-8223-4112-3.
  8. ^ Bemba, Audifax (10 October 2023). "Le sébène dans la musique congolaise moderne" [Sébène in modern Congolese music]. Congopage (in French). Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  9. ^ a b Guitar Atlas: Guitar Styles from Around the World. Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, United States: Alfred Music Publishing. 2008. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-7390-5563-2.
  10. ^ a b Conteh-Morgan, John; Olaniyan, Tejumola, eds. (October 2004). African Drama and Performance. Bloomington, Indiana, United States: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-21701-1.
  11. ^ a b White, Bob W. (27 June 2008). Rumba Rules: The Politics of Dance Music in Mobutu's Zaire. Durham, North Carolina, United States: Duke University Press. pp. 59–61. ISBN 978-0-8223-4112-3.