Cos - Viva Boma

Viva Boma was the band COS' second LP, originally issued in November 1976. This one added some African influences to the mix, including the cover which, designed by Alain Goutier upon a concept by Daniel Schell, depicted a trio of hippopotamuses that made reference to Boma, a port city at the banks of the river Congo, and Bomma, Belgian word for grandmother (hence the title appearing either with one or two m's on different parts of the artwork). The Wah Wah reissue comes housed in a beautiful reproduction of the original sleeve and an insert with photos and liner notes. Limited edition of 500 copies, licensed from and with the collaboration of Daniel Schell.

To many, Cos is the quintessential European jazz-rock outfit, with a sound that links their own 1970s Belgian scene to names from the Canterbury scene like Soft Machine, Gong or Hatfield And The North, the Krautrock movement of Can and the likes, and France's most prominent Zeuhl pioneers like Magma or Zao. The origins of COS date back to the end of the 1960’s, when Daniel Schell joined forces with Jean-Paul Musette, Pascale Son and Robert Pernet to form Classroom. When Classroom split, Daniel Schell and Pascale Son moved ahead and formed COS together with Charles Loos, Alain Goutier and Bob Dartsch. They produced an experimental jazz rock sound, and they always managed to keep to their own personality.