Kenny B - Kenny B (Top Notch Music/Universal)

The life story of this Surinamese singer almost reads like an adventure novel. Kenneth Bron's father was one of the first Marrons (descendants of runaway African slaves, comparable with the Jamaican term "Maroons") who moved to the city to find work in the factories. In 1980 Kenneth joins the Surinamese army, but the great inequality in the Surinamese society quickly drives Bron into the arms of Ronnie Brunswijk and his Jungle Commando, where he's assigned the task of mediating during the peace negotiations. In 1991 Kenneth heads for The Netherlands, where he's finally able to dedicate the necessary time to his music. On this self-titled album recorded for the Top Notch Music label, Kenny B situates himself somewhere between the Dutch levenslied and smooth lovers rock, continuously alternating between Sranantongo, Aukan (also called Ndyuka or Okanisi, a Creole language spoken by the Ndyuka or Aukaners, a group of Marrons living in eastern Suriname and western French Guiana) and, for the first time, Dutch. In The Netherlands, he already scored hits with 'Parijs' and the irresistible 'Als Je Gaat' ("when you leave"), but opener 'Alleen Jij' ("just you") and 'Een Man Mag Niet Huilen' ("a man shouldn't cry") are of a similar level, and 'Paramaribo' is the most infectious Surinamese anthem since Postmen and Robert Lee's 'Fawaka'. The ballad 'Jij Bent De Liefde' ("you're love") we'll certainly get to hear at many a marriage and we strongly doubt you'll be able to keep it dry. On this album, Kenny is joined by artists like Jayh ('Een Man Mag Niet Huilen'), Tekisha ('Tjaipi Lobi' and 'Neks Ne Tai'), ND ('Yamba') and Jeffrey Spalburg ('Paramaribo'), which suggests there are much more of these kinds of musical treats from The Netherlands/Suriname to come.