Kobwaka Libanga literally translates as "throwing a stone." Nonetheless, in Congolese rumba, the phrase denotes the mention of a name in a song. It is a tradition that predates the genre itself, having been adopted from the folk music of the numerous Congolese cultures. It is also commonplace in other genres, Kenya's benga being one of them. Many aspects of this traditional music that found their way into the evolving genre did not last long, but some found a permanent home, kobwaka libanga being among them.

"Maina," a song by first-generation musician Henrique Tinapa, was composed in praise of a friend by that name. "Anduku Lutshuma" was composed by OK Jazz bassist Roitelet, alias Daniel Lubuelo. "Paul Kamba" was composed by Wendo Nkolosoy to mourn a colleague by that name. These are all old songs recorded in the 1950s. They indicate that kobwaka libanga found its way into Congolese music long ago, only that the intentions and inspiration behind it changed over time. Whereas people were initially mentioned in songs in recognition of their outstanding contributions to society, or occasionally for acting against social norms, the commercialization of music changed everything.

In later years, musicians began "throwing stones" at individuals either for payment or in recognition of those who had sponsored them in one way or another. Franco composed more than a dozen songs for Mobutu. Whereas some he did of his own volition, others were commissioned, meaning he was paid to compose them. Tabu Ley did three songs for Mobutu, Verckys did one, and many other musicians followed suit. Mobutu was a great fan of Congolese music, and even his Authenticit program was crafted to promote Congolese culture, with music being among its greatest beneficiaries. It also happens that Congolese music is so dear to the natives that it became one of the best ways to reach their hearts. This explains why politicians such as Bomboko, Kisombe Amasco, Lito Moboti, and others paid to be mentioned in Franco's songs. These were essentially musical advertisements, and the practice extended beyond politicians.

Franco also composed songs for other African presidents. The song "Kenneth Kaunda" was hurriedly composed on stage while the band was performing in Ndola, Zambia, after the then Zambian president unexpectedly attended the concert, as narrated to this writer by rhythm guitarist Petit Pierre, who was on stage with the band. Perhaps the band had not anticipated his presence, thus explaining why the composition had to be done on stage. Strange as it may sound, the song turned out superbly, with Musekiwa's tenor saxophone stealing the show. Franco also sang for Léon M'ba, the first President of Gabon, and President Eyadéma of Togo. It is likely that these songs were simply in recognition of their contribution to the liberation of their respective countries, with no financial inducement involved.

When it comes to singing for heads of state, no musician comes anywhere near Bikassy Mandeko Bidjos. The founder of Saka Saka sang for Mobutu, Moi, Amin, and others. Maybe one would wonder why on earth any musician would sing for a dictator. Music is a professional career. Like Kenyan advocate Gibson Kamau Kuria once opined, a lawyer can even defend Satan in court. The same goes for music.

DDC of Tanzania sang for Moi, Tabu Ley sang for Kenyatta, Ochieng Kabaselleh sang for Kenyatta, Mbilia Bel sang for Moi, Samba Mapangala for Moi, Kenya Blue Stars for Moi, and so on. Tabu Ley and Mbilia Bel also sang for Nelson Mandela in recognition of his role as a global icon of the struggle for freedom. It is worth noting that while some individuals had entire songs composed for them, others were merely mentioned in passing or in a single line. Fabrice was a Paris-based fashion designer. Franco composed a song for him in 1978, followed it with "Cinq Ans Ya Fabrice" on the fifth anniversary, and later recorded "Dix Ans Ya Fabrice" to mark the tenth anniversary. Franco died after recording it, and it was released posthumously.

AZDA promoted a local vehicle dealership that marketed the popular Volkswagen. Likewise, many songs were composed to promote commercial brands, including "Savon Astra" by Ngero Success, "Savon Omo" and "Savon Reward" by OK Jazz, all promoting different soap brands, and "UCB" by Youlou, promoting a bank. There was also "Journal Lipanda" by Grand Kallé, composed for a local publication, among many others.

There are also songs that were composed for individuals who were not necessarily politicians. These were mostly done at the request of the individuals themselves or their families. "The family of Bowule requested that I do a song for their departed relative," Simaro once told this writer on a social media platform. Although he did not mention whether he was paid, it is most likely that compensation was either part of the agreement or offered in appreciation. A musician is a professional like any other. It is unlikely that someone would seek their services free of charge unless the musician volunteered to do the work pro bono.

There are two popular songs, "KSK" and "Alita Tshamala," by Josky Kiambukuta Londa. These individuals were his friends, as he himself notes. However, the likelihood that the songs were composed purely out of friendship is rather slim. Most likely, there was some form of appreciation that has simply never been documented. Interestingly, this practice also inspires creativity. For example, when Fiston Lusambo, a London-based musician, chose to recognize this writer in a song, he created a captivating story depicting the moral decay in society. The song, sung by veteran Lipua Lipua singer Nzaya Nzayadio together with Nairobi-based singer Berryl Owano and recorded at Ketebul Studios, gave the main character the name Ogola, hence the title "Jirekebishe Ogola."

The song revolves around this character known as Ogola. However, as Fiston explained, the name merely serves to capture the audience's attention. There are songs whose titles contain names that never appear in the lyrics. In such cases, several names may simply be mentioned during the performance, especially in fifth- and sixth-generation Congolese music. A classic example, though from the third generation, is the celebrated song "Cooperation" by Sam Mangwana, popularly associated with the name Odongo. He collaborated with Franco and his band OK Jazz for the recording.

The name is merely mentioned, and there is no part of the song that directly relates to that individual, thus opening the door to endless speculation about who Odongo really was. This subject has attracted dozens of conflicting theories. Most have been easy to debunk. Kenya's Daily Nation has, on numerous occasions, erroneously stated that the Odongo mentioned in the song was Harrison Odongo Aywa, who served as an immigration officer before later becoming the Member of Parliament for Khwisero.

That claim is inaccurate. First, there was no constituency known as Khwisero until 1997, yet the song was released in 1982. Khwisero was carved out of the former Butere Constituency. Secondly, the story claims that Harrison was a close friend of Franco and frequently assisted him with immigration clearance whenever he visited Kenya. That too is untrue because the song was composed by Sam Mangwana, not Franco. The theory would only make sense if it claimed that Harrison was Mangwana's friend. Moreover, Franco travelled on a diplomatic passport, much like a head of state, and would hardly have required assistance from an immigration officer.

While touring Tanzania in 1983, Franco even travelled around the country in the presidential limousine. Many other theories have been advanced, but this remains the most prominent, largely because of the newspaper's extensive readership. It is also worth noting that the same newspaper has published inaccurate information regarding Mangwana's marriage and other aspects of his life. As discussed in another article on the Jabulani Blog, questions surrounding Mangwana's wife and children have long remained unanswered. This, however, does not imply that he never married.

Returning to kobwaka libanga, the fifth and sixth generations of Congolese music have perfected this practice. Names such as Didi Kinuani, almost always followed by the phrase "Mosombi monene ya mabanga ntalo" ("the gemstone dealer"), became common features in the music of Wenge Musica and its related groups. This billionaire is said to be extremely generous to musicians, sponsoring recordings and even overseas tours. Others include promoters Rigo Makengo, Joseph Kongolo, and many more. In this era, musicians receive substantial payments merely for mentioning names. Koffi Olomidé is widely rumoured to command the highest fees.

It has become a major source of revenue, and since music is a profession like any other, this practice has made considerable economic sense for musicians. Just as African drums and other traditional percussion instruments were incorporated into rumba during its formative years and have remained central to the genre even as technology gradually replaced instruments such as the saxophone, kobwaka libanga has endured. It has always been part of Congolese rumba and will most likely remain so for as long as the genre itself survives.

BY: JEROME OGOLA

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

Honestly, that label was always way off the mark.

Great music doesn't carry an expiration date. You can take a track recorded in a cramped studio back in 1970 and drop it in 2026, and it will stop you in your tracks just as hard as the day it hit vinyl. These songs never died because the music got bad. They vanished because distribution broke down, piracy gutted the industry, and many classics lacked proper digital archives. Licensing was a total headache, leaving massive chunks of African music history stranded out in the cold. So many masterpieces ended up locked away in vaults, labeled "rare" simply because modern record labels didn't want to deal with the paperwork to get them online.

Language barriers made that wall even higher. Millions of us grew up dancing to these rhythms without ever realizing the poetry hidden in the lyrics. Take Tabu Ley Rochereau’s Muzina: most people treated it as a pure dancefloor filler, completely missing that it’s actually a deeply spiritual prayer. Or Franco Luambo’s Mario, which still gets played at every party, even though it’s a hilarious, razor-sharp roast of a young man living off an older woman. What makes these classics so incredible is that their message is just as relevant today as it was a few decades ago.

Then internet culture came along and completely shattered the old gatekeeper model.

Suddenly, corporate radio and Big Tech algorithms didn't get to tell everyone what to listen to anymore. Feeds started pushing tracks based on pure feeling, letting a 1978 Soukous tune drop right next to a brand-new Afrobeats release and win people over on pure vibe. Mind you, that shift didn't happen smoothly overnight. When music first migrated online, a lot of African listeners who actually grew up on these sounds were left behind. High mobile data rates, spotty networks, and subscription fees turned streaming into a luxury. For years, the very people whose hearts beat to this music couldn't access their own heritage.

Luckily, as smartphones became everywhere and data costs started coming down, things changed fast. Add in a massive global diaspora craving a taste of home, and suddenly Africans everywhere started reclaiming these classic tracks on their own terms.

There is also a huge mental element to this: people are just tired of playing DJ all day. We have all sat there staring at Spotify or Apple Music, scrolling through endless menus and skipping track after track, completely burnt out by choice. There is something so relieving about leaning back and letting someone who actually knows their stuff take the wheel, like a host who knows the backstory behind a guitar solo and can read the mood better than an automated shuffle feature ever could. It truly warms my heart to see this cross-generational revival happening right in front of us. Seeing young people on TikTok and Instagram messing around with 40-year-old Rumba tracks for dance challenges or video edits is so rewarding. They aren't studying this stuff for a history test: they're playing it because it jams.

And that is precisely why we built Jabulani Radio: to serve as a real, living home for this music. Captain Shaddy Shihusa brings that raw broadcast charisma and live curation that saves you from playlist burnout, while Jerome Ogolla ("The Rumba Monk") digs deep into the vault. Jerome breaks down iconic guitar lines, translates Lingala lyrics, and pulls back the curtain on legends like Franco, Ochieng Kabaselleh, and Les Wanyika. Between Shaddy’s live energy and Jerome’s breakdowns, those language barriers just melt away, making legacy tracks feel completely fresh for a younger crowd.

You can see the ripple effect in advertising, too. Smart brands now focus less on age or gender boxes and more on mindset. They recognize that real attention comes from listeners tuned in for hours, not just quick searches. Instead of relying solely on skippable ads, which listeners are more likely than not to skip, many are backing independent digital stations and cultural archives where trust runs deeper. You see that same push for authenticity in the massive comeback of vinyl. People are genuinely fed up with the polished, synthetic, AI-generated background music flooding streaming services today. When algorithms fill your ears with computerized noise, human imperfection starts feeling like a luxury. We want to hear the room. We want natural timing, tiny flaws, and the unmistakable bleed of real musicians playing together in the same space.

Big record executives have a hawk's eye for emerging trends, and they are pouring resources into this movement. When labels realized classic catalog tracks bring in reliable streaming money year after year, a wave of acquisitions and deals started. Look at Sony acquiring Queen's catalog for over a billion dollars or securing stakes in Michael Jackson's masters. You see similar moves across African music, like Sony Music France acquiring Lusafrica and Africa Nostra masters, or Sony Music Publishing signing a major international administration deal for South Africa's legendary Gallo Music catalog. The corporate suits are investing in classic recordings, licensing vintage tracks for movies and games, and signing new artists who sample or build on these exact vintage foundations.

At the end of the day, this revival isn't just a short-term trend. Older generations didn't get left behind; the rest of us just finally caught up to what they already knew. Retro music never died: it just proved that real soul, live instruments, and honest rhythm don't have an expiration date.

Ready to take that journey for yourself? Catch The Rumba Monk this Sunday at 5 PM EAT right here on Jabulani Radio for a deep dive into 60s and 70s music, complete with aided lyric translations that bring the story and poetry behind the rhythms to life.

By The Rumba Commissioner (Papa Juma)

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

These words came to my mind when Prof. Larry Gumbe listed Koffi Olomide among the three musicians he ranks highest in terms of weaving poetic lyrics. He also listed Simaro Lutumba and Franklin Boukaka as the other two, in a conversation that also involved veteran music producer and writer Tabu Osusa, who gave his own list as Tabu Ley Rochereau, Franklin Boukaka, and Simaro Lutumba.

That Koffi Olomide is also increasingly being recognized as one of the musicians whose work transcends the traditional frontiers of music to venture into philosophy introduces yet another chapter in the story of his illustrious career, now spanning five decades.

His love for wordplay goes back to his childhood. Take "Nsoso Ameli Ng’ando" (A chicken has swallowed a crocodile), a traditional Congolese folk song he sang as a young boy. Built on an impossible, upside-down riddle, this early exposure to folklore shaped how he wrote later in life. Throughout his adult career, Koffi drew on that same traditional Lingala storytelling, using proverbs and riddles in his signature baritone to keep fans hooked.

Longevity alone may not necessarily be iconic were it not for the fact that Koffi has not merely survived, but remained at the very top. His name has featured prominently in the hierarchy of Congolese music for well over three decades. Scholars are often at a loss as to exactly how to categorize his music because he does not fit neatly into any one generation. Congolese rumba is usually divided into five or six generations, each defined by chronology and style.

For someone who invented his own style, Tcha Tcho, which is a slower, more sensual, and intensely romantic variation of rumba designed to contrast with the frenetic dance beats of the era, he emerged during the third generation, popularly known as the Cavacha era. He then survived through the fourth generation of fast-paced soukous and eventually became one of the defining figures of the fifth generation while still remaining relevant in the sixth. It becomes difficult to assign him to a single category since he comfortably straddled several generations.

Koffi has been there for five decades. He has made music, become famous, won awards, courted controversy, acquired numerous titles and nicknames, and, indeed, done almost everything there was to do. His earliest involvement in music dates back to the mid-1970s when he was a university student in France, pursuing a degree in Economics at the University of Bordeaux. It was there that he bought his very first guitar, an acoustic one, and taught himself how to play. He would strum it while singing, becoming a popular figure among fellow students.

He also composed several songs, attracting the attention of Papa Wemba of Viva la Musica. Among the songs he wrote during this foundational period were Elengi ya Mbonda and Ekoti ya Nzube, while he continued to balance his studies with his passion for music until graduating with his bachelor's degree in 1981. He would later build upon this academic foundation by earning a Master’s degree (DEA) in Mathematical Economics from the prestigious University of Paris (Sorbonne), making him a rare intellectual outlier in a genre dominated by street-schooled musicians.

His first attempt to form a band alongside Debaba and others did not succeed, as the group disbanded after only a few years due to internal disagreements. His next step was to record an album of his own compositions, for which he sought the services of veteran producer Verckys Kiamuangana. He later recorded another album featuring King Kester Emeneya and other musicians. It was in 1986 that he officially founded Quartier Latin International, a band that has remarkably survived the turbulent forces that have brought down many Congolese orchestras, remaining active four decades later.

To date, Koffi has released more than 40 albums comprising over 400 songs. His music has enjoyed immense popularity across Africa and beyond. He has performed hundreds of concerts worldwide, attracted millions of fans, and won numerous accolades, including no fewer than six Kora Awards. Most notably, his historic sweep at the 2002 Kora Awards in South Africa, where he won an unprecedented four trophies in a single night, cemented his status and inspired him to crown himself with the definitive moniker, Quadra Kora Man.

Among his most popular songs are Loi, Micko, Effrakata, Héros National, Aspirine, Fouta Djallon, Étoile d'État, Selfie, Jeune Pato, and Pharmacien. Other classics that have cemented his legacy include Ultimatum, Andrada, V12, Attentat, GB Gros Bébé, Choc, Mamie la Joie, and Noblesse Oblige.

Yet, Koffi Olomide has also never shied away from controversy. In one widely publicized incident in July 2016, he was caught on camera involved in a sharp altercation with one of his dancers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. The video, which appeared to show him striking the dancer, caused a massive public uproar, prompting Kenyan authorities to swiftly arrest and deport him, resulting in a multi-year ban from re-entering the country. The ban was eventually lifted in 2020, allowing him to return, but the stain on his international reputation remained.

Beyond legal controversies, he has also had public feuds with several Congolese musicians. Perhaps the most notable was his long-running rivalry with Papa Wemba, the very musician who had helped mentor him and with whom he had collaborated on the acclaimed album Wake Up. The feud was extensively amplified by Kinshasa's tabloid press, renowned for its insatiable appetite for celebrity gossip.

His rivalry with Werrason of Wenge Musica Maison Mère is another feud that spilled into songs and media interviews. Such rivalries often originate from competition for musicians, prestige, and commercial success. Ironically, they have frequently benefited Congolese music by driving creativity, with each side striving to outdo the other. A similar pattern was seen in the historical rivalry between Franco Luambo and Kwamy Munsi, which inspired several legendary musical exchanges.

In one media interview, music enthusiast and gemstone billionaire Didi Kinuani urged Werrason to shake hands with Koffi in reconciliation. Werrason declined. Didi then appealed to him not to escalate the feud through the media. Such rivalries have become part of the fabric of Congolese music history, and Koffi has probably had more than his fair share simply because he has remained relevant for so long. He has also had notable disagreements with JB Mpiana and Ferré Gola, the latter once being a standout member of Quartier Latin.

Born in Kisangani to a Congolese father and a mother of Sierra Leonean and Senegalese descent, Koffi will celebrate his 70th birthday on 13 July 2026, marking yet another milestone for the father of fashion icon Didi Stone and Del Pirlo.

At 70, most musicians are no longer active. Not Koffi. His latest song, Amourium, was released in May 2026, just weeks ago. He possesses an exceptional ability to capitalize on technological change, maintaining a fierce social media presence and continually reinventing himself for new generations. His contemporary collaborations with Tanzanian Bongo Flava star Diamond Platnumz have attracted hundreds of millions of YouTube views, proving his cross-generational appeal. He also boasts an impressive list of elite protégés whom he mentored to stardom, including Fally Ipupa, Ferré Gola, and Cindy Le Cœur.

Born Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, he has accumulated an extraordinary number of stage names and honorary titles over the years. Among them are Grand Mopao, Mopao Mokonzi, Mokonzi, Quadra Kora Man, Le Grand Ché, Double King, Le Rambo, Boss Ya Mboka, Patron, Agbada, Ackram Ojé, Légende, Milkshake, Iffok Edimolo, Jeune Pato, Nkolo Lupemba, Mokolo Bilanga, Le Maître de Double Demeure, Benoît XVI, Sarkozy, Obama, and Antoine. On several occasions, he even announced these grand new titles by erecting massive billboards across the streets of Kinshasa.

Quartier Latin International remains one of the best-managed bands in the history of African music. This corporate discipline may directly be attributed to Koffi's solid, university-level educational background, which goes a long way in explaining his remarkable longevity and organizational success. He may not have matched the sheer, raw depth of musical genius displayed by some of the early foundational giants of Congolese music, such as Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Verckys Kiamuangana. Yet, his unparalleled ability to remain at the absolute summit of African music for decades unquestionably earns him a permanent, undisputed seat among the greatest Congolese musicians of all time.

BY JEROME OGOLA

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

As much as Franco's band, OK Jazz, may have overshadowed Tabu Ley's outfit in terms of popularity and volume of music, there are other factors that favored Afrisa, such as its longevity, making it one of the most formidable musical outfits ever to come out of Africa. Tabu Ley Rochereau was the face behind the band, just as Franco was for OK Jazz and Verckys was for Orchestra Veve. Tabu Ley was born in Bagata, DRC, on 13 November 1940 and died on 30 November 2013. The genealogy of Afrisa stretches back to a rebellion that took place in 1963 at African Jazz, when Joseph Kabasele, alias Grand Kallé, failed to pay his band members after a performance, resulting in a revolt.

Several top musicians left the outfit, among them Tabu Ley, who had served alongside Grand Kallé as one of the band's vocalists. The others were trumpeter Willy Kuntima, maracas player Roger Izeidi, double bassist Joseph Mwena, and the guitar duo of Nico Kasanda and his elder brother Charles Mwamba Dechaud.

African Jazz had been Ley's first major band, but the young crooner had previously had stints with Jazz Africaine (not African Jazz) and Rock-A-Mambo, a studio ensemble at Esengo Studios.

The team that left African Jazz formed a new ensemble known as African Fiesta, which excelled in the same school of rumba as African Jazz. However, the band that had seemed destined to dethrone African Jazz at the pinnacle of the country's music scene did not last long. Within three years, it had split, giving rise to new bands. The new bands were African Fiesta Sukisa and African Fiesta National, headed by Nico and Tabu Ley, respectively. This marked a new beginning for Tabu Ley, as it was his band that went on to define Congolese entertainment for decades.

African Fiesta National became the first African band to perform at the famed Olympia in Paris in 1970, and that was not all. The band, which rebranded as Afrisa International after the Olympia concert, became a pacesetter on many fronts. Having chosen to pursue the African Jazz school of rumba, Afrisa became the leading exponent of the style as African Jazz gradually faded into oblivion. Other bands that excelled in this school of rumba included Jeannot Bombenga's Vox Africa, Nico's African Fiesta Sukisa, and Festival des Maquisards.

Whereas Dr. Nico's band faded relatively early, neither Vox Africa nor Maquisards could match Afrisa's longevity and influence. It was the most successful protégé of African Jazz. Afrisa became a home of talent and innovation. It was in this band that the showmanship pioneered by Sosoliso gained a firm footing, and it was also here that the drum kit became fully integrated into Congolese music. Afrisa was innovative, as opposed to OK Jazz, which appeared more conservative and sticklers for odemba.

From the mid 1960s through to the 2000s, Tabu Ley's band enjoyed the services of a galaxy of superstars. On guitar alone, some of the finest fingers in the trade played for African Fiesta National and later Afrisa. From Jean-Paul Vangu, alias Guvano, to Pierre Attel Mbumba, Michelino, alias Mavatiku Visi, and Maître Dizzy Mandjeku, the band boasted some of the greatest guitarists ever to grace Congolese music.

Others included Dino Vangu, Faugus Izeidi, Lokassa Ya Mbongo, Bopol Mansiamina, Maika Munan, Shaba Kahamba, Dr. Nico, Dave Makondelé, Damaseau Kambité, and many others. This is what drew the attention of every music lover to Afrisa. Drumming superstars Seskain Molenga and Ringo Moya also plied their trade with Afrisa, as did horn players such as the late Mekanisi Modero, Kebart Kabasele, Willy Mbembe, Empopo Loway, Akazol Kalula, and others.

Some of the finest crooners in Congolese rumba were also part and parcel of this band at different times. From the days of René Kasanda, Ndombe Opetum, Sam Mangwana, Dodo Munoko, Mimi Ley, Diesel Diambu, Mbilia Bel, and Madilu System, the band was never short of vocal talent. Tabu Ley himself is considered by many to be the finest singer Congolese music has ever produced. Some of these musicians went on to achieve even greater success in their careers years later.

The band also ensured that it featured consistently in music charts. From the days of "Savon Omo" to "Mokolo Nakokufa," "Hortense," "Mose Konzo," "Kaful Mayayi," "Kiyedi," "Maze," "Nakeyi Nairobi," "Monsieur Malonga," and "Muzina," among many others, the band always had something new for its fans, and that new offering was usually a major hit. These are just a few of the nearly 1,000 songs the band recorded during its years of existence. Afrisa toured the continent and the world extensively. The band graced stages in numerous cities across Africa, Europe, and America before later establishing a base in the United States. Through these tours, the band cultivated a loyal fan base.

In Kenya, for example, George Omondi is a dedicated researcher on matters relating to African Fiesta and Afrisa. Over the years, he has built an impressive library of music, photographs, videos, and other literature associated with the band. During the peak of Congolese music, from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s, all major bands had devoted fan bases, akin to the rivalry between supporters of English Premier League clubs today. A defection from one band to another was never taken lightly. When Sam Mangwana defected from Afrisa to OK Jazz, for example, there were street demonstrations in Kinshasa. The rivalry between the two bands is thought by many pundits to have encouraged competition, thereby elevating Congolese rumba, much like the later rivalry between the two Wenge factions.

However, the rivalry between Franco and Tabu Ley was apparently never personal. In 1983, Fataki Lusangu, alias Tshika Tshika, a prominent businessman, brought the two together for a series of projects dubbed "Lisanga Ya Banganga." The venture also featured Michelino, an important bridge between the two schools of rumba, and resulted in several successful songs.

The death of Mekanisi Modero therefore does not merely rob Congolese rumba fans of a talented composer, saxophonist, and manager; it also reawakens memories of Afrisa International, a band that defined Congolese music for decades.

SCRIPTED BY JEROME OGOLA

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

This name featured prominently in what Congolese refer to as "kobwaka libanga," a term that means mentioning a name in a song. The name was also mentioned at the commencement of almost all VOK programs in those days. It went beyond that; despite not always getting a direct mention, George Fombe was the sound technician behind several audio commercials aired by the state broadcaster in those days.

When you hear "Sportsman ni sawa hasa," a very popular advertisement for a British American Tobacco cigarette brand, it was recorded by George Fombe.

George Fombe, who says the moniker "Yahoo" was a popular name that came by accident and didn't mean anything, was the brain behind the recordings of several top Kenyan musicians and many others from East Africa. Vigelegele by Western Jazz, a Tanzanian band headed by Shamba Ramadhani, was his recording, as was Nawashukuru Wazazi Wangu by Black Warriors, comprising musicians from DDC who had opted to do a recording outside the band's system. He also recorded Maquis Du Zaire and many others.

Ochieng Kabasele's Nyar Kanyamuot, among many other hits by this musician, was also recorded by George Fombe, who has stuck to his trade to date without any intentions of ever seeking retirement.

George has recorded several top Congolese bands, including Virunga. Others include local superstars such as Kakai Kilonzo, Francis Rugwiti, Joseph Kamaru, Joseph Gicheha, Albert 'Wamaitu' Gacheru, Daniel Kamau 'DK', Peter Kigia, David Kasyoki Wamutoo, and Katitu Boys Band, Charles Musyoki Kikumbi and Kimangu Boys Band, and Martin Mulwa Muthoka and Mananja Boys Band.

In those days, the country's sole broadcaster was VOK, which ran three services: National Service, General Service, and vernacular stations. The state broadcaster did not record any commercials or privately sponsored programs; these were done by outsourced production houses. It is for this reason that George Fombe "Yahoos" became a household name in the era as a popular sound technician, also known as fundi wa mitambo.

Some of the programs that passed through his hands were "Sanyo Juu, Sanyo Top," which was initially done by Tido Muhando and then taken over by Fred Obachi Machoka. Others were "Maisha Bora na East African Industries" by Amina Fakii and "Ongeza Maarifa" by Joshua Makale, among others.

George Fombe was born in Nairobi's Eastleigh in March 1949 and attended Racecourse DEB Primary School before joining Pumwani Secondary School. His mother was a nurse. He was then employed at the High Fidelity studios, where he was taught the craft of recording by Hakam, an Asian sound engineer.

He had been taken to High Fidelity by Simon Ndesanjo, a London-trained and respected broadcast journalist who also plied his trade with VOK. Ndesanjo was his brother-in-law. When Ndesanjo bought CBS Records, George relocated with him.

In later days, CBS was acquired by Andrew Crawford, which meant that George Fombe, already a big name in the trade, became an employee of the production house. Worth noting is that Andrew Crawford later acquired High Fidelity, thus reuniting George Fombe with his former acquaintances.

This production house has also been associated with veteran producer Betty Tett, whose siblings Sheila Tett and Margaret Safari formed part of the iconic Kenya Blue Stars, yet another band whose success is largely attributable to George Fombe's production skills.

Among his peers were Isaya Mwinamo and Christopher Mbindyo of Polygram, Babu Kanyottu of Sawa, Babu Shah, and many others. Although technological advancements have redefined music production, with machines replacing central positions previously occupied by human beings, the roles played by the pioneers cannot easily be erased from the country's history.

BY JEROME OGOLA 

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

Nguza and his son were both incarcerated in a Dar es Salaam prison in Tanzania for 15 years. The story drew the interest and attention of the entire region, with the international community seeking to intervene. To understand Nguza, we must introduce a band known as Maquis du Zaire. Nguza, also known as Field Marshal, was a lethal soloist with the band. His unique solo guitar can be sampled in the song "Wakati Nilikuwa Mdogo" from the Karubandika album.

Maquis du Zaire began in Katanga in the mid-1960s under the name Super Gaby. The band then shifted its base to Likasi before finally making forays eastwards. It is narrated that in 1971, they ended up in Tanzania, despite having commenced the journey with the intention of going to Uganda. Ndala Kasheba, a music giant of the day, is said to have influenced their final decision to settle in Tanzania.

In Tanzania, Maquis found favor with fans due to the talent in its ranks. The band became very popular and attracted even more superstars. At some point, the band had up to 40 members—a very large size by any standards. This was also a unique band because they ventured outside of music and invested heavily in land and property from the proceeds of their music. This was a path hitherto uncharted by other outfits.

The band was headed by sax player Tshinyama Tshiyanza and boasted an array of talent, including Field Marshal Nguza Viking, sax player Kanku Kelly, and bassist Banza Mchafu. Others included Tshimanga Asosa, King Kiki, Dekula Kahanga, Kasal Kyanga, Mutombo Lufungula, and many others.

Nguza was born Tshimbuiza Tshisenze in Katanga, DRC, on April 5, 1953. He began his music career in his teenage years and made a name for himself as an astute composer and guitarist with the band. He became a household name once the band settled in Tanzania. However, with the band's changing fortunes—crippled by a string of deaths and defections—Nguza remained active in the music scene and even introduced some of his children to music, capitalizing on his experience.

Nguza's tribulations began on the evening of October 12, 2003, when he was arrested alongside his three sons and a teacher from a local school, Mashujaa Primary School in Sinza. They were detained at Magomeni Police Station for five days without any charges being preferred, a development which would later open a Pandora’s box regarding the fairness of their conviction.

On the sixth day, they were taken to court and charged with defiling ten pupils from Mashujaa Primary School. The trial began in earnest. Among the loopholes later cited in the case was that the victims were never formally introduced to the court or even interrogated in camera. This aroused suspicion about the merits of the case.

The case proceeded to a full trial, and in 2004, the teacher and two of Nguza's sons were acquitted, while Nguza and Papi Kocha were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Several appeal trials were thwarted by the prosecution, despite glaring anomalies—such as the fact that the charge sheet stated the two had infected the victims with AIDS, yet tests confirmed that neither was HIV positive.

Away from the court, the public seemed to have a clear picture of what was happening. In low tones, murmurs abounded that Nguza had been entangled in a love triangle involving a woman who was the wife of a prominent figure in the Kikwete administration. Talk was rife that the said person of influence had, through intermediaries, conveyed information to Nguza that he would be "dealt with" if he did not pull out of the relationship; thus, the whole trial process was viewed as a charade by a junior officer acting under instructions from above.

With no opening for freedom in sight, the lawyers representing the duo sought intervention from the African Court of Justice. Other means were attempted by the duo, who, while incarcerated, composed a song dedicated to Kikwete that pleaded their innocence and begged for leniency. This, too, bore no fruit.

The matter attracted attention again across the entire region as the African Court of Justice opted to explore the loopholes to seek justice for the duo. In 2017, this author wrote an open letter to John Pombe Magufuli, the then-Tanzanian President. The open letter was a cry from music fans, seeking the President's intervention and a possible presidential amnesty, taking a cue from the power of mercy granted to him by the country's constitution in the wake of allegations that a miscarriage of justice may have occurred.

The letter went viral on online platforms, and on the advice of some influential people in Tanzania, this author was asked to write an email to the official State House address. It is not possible to determine whether this caught the attention of the President or if it just amplified the calls for a review of the case that had hit a crescendo.

Later that year, President Magufuli released the duo via a presidential amnesty. He subsequently invited them to the State House, offered a public apology on behalf of the Tanzanian government, and pledged to compensate the duo for their wrongful incarceration. This was interpreted by the public as an admission of guilt by the authorities. The case of Nguza Viking and his son is often debated not just as a story of musicians convicted of a crime, but as a deliberate instance of someone in authority misusing power to disenfranchise the vulnerable.

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

A woman should not get married simply because society wants her to, or because she has reached what is considered the “right age” for marriage. “Mbona watoto wa nyuma yako wameolewa, wamekuwacha ukihangaika?” (How come your younger siblings are all getting married before you?)

Apparently, those who dropped out of school to start families are viewed as achievers in this context, while she who worked hard in class and even pursued further education abroad becomes a subject of ridicule. If Kabaka were alive, maybe we would ask him to take this wonderful song back to the studio, revise the lyrics, and align them with present-day realities. Otherwise, a contemporary mind would advise “msichana wa sura nzuri” to only get married when she is convinced it is the right decision for her, and not because anyone expects her to.

Again, discussants in a marriage discourse rarely agree on every detail. Whereas marriage has worked perfectly well for some, for others, it does not. As such, there has never been a consensus on matters of marriage, thus providing yet another angle from which to approach the debate. The above excerpt is an opinion this writer gave in response to an online debate about “Msichana wa Elimu.” In yet another debate on the song “Bachelor Boy,” he wrote this:

“A popular tale chides struggling young men, noting that while other old men were seriously prospecting for wealth in the city and acquiring plots, their grandfather was busy twisting his legs to the dance craze of the day, popularly known as twist. To me, this claim seems to point an accusing finger at Kabaka’s song ‘Bachelor Boy,’ and specifically his clarion call: ‘Bachelor boy wenzangu, twisty, twisty.’ This song also reveals another side of Kabaka. It seems he expected the ‘msichana wa elimu’ to get married before she grew too old, while he himself could not marry because ‘mimi siwezi kuwacha raha za mjini.’ Isn’t this an advocacy for recklessness? A masculine society, so rigid toward the girl child, yet very willing to bend and accommodate the excesses of the boy child.”

These two anecdotes showcase how the musician Daudi Kabaka managed to set the agenda by composing songs that would inform national debates in online forums many decades after his death. Kabaka was a social critic who used his music to address matters central to society’s moral fiber, and that is what earned him the moniker “Mtoboa Siri.” That was not his only moniker; he was also referred to as the King of Twisty.

His rise to this throne is attributed to his immense contribution to the genre, which had evolved at Equator Records, owned by Charles Worrod in Nairobi. That he was the King of Twisty is not debatable. It is so certain. He excelled in the era of the music genre coined by Charles Worrod, the English producer regarded as the father of the genre, who also owned Equator Sounds, a band housed under Equator Records in Nairobi.

Equator Sounds was established in 1960 when Charles Worrod bought East African Records and Jambo Sounds, then amalgamated and rebranded them into Equator Records. This recording house had a band known as Equator Sounds, having rebranded from Jambo Sounds. It was one of the pioneer bands in the country and featured the services of talented musicians such as Daudi Kabaka himself, Nashil Pichen, Fadhili Williams, Peter Tsotsi, George Agade, Bernard Ayuya, among others. All these were fully professional musicians.

Charles, a Briton, came to Kenya from South Africa. It is from the Zulu dance “kwela” that he borrowed elements, blending them with an American twist and also incorporating aspects of East African music to come up with a very popular genre known as twisty. Having been a central pillar in both the studio and the band, Kabaka assumed the kingship of Twisty. He made several very popular recordings during this era and also played guitar in many other songs within the genre. He played solo guitar in “Angelike Twist” by John Nzenze, among many others, and also mentored him in guitar playing.

Some of the most well-known songs, like “Bachelor Boy,” are his compositions, recorded by Equator Sounds. Others include “Kazi Ngumu,” “Mie Kabaka,” “Safari ya Nigeria,” “Amlofa,” “Kilio Ng’ambo Kwetu,” and “Safari ya Tabora,” among many others. Worth noting is that he also recorded some of these songs in rumba versions. Twisty became a very popular genre among urban sophisticates in the 1960s, making Kabaka a superstar and a household name. Other notable names in the genre included John Nzenze (also known as Amutabi), Isaya Mwinamo, Reuben Shimbiro, and George Mukabi, among others. Equator also enjoyed an elaborate distribution network across the region; thus, all the songs under its label enjoyed popularity beyond Kenyan borders.

While researching Ochieng Kabasele’s memoirs, the pivotal role Kabaka played in the country’s music scene became evident. One evening, Kabaka was passing by Jericho and noticed some young men practicing. He stopped and became interested upon noting how good they were. Their leader was a 17-year-old Ochieng Kabasele, a Form Three student at Pumwani Secondary School. Kabaka took the young man to Equator Records, and that is how Kabasele’s first four songs—“Naftali,” “Nyak Konge,” “Lek,” and “GK”—were recorded.

Among the musicians who participated in the recordings was Kabaka himself, who played solo guitar. Gabriel Omollo, who later worked with Apollo Komesha, played bass, according to Babu Kabasele. Kabaka’s role in the evolution of Kenyan music was so significant that some consider him the father of Kenyan music. Songs like “Harambee Harambee,” the country’s unofficial independence anthem, were his compositions, as were other iconic songs like “Msichana wa Elimu,” which opened a can of worms with speculation that Kabaka may have had a specific person in mind while composing it.

Kabaka’s team at Equator Sounds would later become big names in their own right. Thus, dozens of the country’s pioneer musicians were, in one way or another, linked to him. Daudi Kabaka was born in Uganda in 1939. However, he relocated to Nairobi at a young age with his father, who worked for the East African Railways. He was named Daudi Kabaka after a Baganda king who had died that same year. He joined Equator Records, then known as Jambo Records, in 1959. His death in 2001, at the age of 62, brought the curtain down on the illustrious career of one of the most impactful musicians in the country.

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

“Dino Vangu changed the style of Afrisa International when he took over from Dizzy Mandjeku,” Faugus Izeidi once opined. Faugus, a younger brother of Roger Izeidi, was himself a star mi-solo guitarist with the same band but quit years earlier to create his own band, Fiesta Populaire.

What makes a solo guitarist such a star member that some bands only pay solo guitarists, while others pay them more than any other ordinary members? Isn't music a collective effort? As such, is fame not supposed to spread fairly to all members?

Rumba music is a technical genre that runs on guitars. Of the three—bass, rhythm, and solo guitar—it is the solo that tracks the melody of the song, making it more noticeable, although this may not necessarily mean it is the most important. This means it is the lead instrument, while the rhythm guitar remains the most foundational. This is important in the sense that if one instrument fails to work and the band has no choice but to proceed crippled, they will use the instrument as a rhythm guitar and do away with the solo guitar.

Bill Alexandre, the proprietor of CEFA Studios in Kinshasa (then known as Léopoldville) established in 1955, is the person who introduced the electric guitar to Congolese music. Despite having the acoustic guitar and some other instruments like the bulky contrabass, the electric guitar henceforth became the engine of Congolese Rumba, with other instruments being relegated to mere spices or additional sweeteners.

A rhythm guitar is the oldest element in any song. In most cases, it is the very first, in the sense that it is used while the song is being composed. Composition in this context means the creation of the melody. However, the song only wears the complete face of a song once it has been given a solo guitar.

This unique aspect makes the solo guitarist a star in any band’s lineup. It is also worth noting that every solo guitarist is able to play rhythm guitar, but not every rhythm guitarist can play solo. In the path of learning, every trainee begins by learning the chords; rhythm guitar is acquired by striking patterns repeatedly, while for solo, the player roams the fretboard to follow the melody.

This means that in performances, the most vigorous guitarist whose hands roam the entire fretboard is the soloist. It also happens that most musicians who sing and play guitar are solo guitarists and not rhythmists. This does not mean all, but a few examples at hand include Mbaraka Mwinshehe, the soloist par excellence.

While Charles Ray Kasembe played rhythm and was less known, Mbaraka played solo and was the star personality in the Super Volcano band. Of course, this was for some other reasons as well. Mopero Wa Maloba of the Shama Shama fame also played solo while singing, and this made him the star of the Cavacha band, whose leadership he shared with Dona Mobeti before quitting to create his own.

Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi of OK Jazz began as a guitarist but could also sing. He was to become the band’s most recognized singer when he took to the microphone. Despite being the bandleader and the face of OK Jazz, he was still the most recognized member, of course, owing to some other reasons and the reality that he was the star solo guitarist.

The band’s other solo guitarists—Moses Fanfan, Mavatiku Visi (also known as Michelino), Papa Noel, Thierry Mantuika, and Gerry Dialungana—also got their fair share of fame, quantitatively more prominent than the rhythmists among them: Simaro Lutumba, Gege Mangaya, Petit Pierre, Armando Mwango Brazzos (who played the contrabass), and Ya Makoso Kindudi.

Having made a name as a master composer, doing philosophical songs delivered in figurative language, and having served long as Franco’s deputy, made Simaro (also known as Le Poète) more known than his rhythm peers. But still, in concerts, the solo guitarists always gobbled more limelight than him.

The same can be said of the Kalekezi duo, also known as the Kinyonga, of Simba Wanyika fame. Wilson, the eldest and the founder of Arusha Jazz, began as a little-known rhythmist for Jamhuri Jazz. He brought his brother into the fold, and when he left, he tagged along his younger brother, George Peter, who began as a bassist. Both were later to become solo guitarists and star attractions in Simba Wanyika, where they played interchangeably in the solo guitar role. They were the band’s most recognized members, more so than the rhythmists among them, including Omar Shaban and others.

In comparison, bands led by instrumentalists are more often led by solo guitarists than by players of any other instrument. Others like Tabu Ley and Nyboma were primarily singers, while others like Verckys of Veve, Kalombo Mwanza of Orchestra Basanga, Viva Makale, and Lola Shango of Boma Liwanza were saxophonists. Most, however—Franco, Bavon, Johny Bokelo, Mbaraka, Wilson Peter, and Habel Kifoto, among others—were solo guitarists.

Some rhythmists convert to solo upon becoming bandleaders. A classic example of this was Les Wanyika’s Ngereza Johnny. While a musician with Orchestra Bwambe Bwambe, he played rhythm and did it remarkably well. However, upon shifting camp to Les Wanyika, whose leadership he wrestled from Omari Shaban, he became a solo guitarist and a vocalist.

That the solo guitar is always the lead instrument in Rumba makes the player the most suitable lead singer because the roles interchange. When the vocals come up, the solo guitar, which takes the melody of the song, goes quiet. However, some rhythmists have also made names as top vocalists, as have other instrumentalists.

Yet again, some solo guitarists chose to remain just that, without venturing beyond. Examples include Dally Kimoko, Caien Madoka, Général Mandoza, Beniko Popolipo, and many others. Rhythmists who head bands include Vata Mombassa, Simaro Lutumba, and Bopol Mansiamina, among others.

Maybe fairly or unfairly, solo guitarists have always attracted more attention than any other instrumentalists in a band.

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

Coming at a time when most TV programs were imported from abroad, local content naturally became an instant hit with audiences. To give a complete local touch, the producers chose the song "Tausi" as the introductory tune. The introduction was laden with significance; while the country’s entertainment was dominated by foreign art, the country also had talent that could quench that thirst.

The song was recorded in the early 1950s, making it one of the earliest songs recorded in Kenya. Alongside other hits such as "Olivia," "Ajali Haikingiki," "Jambo Singara," and others, Fundi Konde remains an important pillar of Kenyan music, having played a significant role in the nascent days of the country’s music industry. He was there from the beginning and didn’t just witness its development, but actually played an important role in shaping it.

Fundi Konde, who was born Kenga Mbogo in Kilifi on August 24, 1924, began his musical journey playing the flute while still a student in a Catholic mission school. He later debuted his career as a full-time musician when he was enrolled in the colonial military, the King’s African Rifles, with the specific role of playing the flute and entertaining soldiers. A zumari is a bamboo-made wind instrument very close to a clarinet. The instrument is central to many Giriama folk tunes, and being one, this was Fundi Konde’s entrance before learning other instruments.

Historian Levin Opiyo, in 2023, posted a video of Fundi Konde while in Sri Lanka, accompanied by a caption that read:

“King’s African Rifles entertainment group entertained East African soldiers fighting in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, in 1945 during World War II. They gave 350 performances in a year, covering 60,500 miles in Ceylon, India, and Burma. Among the soldiers performing in Southeast Asia was the hugely influential guitarist Fundi Konde, who joined the King’s African Rifles band in 1944. The double bass guitar was played by a corporal from Uganda. Another member of the band was George Senoga Zake, who was among the people responsible for producing a new national anthem for Kenya at independence.”

In the video, a young Fundi Konde is captured playing an acoustic guitar with unmatched expertise.

It was upon his return that he joined trumpeter Ngala Karani and drummer Joseph Chuza in Peter Colmore’s African Band, one of the pioneer professional bands in the country, in 1947. Fundi Konde is one of the most notable Kenyan pioneer electric guitarists. He ventured further and incorporated several genres into the traditional coastal music.

Fundi Konde also worked as a producer with the Kenya Broadcasting Service, as the national broadcaster was then known, before rebranding to VOK. While at KBS, he recorded several songs with Esther Fadhili, who was Fadhili William’s sister and also worked at the radio station.

Fundi Konde also worked with HMV (His Master’s Voice), a British record company with a subsidiary in Nairobi, as a sound engineer and musician, before switching to High Fidelity. It was there that he worked on "Malaika," a Fadhili William song whose authorship has often been disputed.

The musician, who has been praised as the "father of Kenyan music" by Them Mushrooms in the song "Daima," composed in his tribute, later settled as a music producer. The song extols his contributions to music and emphasizes his singing prowess: “kama ninga ulisikika, mashariki mwa Africa” (Like a pigeon, your voice entertained the entire East Africa). As a producer, through his hands, many great hits were made.

Several songs sung by Them Mushrooms and other Coast-based bands are either his compositions or old songs adopted from the rich coastal folk music, most of which were first recorded by Fundi Konde, while some were entirely his own compositions. He thus takes credit for having modified old traditional songs associated with the coastal traditions and making them recorded music for wider listenership beyond the Kenyan Coast.

Fundi Konde died on June 29, 2000, a death that brought to an end a career that had lasted six decades. He remains one of the icons of Kenyan music, hailing from the Coast region, which also produced greats such as Fadhili Williams, the Mushrooms Quintet (comprising five siblings from Kaloleni in Giriama: Teddy Kalanda, John Katana, Billy Saro, George Ziro, and Denis Kalume), the Pressmen Band of Albert Shehi and Willy Mwang’ombe, Adam Nadro Solomon based in Canada, Mzee Ngala of Bango fame, and many others.

Fundi Konde also mentored several musicians, an achievement that decorates his legacy further. Many upcoming stars passed through his mentorship, as he was himself a polished guitarist, composer, singer, and producer.

By Jerome Ogola

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

This was a milestone in the commercialization of music and created prospects for professional musicians for the very first time. In 1960, a retired British army officer, Peter Colmore, established yet another recording label in Nairobi known as High Fidelity. This is the facility that housed Eduard Masengo and his cousin Jean Bosco Mwenda Wa Bayeke—the very first Congolese musicians to set foot in Kenya—as well as Fundi Konde and other musicians. Before the establishment of these two recording companies, a few dozen Kenyan musicians had been produced under the British label HMV. Other early record labels were CMS (Capitol Music Store), AGS (African Gramophone Store), and ASL (Associated Sounds Limited).

However, it was in 1963 when Charles Worrod, a South African of English descent, bought East African Records and rebranded it Equator Sounds, with the house band rebranding from Jambo Boys to Equator Sounds Band. This was the citadel of the country’s musical evolution. It is his creative mind that saw him experiment with a fusion of South African beats and American music, resulting in an authentic Kenyan beat, "Twist," which had a wild following in the region, earning him the sobriquet "the father of Twist."

"Harambee Harambee," the most successful of his projects, turned out to be the country’s biggest song in the era. Equator was home to the region's finest musical talents, among them Fadhili William, Daudi Kabaka, Gabriel Omollo, Ugandan Charles Ssonko, and Zambians Nashil Pichen and Peter Tsotsi. This is the recording label that recorded "Malaika," yet another hit unofficially declared the East African anthem by music aficionados of the region—a song which has so far traveled far and wide with cover versions recorded by musical big names of the world.

The advent of recording technology, which happened simultaneously with the emergence of urban life—both occurring a few years preceding the country’s independence—acted as catalysts which catapulted Africa’s music to international fame, beyond the countries' frontiers.

The DRC is a country of more than 250 ethnic communities, and the convergence of these cultures in Kinshasa provided a fertile ground for the breeding of Congolese Rumba. Of course, traveling from the villages in the countryside of the vast country to the capital in search of jobs, individuals didn’t leave their traditions at home. That is how the native culture found its way into the town, eventually spilling into the music, then in its nascent stages.

The very first record label to set foot in Kinshasa (then known as Leopoldville) was known as Ngoma, and it was owned by a Greek entrepreneur, Nicholas Jeronimidis. It was established in 1948, and the very first musicians to be signed were Wendo Kolosoy, the celebrated father of Congolese music, and Henri Bowane. The former, who had previously worked as a boat mechanic and coxswain in the waters of the Congo River (locally known as Ebale Ya Zaire), made his debut recording with the company in the same year. The song titled "Marie Louise," which is the oldest known locally recorded Congolese song, also happened to be the country’s first song to go international, putting the country on the musical map globally and, of course, internationally much later.

A second record company set up base in Kinshasa in 1950. It went by the name Opika. It was owned by Greek siblings known as Gabriel and Joseph Benatar. It was these studios that housed the evolution of African Jazz, which featured superstars Grand Kalle, Dr. Nico Kasanda, Tino Baroza, and others.

In 1952, Loningisa arrived. It was owned by another Greek, Athanase Papadimitriou. This company housed the evolution of OK Jazz. It is here that Watam, headed by Dewayon—a band that Franco featured for—signed in. This is the record label that recorded Franco's very first songs, "Kombo Ya Loningisa" and "Lilima Dis Cheri Wa Ngai," songs that were recorded in 1953 when Franco was 15 years old. OK Jazz evolved from studio musicians signed to this label.

Esengo was yet another company. It came in the mid-1950s and packed Henri Bowane, the biggest musical name in the era. Esengo had a nose for talent. They poached musicians from other companies, and it is at this studio that the phenomenal Rock-A-Mambo emerged.

The other important record label of the era was CEFA. This was founded by Bill Alexander. Bill was Belgian and not Greek like the others. Bill is the person who is credited with introducing the solo guitar in Congolese Rumba. This guitar wasn't just an improved instrument but acted like a whole new concept for the evolving genre. It became the engine that runs the genre, with other instruments acting as mere spices.

The other important record company was Veve, established in 1972 by Verckys. It housed the evolution of Cavacha, a sub-genre of Rumba that defined and dominated that third generation. This is the production house that recorded and distributed most of Congo's big bands in the 1970s. Verckys also funded bands and equipped them. These record labels played a very critical role in the development of Congolese Rumba.

By Jerome Ogola

Listen to Jabulani Radio Live

Home of African Tunes

Smart Link

One link for all devices

OPEN SMART LINK Copy link

Default Stream

MP3 • 128 Kbps • Best quality

PLAY NOW Copy link

Mobile Stream

AAC • 64 Kbps • Saves data

PLAY ON MOBILE Copy link

HD Quality

MP3 • 192 Kbps • Crystal clear

PLAY IN HD Copy link

M3U Playlist

For VLC, Winamp & other players

DOWNLOAD M3U Copy link

Desktop Friendly

Full page player • Big screen

OPEN FULL PAGE Copy link

Featured Partner

Advertise here: marketing@jabulaniradio.com

Follow us on all major social media platforms

His death brought the curtains down on a music career that had spanned over 50 years. Born Pascal Tabu on November 29, 1940, Tabu Ley was a trailblazer of contemporary rumba and a titan of Congolese music.

So revered is Tabu Ley that the only other musician whose name is mentioned in the same breath, or even higher, is Grand Maître Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, famously known as Franco.

In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, the two bands sat at the apex of the country's musical landscape as the top outfits, with competitors unable to topple them. In marking Tabu Ley’s 12th death anniversary, we seek to unmask the similarities and differences between Tabu Ley and Franco, the duo that bestrode the country’s music scene for decades like colossi.

Born two years apart, in 1938 and 1940, in Sona Bata and Bagata respectively, both were second-generation Congolese musicians who began their careers in their teenage years in Kinshasa, then known as Léopoldville, at a time when rumba was still in its nascent stages.

At 15 years old, in 1953, Franco recorded his very first release, backed by Watam, a band owned by Paul Ebengo (also known as Dewayon). For Tabu Ley, it was not until 1958 that he did his first recording, with a band known as Jazz Africaine (not African Jazz), owned by trumpeter Edo Clary Lutula. He was then 18.

Franco began earlier than Tabu Ley for obvious reasons: Ley continued to secondary school, and education consumed much of his early teenage years, unlike Franco, who left school much earlier. While many pundits attributed Franco’s exit from school to his mother’s inability to support his education after his father’s death, his aunt later clarified that Franco was simply not interested in schooling.

This introduces a raft of variances between the two titans. Early exposure to music gave Franco an opportunity to learn the tricks of the industry early enough, and that is why, by 1956, aged only 18, he created OK Jazz with others, despite never having been a member of any professional band prior.

Tabu Ley, on the other hand, had to join Rock A Mambo, Jazz Africaine, and African Jazz before finally creating African Fiesta, which he co-led with Dr Nico. It was not until 1966 that he formed his own fully owned outfit, African Fiesta National. By then, he was 26 and eight years older than Franco at the time OK Jazz was created.

Franco was the patriarch of the OK Jazz School of rumba, which he referred to as odemba. It was built on his guitar and Vicky Longomba’s vocals, as explained on Radio Jabulani by Dizzy Mandjeku, who played for both OK Jazz and Afrisa.

Tabu Ley, on the other hand, was a child of Grand Kallé’s African Jazz and remained loyal to the African Jazz School of rumba, also known as Fiesta, throughout his career. This style was defined by Dr Nico’s guitar and Grand Kallé’s singing. Other adherents included African Fiesta Sukisa of Dr. Nico, Festival Des Maquisards, Vox Africa, and many others. Those aligned to the OK Jazz School included Jean Bokelo’s Conga Success, Negro Succes, and others.

Tabu Ley was a showman with impressive choreography skills, while Franco was not. Tabu Ley’s shows were marked by immaculate performances, and he was the first musician to bring female dancers onto the stage. Franco’s concerts, meanwhile, primarily showcased vocal and instrumental expertise. Franco himself rarely danced.

Tabu Ley also appeared to appeal more to the elite, performing in venues frequented by the country’s upper class, while Franco’s band was for the masses—especially loved in informal communes such as Bandalungwa, Ngiri-Ngiri, and others.

That is not all. Franco was primarily a solo guitarist, while Tabu Ley was a vocalist. Although Franco also sang remarkably well and recorded numerous vocal tracks, he began as a guitarist. In his earliest songs, he played only guitar. Over his entire career, he played guitar on more recordings than he sang on. On some occasions, he sang while playing guitar; on others, he played without singing. But only once did he sing without playing guitar, in Suite Lettre 2, which features Michelino on both solo and rhythm guitars.

Tabu Ley, meanwhile, sang or participated in far more songs done by his band than Franco did in OK Jazz. There are many OK Jazz songs in which Franco did not participate at all, compared to Afrisa songs in which Tabu Ley was absent.

Tabu Ley was primarily a vocalist throughout his career; he did not play instruments. Franco, however, was more versatile. If in Nalingaka Yo Te he composed, sang, and played solo guitar, rhythm guitar, and percussion, all by himself, this means he had an additional edge.

Many other differences exist.

But there were also many similarities. Both were bandleaders with exceptional managerial acumen. Keeping a band together for decades is no easy task, especially considering the restlessness of musicians, who are always on the move.

Both were also gifted composers. More than half of each band’s discography was written by the respective leader, although Franco’s output surpasses that of Tabu Ley, despite Tabu Ley living more than two decades longer.

The fluidity of talent between the two bands is another similarity. Musicians came and went throughout their existences—with some leaving only to return, while others departed for good.

The bands also exchanged musicians, another point of convergence. Among the musicians who played with both Afrisa and OK Jazz were Sam Mangwana, Michelino, Loway Empopo, Kiesse Diambu, Madilu System, Dizzy Mandjeku, Ndombe Opetum, Michel Sax, Seskain Molenga, and others.

Interestingly, the two legendary leaders once joined hands in a collaboration that resulted in the Lisanga Ya Banganga album—a development that proved critics wrong after years of rumours about bad blood between them.

Many more striking similarities existed between the two. Twelve years after his death, music fans still hold Tabu Ley in high regard, and numerous commemorative events will be held in Paris and Kinshasa. Radio Jabulani has dedicated several episodes of its programs to this titan of music, described by Rumba Overdose presenter Shady Shihusa as an unmatched golden voice of Congolese rumba.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

Your Home of African Tunes

Radio Player

Next Track

Track History

Other Listening Options

Smart Link

Listen Now

Default

MP3 128 Kbps

Play

Mobile

AAC 64 Kbps

Play

HD

MP3 192 Kbps

Play

M3U Link

Download

Desktop

Friendly Link

Visit

Advertisement

Advertise here: Marketing@jabulaniradio.com

"Advertise Smarter with Jabulani Radio"

Reach global and local audiences with Jabulani Radio. Using modern tech, we offer customized advertising solutions that fit your needs.

"Grow with Us"

Leverage multiple social media platforms with hundreds of thousands of followers. Brand your product with our proven technology and watch your business thrive. The world is changing—advertise smarter with Jabulani Radio.

It all came on a Friday morning, October 12, 1989, and it shook Kinshasa. Although gossip about his ill health had circulated like a stubborn whirlwind around Kinshasa for two months, nobody really thought he’d die or was prepared for that. For over three decades, Luambo Luanzo Makiadi had become a mystical figure in the country, so revered that he seemed immortal. His band, OK Jazz, had become the country’s biggest brand due to its iconic status.

The once little boy from Sona Bata, who strummed his self-made three-string instrument to attract patrons to his mother’s business in Ngiri Ngiri, had transformed into a global music powerhouse.

The sombre aura in the band’s first concert after his death captured it so aptly. Lukunku Sampu, the veteran Telezaire broadcaster, attempted to interview the band members, but he himself got overwhelmed by emotions, and his eyes became teary. Indeed, Franco was gone. Truly gone, never to come back again.

It is in the song that the composer Simaro Masiya passionately asks Prof Liyolo, a renowned sculptor, to create a monument for Franco, which he delivered before his own death. When Jabulani Radio inquired from one of the most successful Congolese guitarists why he disbanded his band only to later find himself at OK Jazz as a mere employee, the response was that the band was the home of fame and money. It was every musician’s dream to be at OK Jazz.

Born in Sona Bata in the Bas Congo in 1938, Franco discovered and pursued his talent early in life, true to the words of the adage that states that it isn’t difficult to know which of the young chicks will grow to become the family cockerel. Franco did his maiden recordings on November 17, 1953, backed by Watam Band of Ebengo Dewayon, aka Paul. By then, he was just 15. It is the songs "Kombo Ya Loningisa" and "Lilima Dis Cheri Wa Ngai" that opened the floodgates of recordings that made Franco rise fast as a superstar.

Franco and colleagues from Watam had joined Loningisa as studio musicians, and this was the much-needed boost that set his nascent career on the path to success. It was at Loningisa that Franco had an opportunity to showcase his wizardry on guitar, as he had been taught by Ebengo Dewayon, who afforded him his very first opportunity to play a real guitar, away from his improvisation.

His guitar skills were exemplary, and anyone who has sampled his music can attest to that. So was his songwriting acumen, which is easy to understand by identifying the songs he composed. His versatility is effortlessly covered by the instances in which he played almost all instruments and sang in the 24-minute song "Nalingaka Yo Te.”

His managerial capabilities are admired by many, as manifested by the way he held the band together for three decades. In one of the recorded interviews at Un Deux Trois, Franco introduces his band members by mentioning their names.

When prodded by Lukunku to state who Mayaula Mayoni was, Franco says he had been a footballer and a scholar. Lukunku, the interviewer, then makes a wild conclusion that if the musician had been a footballer and a scholar but chose to switch to music, then apparently that was where the money was.

“Elengi,” Franco interjects, stating that music was fun. Of course, Franco tried to convince him otherwise, but it remains factual that he may not have been as wealthy as speculated, though he surely had the money to pay his musicians — not so well, but better than other bands — and to some extent, that was the glue that held his band members together. He never struggled to pay them. Nonetheless, this shouldn't be misconstrued to mean that he never treated his musicians unfairly.

With the Loningisa label, which he worked with until he established his own record label, Epanza Makita, in 1962, with the help of Grand Kale, Franco released more than 250 songs. It is this batch that drew the world’s attention to him. Franco grew to become a phenomenon. While in Tanzania on a 1973 tour on a state invitation from President Julius Nyerere, he traveled from Dar es Salaam to Arusha in a presidential convoy, complete with the coat of arms, as narrated to Jabulani Radio by Johnes Lemghe, who coordinated the tour as one of the senior government officials then.

When he visited Khartoum in Sudan, a stampede resulted in several deaths, as documented by one of his biographers. The urge to catch a glimpse of the superstar was overwhelming, thus the stampede. When he visited Kisumu, fans had to bring down a brick perimeter wall to forcibly gain entrance into Moi Stadium. No one was willing to remain outside, insulated by a wall from the arena as Franco performed. These episodes illustrate how music fans adored the icon.

Jabulani Radio presenter Shady Shihusa says that, of all African musicians, Franco’s songs are the most requested and offers an explanation:

“Over the years, he always had a masterpiece for every new release, and this kept fans hooked and yearning for more.” He goes ahead and states that this created a near cultish following from his listeners. Indeed, looking at Franco's discography, one notices that almost every year he had new releases that captured the audience's attention.

In his early days, “On Entre OK, On Sort KO” of 1957 gained immense popularity, so much so that it became the band's unofficial anthem. Just before 1963, there were several releases big enough to forecast the fierce competition that was in the offing between OKJ and African Jazz in the 1960s, with Franco capitalizing on new talent — guitarist and composer Simaro, singer Kwamy Munsi, singer Mulamba Mpanya, saxophonist Verckys, among others.

By the mid-1960s, it was now evident that OK Jazz was the biggest musical ensemble in Congo, with songs like “Somele” becoming instant hits. “1966 was the band’s most creative year,” opines William Naz Okoko, while counting more than 50 hit songs of that year, most of them pachanga and bolero subgenres.

Indeed, as much as the band’s guitar formation of Simaro on rhythm with Franco on solo soared in the 1960s, with stiff rivalry from the rival formation of Bavon and Bholen at Negro on bolero, with Vicky Longomba — often referred to as the king of bolero — OK Jazz had very minimal competition.

The band expanded significantly going into the 1970s, with new talents like singers Youlou Mabiala, Josky Kiambukuta, Ndombe Opetum, and others. In the 1980s, Franco spent most of his time abroad in Europe rather than in his native DRC. He was literally globetrotting. When he wasn’t in Europe, he was touring either the USA or Africa. Petit Pierre, aka Pierre Monongi Mopia, narrated to this writer how successful their tours were in Ndola and Lusaka in Zambia. In one of the shows, they had to perform a just-composed song for President Kaunda without any prior rehearsal.

Franco had done and recorded songs for Presidents Léon Mba of Gabon, Eyadema Gnassingbé of Togo, and a host of local Congolese politicians — Bomboko, Kisombe, Luton Mpboti, and others. For Mobutu, he did more than a dozen songs, some on his own volition, while others he was hired to do.

Franco was in a love-hate relationship with Mobutu. In an attempt to dig out Franco’s religiosity and learn how he became a Muslim, this writer learned that Franco never even practiced Islam. That was just a clever trick to beat Mobutu, who had formed a habit of asking Franco to perform at his children’s birthdays, something Franco never liked. Once he converted to Islam, he’d decline such invitations, citing nonconformity to his new religion.

The sheer musical genius of Franco and the country’s love for music made Franco so popular that Mobutu always tried to find a way to associate with him. This, Franco capitalized on and gained much from the arrangement, though his indifference to Mobutu on some issues was also glaring.

This nearly godly status of Franco has not been enjoyed by other musicians before or after him. On guitar alone, Franco belonged to the trinity of the greatest from Congo, which also had Dr. Nico Kasanda and Papa Noel. Alastair Johnston, an American musicologist who has made a bold attempt at documenting African music, points to an instance where Nico passed by Franco’s Un Deux Trois and was able to blend with the band and play Franco’s songs with much ease — as a pointer that Dr. Nico may have had an edge over Franco on guitar, as he doubted if Franco would easily imitate Nico’s guitar.

Otherwise, apart from these comparisons on guitar, it seems that in any other aspect, Luambo was incomparable. He was in a class of his own. True to the words of Mangwana, as captured in Ewen Greame’s book on Franco, it takes the world a century or so to produce a Franco. He was indeed iconic.

Music lovers surely miss him. A series of concerts has been planned to mark his 36th anniversary in Nairobi, Paris, and Kinshasa. Among them is a Jabulani Radio Franco 36th Anniversary Fete to be held at Hotel Mercury at the heart of Nairobi CBD on October 18th. This is one man the world isn’t in any hurry to forget.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

Your Home of African Tunes

Radio Player

Next Track

Track History

Other Listening Options

Smart Link

Listen Now

Default

MP3 128 Kbps

Play

Mobile

AAC 64 Kbps

Play

HD

MP3 192 Kbps

Play

M3U Link

Download

Desktop

Friendly Link

Visit

Advertisement

Advertise here: Marketing@jabulaniradio.com

"Advertise Smarter with Jabulani Radio"

Reach global and local audiences with Jabulani Radio. Using modern tech, we offer customized advertising solutions that fit your needs.

This song tells the history of a city that began as an arena for barter trade, or "Sumo," where communities exchanged the goods they produced for those from their neighbors. It wasn’t until the railway arrived that the traditional sounds which defined the area began to disappear, gradually giving way to modern influences.

"Ndege aidho tera Winam yeeh Aidho gari tera Wigot Mtoka aidho tera Kisumu Aidho meli tera Winam Boda boda soya Kondele"

This verse, which lists the modes of transport one can use to travel to various parts of the town, introduces the geography of Kisumu. The city sits on the shores of Lake Victoria, previously known as "Nam Lolwe" before colonialism.

Depending on your destination, your transport could be a bicycle taxi, train, matatu, boat, or airplane. The song sparked curiosity among those who had never set foot in the town.

The song made Suzanna an instant celebrity as it became central to the centenary celebrations. But who is Suzanna Owiyo? The songbird was born in the rocky highlands of Upper Nyakach, in a village known as Kasaye, in what is now Kisumu County, in 1975. At that time, it was Kisumu District.

She was born into a polygamous family of fourteen children. She grew up in Thika, Central Kenya, which exposed her to different cultures. Coming from a family with a renowned orutu player, she developed an interest in music early in life while still in school.

After completing her studies, she took up odd jobs in the city, even as the urge to become a musician kept growing. Her debut came when she joined Sally Oyugi as a backup vocalist. Later, she switched to become a singer with Bora Bora Sounds, which performed in various spots around the city.

Her big break came with "Kisumu 100," which she composed for the city’s centennial celebrations. Kisumu was founded in 1901, so the event was marked in 2001. The song gave her national fame and made her a household name. It even earned her a Kora Award in 2000.

Apart from performing at Kisumu’s centennial celebrations before an audience that included regional presidents, Suzanna also performed at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Oslo when Professor Wangari Maathai received her laureate. She also graced Nelson Mandela’s birthday celebrations in Hyde Park, London, in 2008, and has performed in several other African cities.

With her easy style and the stylish acoustic guitar she strums along to during her performances, Suzanna has also charmed award organizers. Her music has earned her a Kisima Award, Kenya’s equivalent of the Grammy.

Suzanna’s rise placed her firmly in the country’s top league of female musicians, a space once dominated by great voices such as Queen Jane, Babito, Princess Jully, and Achieng Abura. Unlike many of her peers, she carved a unique niche by blending traditional Luo instrumentation with contemporary rhythms, an art that made her music appeal to both the older rural folk and the urbane youth.

Her artistry demonstrated that women could not only sing and dance but also lead bands and excel as instrumentalists.

Though she hasn’t released many songs, some of her most popular works, apart from "Kisumu 100," include "Mama Africa," "Yamo Kudho," and "Malaika." Suzanna, who is married and has a child, is also a devoted activist and participates in numerous awareness campaigns, as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Away from music, she is developing an art center in Riat to help nurture young talent. Most women who have excelled in music have been vocalists or dancers, but rarely instrumentalists. As one of the few female musicians who is also an instrumentalist, Suzanna Owiyo is truly iconic.

By The Rumba Monk

Jabulani Radio

Your Home of African Tunes

Radio Player

Next Track

Track History

Other Listening Options

Smart Link

Listen Now

Default

MP3 128 Kbps

Play

Mobile

AAC 64 Kbps

Play

HD

MP3 192 Kbps

Play

M3U Link

Download

Desktop

Friendly Link

Visit

Advertisement

Advertise here: Marketing@jabulaniradio.com

If one were to sample the best benga songs recorded in the last decade, there would be very little, if anything, from the genre's ancestral home in Nyanza. It's Kamba musicians who've, over time, remained faithful to this music, which has also been identified as the most predominant beat in Kenya, especially after the decline of twist.

Is benga on its way to extinction?

This is a reality that should worry music enthusiasts and stakeholders. Nyanza was the bastion of benga in the 1970s and 1980s. The music was played at almost all social functions, both recorded and live concerts. Musicians were the biggest superstars in town.

Celebrity gossip around the genre was the in-thing, and every move by a musician—a new release, a defection, or otherwise—was keenly followed by fans. That's not the case today. It's not just about the decline in enthusiasm for the music; it's also about emerging genres like ohangla dethroning benga. Furthermore, some other musicians are doing a type of benga that bends toward Congolese rumba, in a way that makes the genre lose its identity rapidly.

Sampling songs from top musicians in the region, such as Prezda Bandason, Johnny Junior, and Odhiambo Tusker, one notices how far the genre has derailed from its former self. This is in stark contrast to the benga created by Collela Mazee, D.O. Misiani, and Okatch Biggy, a genre that was defined by dominant solo guitar riffs plucked in the melody of the vocals and timed interchangeably with the singing.

The genre also featured a unique rhythm guitar—sometimes two of them—that, together with a high-tempo drum, provided the template for the song. The music didn't feature other spices like saxophones, trumpets, keyboards, or extra percussion. Thematically, the genre was predominantly centered on love, though some songs were composed to praise iconic individuals. Today, the music is much closer to Congolese rumba, with some musicians even picking lines in Lingala, playing the guitar in the rumba style, and extending the average length of songs beyond the four to five minutes that defined traditional benga. With this, it's almost safe to conclude that benga is on its way out.

The decline in the genre is also noticeable in Central Kenya. Whereas Kamaru, D.K., Peter Kigia, Queen Jane, and Musaimo made it big in the 1970s and 1980s, mugithi and the one-man guitar craze seem to have dethroned benga from the central position it occupied in its golden days. Although some musicians like Joe Mopero are still recording and performing benga in its original form, it's almost safe to conclude that the vibrancy of the genre in the local music scene has significantly eroded.

It's only in Ukambani that the vibrancy of benga seems to be thriving. Every upcoming musician struggles to learn the guitar, which is the engine that drives benga. Musicians like Tumbo can play all the instruments, a far cry from an ohangla musician from Nyanza who may not be able to play any particular instrument. A typical YouTube video by Hiramix Mwendwa, Mwalili Junior, or Jose Tosh, focusing on rhythm, solo, and bass, presents a sound closer to the original benga beat by Collela Mazee and other pioneers than what's being produced today in Nyanza.

Ukambani musicians have capitalized on technological advancements to bring benga to a new audience rather than adulterating the genre. For example, Alex Kasau records his practice sessions and studio work at his Kisinga Studios and posts them on YouTube. This provides fans with an insightful experience of how benga is made, something that was previously unseen.

Whereas advancements in technology have often been blamed for degrading creativity, in some cases, they have enhanced it. For lovers of unadulterated benga, these YouTube episodes are apt platforms to celebrate talent. With benga disappearing by mutating into something else in other regions, Kamba musicians have, over the years, retained its true identity in a way that the pioneer musicians of the region would be proud of were they to come back to life.

Apart from twist, which was very popular in the 1960s, other genres considered Kenyan include chakacha and bango from the Coast, ohangla from Nyanza, and many others from across the country. However, none spread as widely in Kenya and beyond as benga, hence becoming the country's musical identity.

Kamba musicians should now continue popularizing it to restore its dwindling fame.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

Your Home of African Tunes

Radio Player

Next Track

Track History

Other Listening Options

Smart Link

Listen Now

Default

MP3 128 Kbps

Play

Mobile

AAC 64 Kbps

Play

HD

MP3 192 Kbps

Play

M3U Link

Download

Desktop

Friendly Link

Visit

Advertisement

Advertise here: Marketing@jabulaniradio.com

"Advertise Smarter with Jabulani Radio"

Reach global and local audiences with Jabulani Radio. Using modern tech, we offer customized advertising solutions that fit your needs.

"Grow with Us"

Leverage multiple social media platforms with hundreds of thousands of followers. Brand your product with our proven technology and watch your business thrive. The world is changing—advertise smarter with Jabulani Radio.