Composer - 1961
Manuel Wandji
With a Cameroonian father and a French mother, crossbreeding is at the center of his creativity, constantly renewed by his travels and artistic encounters in Europe and the United States.
But Africa remains the source, the dominant culture of his artistic expression.
1961, Manuel "Wambo" Wandji born in Nancy (France) where his father was studying.
1970, departure for Cameroon where the little Manuel discovers his second homeland; his family settles in Yaoundé. His family moved to Yaoundé, where he began his real musical education: the sound universe of the equatorial forest and urban and traditional music.
1975, the adolescence involves him in the clubs of the popular districts of the city, Wambo does not resist it and starts to "type" with his buddies of high school: the first group, the first concerts.
1980, departure for France. While pursuing technical studies in Besançon, he discovers new musical styles and meets the dance world for which he will not cease to compose until today (Cie ACCRORAP).
1986, he creates the METISSAGES company where he is a dancer and musician.
1988, he lands in Paris and plays for Ray LEMA, Papa WEMBA... The "world" scene is rich and Manuel sails within various formations and discovers the work in studio.
1992, he realizes an old dream: to create his own recording studio, his own structure, in order to be able to compose and produce in all freedom: WAMBO PRODUCTIONS is born.
1994 /1995, while preparing his first productions (see discography) he accompanies Geoffrey ORYEMA, plays for the program "Nulle part ailleurs" of Canal + with invited artists such as Ben HARPER, Manu DIBANGO or Tom JONES...
1995/1999 he reveals the Cameroonian Henri DIKONGUE to the public by producing his first 2 albums ("Wa" and "C'est la vie") and will tour with him around the world for 4 years.
1997, a tour in France with the Kenyan acrobats JAMBO MAMBO.
2001, he accompanies Régis GIZAVO, Malagasy accordionist.
2002, He records for the DJ Martin Solveig (Album " Sur la terre ").
2003/2004 : first project as a singer-songwriter under the name
pseudonym of WAMBO (Afro-reggae) and first tours with his group and
release of the album in Cameroon in 2005.
2005, he recorded and accompanied the Gabonese singer Pierre AKENDENGUE.
2005/2006 : he starts to invest the Parisian scene with the " Voices of
percussion project " and his friends dancers... show that he plays
today all over the world.
2006, receives the Cesar for the best Cameroonian artist of the diaspora
(Canal d'or) by the television channel Canal 2.
2006 : he creates and finances the collective CULTURE MBOA in partnership with
Ruben Binam to sensitize the Cameroonian public on the evils of
piracy and organize an autonomous network of original CD sales.
2005/2011 : He joins the band "VOICES" based in New York and performs
with them in the world.
2006/2011 : International tours and recording of new albums
and DVD on 3 continents.
2013 release of a new album in April "Voyages & Friends
DISCOGRAPHY:
1994 - Radio Trottoir
1995 – Henri Dikongué « WA »
1997 – Henri Dikongué « C’est la vie »
1999 – Manuel Wandji « Rhythms of life »
2002 – Manuel Wandji « Spirit of roots »
2005 – Manuel Wandji « Planet groove »
2005 – WAMBO « Près de moi, loin d’ici »
1994/2008 – Manuel Wandji « Music for dance »
2013 « Voyages & Friends »
English 
French