ADIKA PONGO
Gig Seeker Pro

ADIKA PONGO

Rome, Latium, Italy | Established. Jan 01, 1993 | SELF

Rome, Latium, Italy | SELF
Established on Jan, 1993
Band R&B Soul

Calendar

Music

Press


"Christopher Williams helps Adika Pongo find "You""

(December 21, 2017) A few years ago we introduced SoulTrackers to the uber-talented, European soul band Adika Pongo, via their terrific album, Groovin’ Up. And so we were very excited to learn this week that they’ve released a new single with the great Christopher Williams.

This new track, called “You,” anticipates their new album coming out next spring 2018. It is an homage to the sound of famous artists such as Marvin Gaye and Earth, Wind and Fire. The band tells us:

“When we wrote “YOU”, we thought about a male singer performing a duet with our lead singer, Ms Francy. We thought about a powerful voice, full of romantic and harmonic nuances. We thought immediately of a great singer who was an icon of New Jack Swing-Era and famous for his duets with Mary J. Blige and Faith Evans: Mr Christopher Williams.”

The song was recorded in both Italy and Atlanta, and the results are terrific. Check out “You” below and welcome back Adika Pongo to SoulTracks! - Chris Rizik - Soul Tracks


"D-Train helps Adika Pongo to "Touch My Heart""

When the mood calls for several shots of stress relief, many people depend upon on that infectious post disco era in the eighties, a period that let us dance to our heart’s content with a mix of dance pop, techno and R&B. The Italian band Adika Pongo is more than qualified to deliver those irresistible ingredients that lift a unique spirit of disco to a joyous funky high. Riding on the inspiration of fellow countrymen and post- disco masters Change, we featured Adika Pongo on First Listen a few months ago with an Alex Di Cio remix of their biggest jam from 2011, “Diamonds.”

Now, the great news has finally arrived with more needed therapy as Adika Pongo brings us another round of boogie. Their new dancefloor gem, “Touch My Heart” (Expansion Records) calls upon yet another post disco voice, James ‘D-Train’ Williams. The energetic interchange between Williams and Adika Pongo vocalist Ms. Francy sync well with the upbeat soundtrack. And the backing band covers all the necessities that disco requires: hard hitting brass, piano crescendos and solid percussive beds. Once again, Adika Pongo fulfills their artistic duty to touch those stressed out hearts and fuel those dancing feet. - Peggy Oliver (Soul Tracks)


Discography

Riding the wave of their "live" success, Adika Pongo’s first CD comes out in June 2011: Groovin’ Up! – Hits 1997-2011 with the renowned British label Expansion Records.
The CD will feature songs from their 1997 recordings, as well as new tracks recorded with their current lead vocalist Francy. Among the guest artists, a special mention goes to Norma Jean Wright and Luci Martin (ex vocalists of the remarkable band Chic), Robbie Dupree (nominated for Grammys and twice in the Top Ten on Billboard) and Steve Khan (known for his numerous solo projects and his work with Steely Dan, Weather Report, Brecker Brothers, Dianne Schuur, Donald Fagen et al).
Some songs are sung by Baruch "Darling" Chadwick, one of the first solo vocalists to perform with Adika Pongo, who unfortunately died prematurely in 2004. Two songs on the new CD feature a duet with Francy and are a tribute to him.
Three songs from this album, “Chill Out” and “The Look In YourEye”, have been released on the soul compilation "Luxury Soul 2011" by the Expansion Records. “Make the move” is on another compilation “Soul Togetherness 2011 – De Luxe Ed.” "Good Day" on "Soul Togetherness 2013"
This album was recorded between Rome and New York City. The 1997’s songs were mixed by Michael Landy at the Review Room at GRP in New York and mastered at Sterling Sound by famous engineer Greg Calbi.
They have been from September to November 2011 in the UK SOUL CHART (first Italian band ever) climbing to the 5 th place. Their music is still played by many radios all over the world (Ita ly, Brazil, USA, Japan, Germany, France, Netherlands and England as well).

Photos

Bio

ADIKA PONGO’s new single “(Let’s go to) DISCO” featuring the exceptional American
singer Leroy Gomez, coming out on January 19th 2024 on all digital
platforms


An homage to the 70/80s Disco Music era, written in a modern and captivating
groove.


 The new single of the band, comes after two years from “Touch my heart”
(another successful disco single feat. D-Train) and is published again by the Soul/R&B
British label Expansion Records,
which features Adika Pongo as its only Italian group.   


 The outstanding guest on the new single, is the ultra-famous American
singer Leroy Gomez, ex singer of the
group Santa Esmeralda back in the 70s. 
Famous for hits such as “Don’t let me be misunderstood”, “You are my
everything” and “Gloria” - among others - Leroy duets on this track with Ms Francy, the leader singer of Adika Pongo.


 After years of collaboration between the band and Leroy, the producers and
members of the band, Costantino Ladisa
and Alessandro Benedetti, had no
doubts in choosing him for this tribute to the Disco Music.


The song was written by the above producers and by Ms. Francy and Leroy
Gomez himself and is intended as an homage not only to the renowned musical
genre, back in fashion now, but also to the Disco venues of the 70/80s,
intended as an aggregation scene where there were no social distinctions. 


Initially in Italian, the song and its rap part, was adapted in English by
Leroy himself.  The rap was initially conceived
with the contribution of the Italian rapper of Francesco Maria Crudele, AKA Papaceccio.


 Recorded in Rome, the song has been mixed at the Mulino Recordings by
Francesco Luzzi and mastered in L.A. USA by Harrison Long at the Off Trail
Studios. The song is a trump card and has all the assets to become a Disco tune
to be danced all over the world.


 The band Adika Pongo have published, with Expansion Records, “Groovin Up!”
their first album and their songs are still broadcasted on radios ranging from
Italy and the UK to Japan, Brasil, Chile, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany et
al.


Their tunes have also reached impressive placements in the UK Soul Chart
and have been reviewed enthusiastically on may international music magazines.

Band Members