The legendary singer, known for hits such as "Reggae Night," "Many Rivers to Cross," and his iconic cover of "I Can See Clearly Now," was born James Chambers on July 30, 1944, in St. James Parish, Jamaica. He began his music career in the early 1960s. Cliff was a pioneer in bringing the reggae genre to an international audience, notably through his starring role and contribution to the soundtrack of the 1972 cult-classic film, The Harder They Come. His career earned him numerous accolades, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

His trip to Kinshasa (then Zaire) in 1986, sponsored by promoter Tamukati Ndongala, remains etched in the memories of many music fans for his bold attempt to fuse reggae and rumba. These two genres share common historical roots, a connection Cliff explored through collaboration.

The experiment produced several songs featuring the popular Congolese band Zaiko Langa Langa, with legendary guitarist Felly Manuaku Waku contributing to tracks such as "My Love". Cliff also worked in studio sessions with other prominent Congolese groups, including Afrisa International and OK Jazz, although, according to guitarist Dizzy Mandjeku, some of those recordings were never released to the public. These collaborations highlight his pan-African musical outlook and his role as a "citizen of the world."

The music world is mourning an icon and a citizen of the world whose influence transcended borders and generations. Tributes have poured in from around the globe, recognizing his lasting impact on music and social commentary.

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.

In a recent interview with Jabulani Radio, one physically disabled musician recounted every detail of his musical journey, explaining how he had a difficult childhood. However, he later requested that nothing about his disability be included in his story.

This is clear evidence that, despite living in a more enlightened society, disability is still viewed through the same lens as it was in the past, when communities hid such children under the assumption that they were bad omens or brought shame to the family. These are the kinds of challenges that Salif Keita faced. Social ostracism, health complications due to albinism, and being born into a royal family were some of the obstacles that could have hindered Keita’s rise to musical stardom, but they didn’t.

The Malian music icon's path to fame was not deterred by the luxury of royalty nor the stigma of albinism. He overcame both and achieved his dreams. Talent is often shaped by hardship and poverty. Many great footballers, athletes, and musicians have come from slums rather than affluent neighborhoods. In this sense, Keita's royal lineage may have been more of a burden than a blessing. Among the Mandinka community where he was born, albinism is considered a bad omen. This made his childhood especially difficult. But young Keita persevered and triumphed against the odds.

He was born on August 25, 1949, in Djoliba, Mali, and attended a Muslim school until 1967. He then left his village for the capital, Bamako, where he began his music career by joining the Super Rail Band de Bamako. This group later rebranded in the early 1970s as Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux. The band fled political persecution in Mali and relocated to the Ivory Coast. It was there that they gained international fame, particularly with the success of their 1978 album Mandjou.

This album was a tribute to Sekou Touré, then President of Guinea and one of Keita’s greatest fans. Ironically, Touré was also known for his authoritarian rule, contradicting the praise in the song. This pattern has repeated with other leaders in the region. Many of those celebrated in musicians’ compositions later turned out to be despots, such as Mobutu, Idi Amin, Jean-Bédel Bokassa, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, and Omar Bongo.

However, not all leaders followed that path. Nelson Mandela, the father of the rainbow nation, was also celebrated in song, and even after rising to power, he did not become a tyrant. In 1984, Keita relocated to Paris, drawn by the promise of better recording equipment and broader exposure. As is often the case when one moves away from home, he brought elements of his culture with him. West African musical influences remained central to his sound.

Soro, produced by the renowned Ibrahim Sylla, became an instant international hit, solidifying Keita's position as one of Africa’s greatest musicians. A defining moment in his career came in 1988 when he was invited to perform at a birthday celebration for Nelson Mandela, who at that time had been imprisoned for 25 years. As apartheid began to crumble under pressure from both internal and international forces, events like this were vital. Many musicians became ambassadors for freedom and critics of injustice, using their art to campaign against oppression and colonialism.

With the fame he gained in Paris, Salif Keita, descended from the Keita royal family, eventually returned home to Mali to continue advancing his music. When he returned to Bamako in 2000, greater musical success awaited him. Now Mali’s most celebrated musician and an international icon, he established a recording studio where he produced some of his most popular work.

The album Moffou was a tremendous success, followed by M'Bemba. Having lived with albinism—a genetic condition that causes a lack of melanin, leading to visual impairment, skin cancer risk, and social stigma- Keita used his platform to spotlight these challenges in his album La Différence.

In Africa, albinism is still linked to harmful superstitions, including associations with witchcraft. In some regions, witch doctors have falsely claimed that albino body parts bring good luck, leading to abductions and violence. La Différence was a critical effort to raise awareness and combat these myths. These superstitions are rooted in ignorance, just like the short-lived myth in 1990s Tanzania that bald men had gold in their skulls, which led to fear, abductions, and murder. Salif did not merely rise to become a music legend; he became a beacon of hope for people with disabilities, particularly those with albinism. His journey parallels that of Jamaican dancehall musician Yellowman, who also battled stigma due to albinism and emerged victorious.

Salif Keita is not only a composer, arranger, and singer; he is also a skilled guitarist known for his acoustic performances. He incorporates traditional instruments like the kora and balafon into his music, enriching it with cultural depth. Keita announced his retirement from music in 2015. He has also been active in politics, serving in Mali’s legislative assembly and later as an advisor to the ruling junta under Colonel Assimi Goïta.

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.

[Chorus] 

Kasongo ye ye ee 
Mobali na ngai 

[my husband]

Kasongo nga nawe oo 

[Kasongo I am dying]

Zonga libala ee 

[come back to the marriage]

x2

Kasongo yo yo, mobali na ngai 

[Kasongo my husband]

Kasongo nga nawe oo 

[Kasongo I am dying]

Zonga libala ee 

[come back to the marriage]

[Chorus]

Nga na ndako Kasongo 

[while in the house Kasongo] 

miso na nzela

[constantly staring at the street]

Soki okozonga dia ee

[if you will ever return]

yebisa nga ye ee 

[let me know dear]

[Chorus]

Libala na ndako Kasongo 

[In this kind of marriage]

batunaka ngai 

[They are busy interrogating me]

Tata azali wapi ee 

[where is the father]

naloba nini ee 

[what do I say]

[Chorus]

[Instrumental]

Chorus x2

Kasongo yo yo, mobali na ngai

[Kasongo my husband]

Kasongo nga nawe oo 

[Kasongo I am dying]

Zonga libala ee 

[come back to the marriage]

[Chorus]

Nga na ndako Kasongo 

[while in the house Kasongo] 

miso na nzela 

[constantly staring at the street]

Soki okozonga dia ee 

[if you will ever return]

yebisa nga ye ee 

[let me know dear]

[Chorus]

Libala na ndako Kasongo 

[in this kind of marriage]

batunaka ngai

[they are always questioning me]

Tata azali wapi ee 

[where is the father]

naloba nini ee 

[what do I say]

[Chorus]

[Instrumental]

[Tempo]

Nkisi ya bankoko bango baboyaka, (Traditional/herbal medication they declare evil)

Bikeko ya bankoko bango bandimaka te, (All sculptures of our ancestors, they do not accept)

Kasi na ndako ya Nzambe, biso tomonaka, (In church, we see sculptures as well)

Tokosambela bikeko bitondo ndako, (We worship in churches full of sculptures, and this is right according to them)

Mais bikeko yango se mindele, (But the sculptures in these churches are those of a white man)

This is a translated excerpt from the song "Nakomitunaka". Ordinarily, it is credited as a Verckys Kiamuangana composition, as stated in the LP. However, Nyakwar Urah, a Facebook user and a great fan of Congolese rumba, holds a different opinion.

He argues that the song is quite atypical of Verckys Kiamuangana's compositions. In his estimation, Verckys thrived on the 'cavacha style,' using a few catchy words, mostly extolling a woman's beauty, followed by a high-voltage saxophone sebene.

"Nakomitunaka" is devoid of the saxophone 'sebene'. Moreover, it is themed around religion, with the author raising pertinent questions about the authenticity of the religion imported into Africa by European explorers, who were also prospecting for gold and slaves.

The kind of philosophical narration, delivered in prose with an easy solo singing style, points to the work of Simaro Lutumba Ndomanueno. He was a master of thoughtful prose that evoked critical thinking, earning him the nickname Le Poète.

Indeed, after further investigation, it emerged that the song was composed by Simaro and later sold to Verckys, who recorded it with his Orchestre Vévé at Maison Vévé, incorporating the vocals of a young Pepe Kalle.

Simaro played with Orchestre Congo Jazz of Madiata briefly in the late 1950s before joining Orchestra Micra and eventually switching to OKJ in 1961, taking over the rhythm guitar from Brazzos. While primarily a rhythm guitarist, Simaro's exceptional compositional prowess soon outshone his instrumental role.

A typical Simaro song leaves you deep in thought. His 1973 hit "Mabele" is a testament to his poetic brilliance. He disregarded conventional song structure, delivering lines that might seem incoherent but provoke deep reflections on life.

Sample this:

"Mokolo tokokufa tokekende na drap ya mpembe ata ozali riche" (We will all be draped in a white cloth when we die, regardless of how rich we were)

"Ebembe ya masiya ata bokimi ye, banzinzi bokolela ngai" (Even if you refuse to mourn me, flies will still mill around my corpse, wailing)

"Mutuna bolenge asala economic, akoma mobange achange makanisi" (When young, people save; but as they grow old, they start spending, fearing their wealth will remain with others upon death)

The song was sung by Sam Mangwana. Simaro, despite composing several less poetic songs, also wrote "Ebale Ya Zaïre" around the same period. His ability to craft deeply philosophical compositions later shone in songs like "Mbongo," "Dati Petrol," "Mabele," "Mandola," "Affaire Kitikwala," "Maya," "Testament Ya Bowule," and many others.

Perhaps the most famous among these is "Faute Ya Commerçant," which was released and marketed as an OKJ song. However, it was actually a 'Nzong-Nzing' project incorporating non-OKJ musicians.

The soloist in the song was Divo Vangu, who was then an Afrisa International musician. The singer, Sam Mangwana, was also not an OKJ musician at the time. Other musicians included Flavian Makabi on bass, Simaro himself on rhythm guitar, Ringo Moya on drums, Sebaret on trumpets, and Loway on saxophone. The song was recorded at the government-owned RANEPAC Studios in Kinshasa.

Despite being loyal to Franco, Simaro participated in several projects outside OKJ since the 1970s. He worked with a 'Nzong-Nzing' known as Orchestre Mi Amor in 1972.

Other members of the band included vocalist Tusevo Nejos, who later starred with Vévé, Ramazani Nkalu-Luaka, who also later joined Vévé, and Diatho Lukoki, who had performed with Festival Des Maquisards before eventually joining OKJ.

The soloist was the late Mose Sengo, and the rhythm guitarist was Simaro himself. Other musicians included bassist Celi Bitshou, formerly of OKJ and Vévé, saxophonist Isaac Musekiwa—the first black sax player in the rumba world, who had played for African Jazz, OKJ, Vedette, and the rebel band Orchestre Révolution—and Nigerian saxophonist Dele Pedro, also of OKJ.

This studio session resulted in five songs: "Gina," "Na Lifelo," "Marie Louisa," and "Lisano Ebandaki Na Kin," all composed by Simaro. Among these, "Na Lifelo" captured listeners' imaginations as Simaro encouraged people to enjoy their meals, noting that some were hospitalized and unable to eat, while others should enjoy their cigarettes, as some were incarcerated at Makala Prison and could not smoke.

Despite establishing himself as the master of philosophical compositions at OKJ, Simaro’s prowess as a rhythm guitarist was equally remarkable. He was the master of the 'Pachanga' rhythm and played in many OKJ songs from the 1960s, including "Some Left" (1966), "Quatre Boutons" (1966), "Madame de la Maison," and others.

Simaro was born on March 19, 1938, making him a few months older than Luambo. He passed away on March 30, 2019. He remains an unforgettable figure in the music industry, having steered Congolese rumba in a unique and thought-provoking direction.

(Music was just music, a few lines extolling a woman’s beauty, a marriage down to the rocks and other common themes, until Simaro came to the scene.)

 
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.

Coming in an era when the continent had just released itself from the yokes of colonialism, became very optimistic and was again beginning a new journey of disillusionment, with many a freedom fighter who had led their counties to independence slowly transitioning into native imperialism, Boukaka’s civil activism through music resonated so well with the hoi polloi.

A quick glance at his discography reveals a dominant theme of Pan-Africanism. Songs like Nakoki, Pont sur le Congo, Le Bucheron, Les Immortels, Ata Ozali, and Etumba are all decrying imperialism, seeking a better future for the continent. Les Immortels enumerates all revolutionists across the globe, from the Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara to Congolese martyr Simon Kimbangu, and South African anti-apartheid hero Albert Luthuli among many others.

Le Bucheron has become an anthem for freedom, frequently playing in national events across the continent. In Pont Sur L e Congo, Boukaka is wondering, albeit aloud, why the Republic of Congo (a former French colony) and the Democratic Republic of Congo are separate. He wonders why they should be separate yet they are occupied by the same communities, speak the same languages, practice the same culture, and drink water from the same river. He also derailed off the activism path and composed on other subjects.

As the nascent genre of Congolese rumba developed alongside folk songs, while most musicians focused on love and relationships as their predominant themes in their works, Boukaka preached Pan-Africanism in his music and attracted attention to his music. That wasn’t all. He was a great tenor. Prof. Larry Gumbe, a Nairobi-based engineer and music aficionado, holds Boukaka high and insists that he was easily one of the best tenors.

Born Francois Boukaka on October 10th, 1940, to musician parents, he attended elementary school in Brazzaville. Upon completion of his secondary school, he shuttled both sides of the River Congo, struggling to establish himself as a musician. His musical journey in Brazzaville and Kinshasa saw him feature for several bands of the era, among them Sexy Jazz of Miguel Samba, Sympathic Jazz, and others.

In 1957, he and other musicians among the Michel Boyibanda, who had been his colleagues at Sympatic band, teamed together to create the mercurial Negro band. This band is not to be confused with Negro Success of Bavon Marie Marie and Leon Bholen. Here, he did the song "Journal Dipanda," a commercial song that was marketing a newspaper publication by that name.
In 1960, he joined African Jazz, where he played alongside big names like Manu Dibango and others, and after a year, he quit with Jeannot Bombenga to create Vox Africa with Papa Noel, Djeskin, and others. In 1962, he went back to Brazzaville and joined Cercul, which had since transformed into a successful band with a large following.

He became the leader of this group, which had been in existence for a few years before he joined. He led Cercul to a new height of success in the 1960s with great compositions but quit in 1967 for a solo career. Boukaka toured Paris and Guinea, among several other African countries. Some of his latter-day compositions took a traditional trajectory and featured the thumb piano known as Likembe, as opposed to being dominated by the guitar as it had become the tradition with Congolese rumba.

Boukaka married Antonoite Mounga, to whom he dedicated a song by the same title. However, by the time of his death at the hands of the agents of Marien Ngouabi's mercenaries, they had separated. He was a man on a mission, and to date no one has attempted to chart his path, serving a cocktail of music and activism. By the time of his death, he was only 38. Both the world of music and activism remember his indelible contributions.

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.

By Rudent Obande

Next Track

 Listen to Jabulani Radio

Track History

Pierre Mandjeku Lengo, also known as Dizzy Mandjeku, is an ace soloist who played with Conga 68, Orchestra Veve, Orchestra Bella Bella, Orchestra Kossa Kossa, Afrisa International, African All Stars, and OK Jazz among other bands.

'I emulated Dr Nico's style and that of Guvano, in the nascent days of my career, before eventually developing my own style.'

Dizzy narrated to Jabulani.

Also known as  'Dieu De La Guitare' or 'the god of the guitar', Nico played a monumental role in pushing the electric guitar to occupy the central position in rumba Congolaise, essentially creating a drift from the Cuban rumba, which is highly regarded as the parent of the genre.

The recognition of Nico as a god of the instrument is glaringly manifested in many ways. He played guitar in the 1953 recording of the song 'Parafifi'. By then he was only 14 years old. That's quite a feat. 

Although the origin of the prefix 'doctor' is disputed and has been attributed to several quarters, there is consensus over his godship in the instrument and this is a reality that many fans, musicians, and other musical commentators agree with. 

Dr. Nico's biographer, Alastair Johnston, once laughed off a list of 250 of the world's finest guitarists of all time, that as compiled by Rolling Stone an American entertainment magazine, placed Franco as the topmost African, at position 71. 

Alastair, who is deeply knowledgeable about music and has extensively traveled around the world, researched and published on several genres, compiled his own list  in which he placed Dr Nico as the second greatest guitarist of all times, across all genres. He accorded the very first position to Reinhardt Django, and Dr Nico was given the second slot. 

When this writer inquired from Alastair about the authenticity of the claim that American rock guitar supremo Jimi Hendrix had expressed great admiration for Nico's guitar skills when the duo met in Paris, he was quick to respond that such a meeting never happened.

'Absolutely not, never! Several people have researched the story, and the only tenuous connection was Hendrix performed in Paris but Nico was not there at the time.

Said Alastair, the American author who traveled to DRC to research for the book on Dr. Nico and other musicians as well. Dr. Nico having met Jimmi is a lie that has been repeated many times, and it eventually cropped in as a fact.

Nico learnt the guitar from his elder brother Charles Mwamba who was nicknamed "dechaud" (the hot one) owing to his prowess on the guitar. Dechaud had been a student of Zacharie Elenga, who was studio Opika's guitarist. 

Dechaud would carry the guitar home and he would teach young Nico what he had learnt in a whole week, which surprisingly Nico learnt in a few minutes. By 1953, when a band called African Jazz evolved from studio Opika, Nico was the man playing the solo guitar, although he remained in the shadows their cousin Tino Baroza was by far more experienced. 

Dr. Nico trained as a technical teacher at a college in Kintambo but records of him teaching in any school are hard to come by. Apparently, the musical bug bit him early. In the late 1950s, Nico was part of the Esengo studio band, Rock A Mambo. He played in several recordings of the band, including the hit song 'Baila' composed by hornsman Jean Serge Essous, in which he played rhythm guitar as Tino Baroza played solo.

Nico was part of the team that traveled as the African Jazz entourage to Brussels in January 1960, for the independence fete. However, upon return, the band didn't last long before facing headwinds that led to a mass walkout. Nico, went with Tabuley and others to create the African Fiesta in 1963. He led the new outfit, with Tabuley.

The band stayed put and managed to release dozens of great songs in the period, before facing another splinter that saw the birth of siblings African Fiesta Sukisa of Dr Nico and African Fiesta National of Tabuley. 

African Fiesta Sukisa began on a high note, attracting great talents into its rank and file. Nico as the leader enjoyed the services of superstars in the band's lineup, and managed to release wonderful songs. The band become one of the biggest in the country at the time. 

However, owing to his material weakness the band started staggering in the early 1970s. Nico himself became more dedicated to his booze than music and finally, the band collapsed. Nico played with several bands before finally reuniting with Ley in a development that saw the release of several songs among them 'ohambe'.

Nico died in 1985 in Brussels.
He is highly regarded as one of the biggest names in African music.

BY: JEROME OGOLA

Jabulani Radio Livestream

Next Track

Track History

The year is 1991, and Pepe Kalle is visiting Tanzania. He has a scheduled show in Arusha, and the team is traveling around Arusha in a taxi, marveling at the picturesque aura of the town situated at the foot of an inactive volcanic Mt. Meru, a town known for its vibrant nightlife.

An enchanted passenger is engaged in a hearty banter about the town, a conversation that happens in Lingala. The driver is female, in itself a rare occurrence, but that's not all. There is something more about her.

Ordinarily, Tanzanians don't speak Lingala, although the reverse is true: most Congolese speak Swahili, especially those from Eastern Congo, as Swahili would've been the natural language of choice if the lady was to join the conversation.

The lady taxi driver chose to surprise her audience by joining in the conversation in a fluent Lingala, which apparently she had learned while on a sojourn in DRC for a business trip. These Congolese musicians were shocked at the revelations but nonetheless appreciated the hearty chat with their polyglot crew.

The woman's name was Hidaya Hamisi Masawe. It is from this environment that a camaraderie was conceived, one that gestated the composition of the song'shikamo seye' by Pepe Kale and his Empire Bakuba Ensemble, which Pepe and his team returned to Arusha with a year later, in 1992.

This anecdote only serves to explain how an encounter inspired the composition of a song by one of DRC's most popular musicians of the third generation, one whose 'earthquake' had its center at Editions Veve, one whose subgenre was known as 'cavacha'.

Pepe Kalle, a Muluba by tribe, was born Kabaselle Yampanya in Leopoldville, currently Kinshasa, on November 30, 1951. His earliest dalliance with music was in the sunset days of African Jazz in Grand Kalle. Grand Kalle had in 1963 reconstituted his band after the big bang that saw the departure of its pillars, Tabuley, Dr Nico, Dechaud, Willy Kuntima, Roger Izeidi, and others defected to create their own African Fiesta.

Although Pepe Kalle didn't leave behind any notable legacy by way of any footprints of recorded works with African Jazz, Grand Kalle, aka Joseph Kabaselle, was his mentor and inspiration. It was until the 1970s. He participated and sang with Bella Bella and later Lipua Lipua, all bands signed at Editions Veve, before finally teaming up with Dilu Dilumona, Papy Tex, Seskain Molenga, and others to create Empire Bakuba, a band they named from a Congolese ethnic group, one whose elements of traditional rhythms found way into the band's early productions.

Young Pepe Kalle thrust into the limelight happened through the 1972 song 'nakomitunaka' a composition of Verckys, which he did with his band Orchestre Veve. All the Veve housed bands shared musicians in the days, and it wasn't uncommon for a Bella Bella singer to feature for Veve.

The philosophical song with lyrics that pierce deep into the concept of Christianity by raising perimeter questions about the doctrines was banned by the church and subsequently denied airplay on radio, but these actions only amplified the success of the song in terms of record sales.

Empire Bakuba grew to become one of the top Congolese bands, partly for the composing acumen of Pepe and for his octave vocal range. By the time the band was celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 1982, the band had established itself at the apex of the country's music.

Pepe's song 'Roger Milla' of 1990 holds a unique position in the history of Africa as it showcases the greatness of Pepe Kalle, the musician who composed and sang the song, the greatness of Zangilu Popolipo on guitar, and that of the Cameroonian football legend Roger Milla, who is the subject of the song.

This November, fans across the world will be marking 16 years of the death of this giant of African music, who was a titan both literally and metaphorically. Physically, he was only second to Gerrard Madiata of Congo Jazz and Maybe Prof. Naaman of the Kenyan band Nine Stars. His music immortalizes him.

By Jarome Ogola

Jabulani Radio Livestream

Next Track

Track History

Nayebaki iiih,
(I just knew that,)

Suka se kotingama eeh,
(At last, my marriage will hold,)

Ya ngai na mobali na ngai iih,
(My marriage with my husband,)

Pantalo mokaba mama aaah,
(We will stick together like a belt on a trouser,
my dear rival,)

Tobalana kosukisa bilobela ango ya bato ooh,
(We got married to end the peoples' idle talk/
gossips,)

Likwela ya ngai na cherry suka lilita ma aah.
(This is my marriage with my sweetheart, only death will do us part, my dear rival.)

Nayebaki iiih,
(I just knew that,)

Suka se kotingama eeh,
(At last, my marriage will hold,)

Ya ngai na mobali na ngai iih,
(My marriage with my husband,)

pantalo mokaba mama aaah,
(We will stick together like a belt on a trouser,
my dear rival,)
Ttobalana kosukisa bilobela ango ya bato ooh,
(We got married to end the peoples' idle talk/
gossips,)

Likwela ya ngai na cherry suka lilita ma aah.
(This is my marriage with my sweetheart, only death will do us part, my dear rival.)

Nayebaki iiih,
(I just knew that,)

Suka se kotingama eeh,
(At last, my marriage will hold,)

Ya ngai na mobali na ngai iih,
(My marriage with my husband,)

Pantalo mokaba mama aaah,
(We will stick together like a belt on a trouser,
my dear rival,)

Tobalana kosukisa bilobela ango ya bato ooh,
(We got married to end the peoples' idle talk/
gossips,)

likwela ya ngai na cherry suka lilita ma aah.
(This is my marriage with my sweetheart, only death will do us part, my dear rival.)

Ooh ngai Ndaya ooh,
(I Ndaya ooh,)

nayebi nkombo ya mbanda te,
(I can't have a co-wife,)

ooh ya ngai Ndaya ooh,
(my marriage as Ndaya ooh,)

libanda yango ya bombanda te aye eeh.
(I say no to a polygamous marriage / I can't
share my husband.) x2

Libala ya nga na mobali na nga mama aah aye.
(This is my marriage with my sweetheart, only death will do us part, my dear rival.)

Napika dalapo loboko napiko oh,
(I am ready to fight and defend my marriage
without fear,)

Ba tongo nga mama batikala na soni oh,
(Those backbiting me will end up being ashamed,)

Ba kana nga mama batikala likombe oh,
(Those who envy me will end up bacholletes,)

Ooh ngai Ndaya ooh,
(I Ndaya ooh,)

Nayebi nkombo ya mbanda te,
(I can't have a co-wife)

Ooh ya ngai Ndaya ooh,
(My marriage as Ndaya ooh,)

libanda yango ya bombanda te aye eeh,
(I say no to a polygamous marriage / I cant
share my husband) x1

libala oyo ekende ngo sango mama aah,
(The news about this marriage has spread all
over, my dear rival)

Ba journo ba radio nouvelle ya nga na ye,
(In the journals and radios the news are just
about the two of us,)

Batika te, balembe te kaka ba tongoko nga,
(They can't stop or get tired they only slander
me,)

Batika te, balembe te kaka ba fingaka ngai.
(They can't stop or get tired they only insult me.)

Ooh ngai Ndaya ooh,
(I Ndaya ooh,)

Nayebi nkombo ya mbanda te,
(I can't have a co-wife,)

Ooh ya ngai Ndaya ooh,
(My marriage as Ndaya ooh)

Libanda yango ya bombanda te aye eeh.
(I say no to a polygamous marriage / I cant
share my husband.) x1

Motema mua ngai moko bete bete mama ah ye,
(In my heart am confident my rival,)

Nazali ngo assuré eh na mobali na nga,
(I have assurance with my husband,)

Akomeka te ko tromper nga noki asambwa mama
ah.
(That he will never try to cheat on me because
he will get ashamed himself, my dear rival.)

Akomeka te akoka te eh bakata ye longange.
(Even if they try to trick him he will never cheat
on me.)

Ooh ngai Ndaya ooh,
(I Ndaya ooh)

Nayebi nkombo ya mbanda te,
(I cant have a co-wife,)

Ooh ya ngai Ndaya ooh,
(My marriage as Ndaya ooh,)

Libanda yango ya bombanda te aye eeh
(I say no to a polygamous marriage / I cant
share my husband) x2

Ooh ngai Ndaya ooh,
(I Ndaya ooh,)

Nayebi nkombo ya mbanda te,
(I cant have a co wife,)

Ooh ya ngai Ndaya ooh,
(my marriage as Ndaya ooh)

libanda yango ya bombanda te aye eeh.
(I say no to a polygamous marriage / I can't
share my husband.) x8

The translation is provided to facilitate understanding and appreciation of the original work.

Next Track

 Listen to Jabulani Radio

Track History

To complete the conspicuous look, he wore dreadlocks on his head, with a few strands beaded. That was Dr Remi, the Congolese import into Tanzania, one whose music came to define Tanzania's music.

"His first wife was his music, and these other factors played a secondary role," his Belgian wife told reporters in the company of Remi's musical colleague Cosmas Tobis Chidumule, who had made a name as an astute composer and singer with the iconic DDC Mlimani Park.

It has been 14 years since Remi died in Dar es Salaam. The DRC-born musician had made Tanzania his music home, and it is in the East African country that he gained international fame, with his stage name 'Sura Mbali' evoking curiosity, oftentimes travelling before him, and making fans really wish to see how ugly the man was.

Immortalised on a bus stage on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam known as 'kwa Remi', Remi had many faces, with his spirituality and the views he held on religion evoking more curiosity than his looks. However, unlike his looks, his controversial views on religion, which sometimes took the shape of Pan-Africanism, found their way into his music.

In one of his performances in Dar es Salaam, Remi questions the authenticity of the inspiration to give African children European names while clothing them in Christian names.

In yet another documentary, Remi is heard asking Chidumule if men will be allowed to go with their girlfriends to heaven. When Chidumule clarifies that it wasn't so, Remi questions how good that heaven will be without women. Many Africans have reservations about the imported religions, but the audacity to ask is the major deficiency, which puts Dr Remi and Edge above the rest.

Maybe it was due to his birth and childhood. Maybe he was so inoculated into Africanism that he found Christianity wanting. According to his own account, his city came after several stillbirths and infant mortalities. In typical African societies, children whose predecessors die young are subjected to some rituals.

In some societies, they are abandoned by the roadside in a scripted move so that a passer-by can discover them and bring them home. That way, the demons tormenting the children of the home will not be keen on the title, as they will mistake it for an outsider.

Remi underwent similar rites, and a medicine man who was consulted over the issue advised them that he would never 'shave his death'. That's why he never shaved until the later days of his adult life when he chose to shave his trademark dreadlocks upon acquiring Christianity.

Remi also claimed to have been born with teeth in his mouth. This may not be true. It isn't strange for a musician to exaggerate a few aspects of their history to make it bizarre.

He claimed that, as opposed to his unpleasant looks, he had a 'roho safi'—a fact which many agree with. His bad looks never permeated his mannerisms; instead, they found a way into his music.

"Kifo unaua hata kipofu" (Death can't spare even the blind)

"Hata ukiwa na mali, porini hawakujui" (You are wealthy and powerful, but in the jungle, the snakes and other residents don't know you)

"Kicha ana mimba" (Even the village madman woman gets pregnant, meaning she too has a lover).

These are a few of the illustrations of how his peculiar thinking influenced his music. However, some of his acts betrayed his lines of thought.

For example, after castigating imperialism, he went to bed each night with a Belgian wife. Belgians are the very imperialists that enslaved and impoverished DRC, his motherland. In fact, the whole territory was a Leopoldville property. Literally going to bed with them would be an abomination for an anti-imperialism crusader.

It is also glaring that most Congolese expatriates who camped in Kenya, Mazembe, Mangelepa, Liwanza, etc., sang exclusively in Lingala, while those who ventured into Tanzania sang in Swahili. Maquis did it, and so did Dr Kitenzogu Makasi. Remi didn't just sing in Swahili; he mastered the language and spoke it very fluently.

His music was also largely influenced by the country's socio-political history. This is the reason he, on many occasions, ran into headwinds with the authorities, which threatened importation, but Remi reminded and even amplified his anti-government activism.

Remi managed his band, composed, sang, played the guitar, and played percussion. He was a great soul, and the music world is sure to miss him for eons to come.

By Jarome Ogola

Jabulani Radio Livestream

Next Track

Track History

Diblo earned his musical reputation in Paris, but he began his career in Congo-Kinshasa, playing in relative obscurity with Bella Mambo, an offshoot of the popular band Bella Bella. Together with singer Kanda Bongo Man, Diblo left Bella Mambo to form Bana Mambo (the children of Bella Mambo), a group that recorded a few sides and played club dates for two years with only limited success. Diblo worked briefly in a re-united Bella Bella in 1979 before selling his guitar to raise airfare for a move to Brussels.

By 1981 Diblo had relocated to Paris where he collaborated with Kanda to make a record for the new Afro Rythmes label run by record dealer Ouattara Moumouni. Playing behind Kanda with only guitars, bass, and drums for support, Diblo refined the uptempo riffing that would become his personal trademark and the essence of the Congolo-Paris sound called soukous. The success of Iyole (1981) and Djessy (1982) with Kanda led to an increasingly heavy schedule of session work with other Paris-resident Congolese musicians. Diblo worked with Kanda on several other albums including the popular Malinga (1985). He backed Congo-Brazzaville singer Aurlus Mabele on Africa Mousso (1986) and returned for a final date with Kanda on Sai-Liza (1987).

Following Sai-Liza, Diblo, and Mabele formed a loose-knit band called Loketo to back each other's solo projects and issue an occasional group recording. The two embraced new studio technology, building their music around the unrelenting precision of the drum machine and spiking it with a synthesizer's whine. Super K and Trouble, both from the late eighties, employed lyrics of minimal import and raced with a swiftness that caused observers to dub it TGV soukous after France's high-speed trains. Diblo parted with Mabele in 1990 to form his group, Matchatcha, which continued to de-emphasize lyrics in favor of breath-taking dance grooves.

It didn't matter that the speedy style of Diblo and his Parisian colleagues found little favor back in Kinshasa and Brazzaville where music lovers preferred meaningful lyrics set to a gentler rumba. Economic devastation and political turmoil in the two Congos severely reduced their importance as marketplaces for music. Diblo's TGV soukous aimed successfully at a better-off international audience. Despite the formulaic nature of much of his work, Diblo's handling of the guitar stands out. His collaboration with Kanda Bongo Man produced some of the finest soukous tracks of the eighties.

Courtesy of
©️ 2011 Gary Stewart

Next Track

 Listen to Jabulani Radio

Track History

This was a renowned Congolese rumba band, formed (as African Fiesta 66) in 1966; and disbanded in 1996. Notable early members: Henriette "Miss Bora" Borauzima (born Kisangani, Congo-Kinshasa, Sept. 21, 1945; vocal), Roger Izeidi (born Kinshasa, Nov. 20, 1935; died Kinshasa, Jan. 2001; maracas, vocal), Rene "Karé" Kassanda (born Bakwa-Sumbu, Congo-Kinshasa, Sept. 10, 1945; vocal), Dominique "Willy" Kuntima (born Kinshasa, July 31, 1931; died Kinshasa, Jan. 25, 1972; trumpet), Sam Mangwana(born Kinshasa, Feb. 21, 1945; vocal), Joseph Mwena (born Congo-Kinshasa, 1932; bass), Armand Samou (born Kinshasa, Jan. 5, 1935; died Kinshasa, 1984?; saxophone), Tabu Ley "Rochereau," (born Bagata, Congo-Kinshasa, Nov. 13, 1940; vocal), Jean-Paul "Guvano" Vangu (born Congo-Kinshasa, 1940s; guitar).

Afrisa's roots go deep into the rich soil of the Congolese rumba. In the early sixties Afrisa's leader, Tabu Ley sang behind the illustrious Joseph  Kabaselein African Jazz, the archetype of the modern Congolese rumba band. When the musicians deserted Kabasele in 1963 to form African Fiesta, Ley emerged as a leader of the new group along with guitarist Docteur Nicoand maracas player Roger Izeidi. Three years later African Fiesta split into two factions: one led by Nico called African Fiesta Sukisa; the other, in the hands of Ley and Izeidi, became known as African Fiesta 66 and, the following year, as African Fiesta National.

Izeidi handled the band's business affairs. Ley wrote most of the music and, on the strength of his exceptional voice, emerged as a charismatic presence at the mike. Promising singer Sam Mangwana and Henriette "Miss Bora" Borauzima, one of the few women to break into the Congolese music business, backed Ley on vocals. The group produced many memorable songs including the hit "Mokolo Nakokufa" (The Day I die), a rumination on life from the viewpoint of the poor, the rich, and the dissolute.

The band drew a three-month suspension when it showed up late for a 1967 New Year's Eve party thrown by Congo-Kinshasa's President Joseph Mobutu. Inactivity triggered a walkout by Mangwana and several others. The band recovered with new personnel, including guitarist Lokassa ya Mbongo and singer Ndombe Opetun. The new lineup continued to produce hit records like "Toyota," a story centered on Kinshasa's newest status symbol.

Ley took complete control of Fiesta National by forcing Izeidi out in 1969. A year later the band played two concerts at the prestigious Olympia concert hall in Paris, the highest-profile appearance to date for a Congolese band outside of Africa. Ley renamed the band Afrisa International following the Olympia shows. Back in Kinshasa Afrisa pioneered the concept of "le show" by staging elaborate, Olympia-like concerts in large halls while leaving the nightclubs to others.

Several notable musicians arrived in the seventies: guitarists "Michelino" Mavatiku Visi, Dizzy Mandjeku, and Dino Vangu; saxophonist Mekanisi Modero; drummer Ringo Moya; and Sam Mangwana for a brief return engagement. The decade was the band's most productive as new songs flooded the market every few months. Among a remarkable group of hits "Kaful Mayay" (go ask Mayay), the story of an arranged marriage gone bad, stands out.

The year 1981 saw the arrival of a young woman named Mbilia Bel, whose voice and beauty rejuvenated Afrisa for the new decade. Singing solo or in duets with Ley, Mbilia's presence ensured good paydays for the band in spite of the steep decline of the economy of Congo-Kinshasa (then known as Zaire). "Mpeve ya Longo" (holy spirit), a song about family problems that women face, and "Eswi yo Wapi" (Where did it hurt you?), about getting a taste of one's own medicine, rank among the best of Afrisa's hits with Mbilia Bel. The band's most ambitious tour, seventeen stops in North America in 1984, was a mixed success. Fans packed the halls, but critics lamented Afrisa's inclination to crossover into Western pop music.

Mbilia quit the band at the end of 1987, to be replaced by Faya Tess, but by then the country's economy lay in ruins. Unable to sustain itself at home, Afrisa spent most of the early nineties in Paris or on tour. A much smaller Afrisa moved to the United States in 1994. The musicians toured the country for nearly two years and cut two albums, Muzina and Africa Worldwide, for Rounder before finally breaking up on the West Coast.

Afrisa ranks as one of Africa's most enduring and prolific bands. In thirty years of existence, the group produced several outstanding musicians, like Sam Mangwana, Lokassa ya Mbongo, and Mbilia Bel, who would go on to become stars in their own right. An uncountable number of records produced an extraordinary number of hits and helped spread the Congolese rumba across Africa and into Europe and America.

Next Track

 Listen to Jabulani Radio

Track History

Mfumu Kimbangu, a rumba music aficionado and a radio presenter with Kenya's state broadcaster sang this line to this writer with a heavy baritone, mimicking the voice of Djouna Mumbafu of Empire Bakuba, in response to the question on the position of the band, in Congolese music.

Mfumu went ahead and explained how Pepe Kalle who died on November 29th, 1998, revolutionized Congolese rumba, and gave it a whole new direction, resulting in a high-tempo soukous sub-genre, that came to define the fifth generation of Congolese music. 

In fact, according to him, this was the very first deployment of an atalaku in Congolese music, an aspect that came to define the music, even in subsequent generations, like in the fifth generation, where a band is as its atalaku, a world that's ruled by Bill Clinton, Tutu Kalounji and others.

This conversation propped up in a Nairobi hotel in 2018, where this writer was engaging the broadcaster in discussing the final details of a Tabuley's 5 fifth anniversary, which was to happen in the city hotel. 

Standing six feet tall, Pepe Kalle was big. His stage performances were iconic. His showmanship was further enhanced by his team, comprising Tumba Ayila, also known as Emoro, a dancing midget who was the exact opposite of Pepe, in physique.

The solo strings were massaged by Doris Ebuya, an extremely talented guitarist, and Kinanga Nanzao aka Kinanga Boeing. The soothing voice of Matolu Dode also known as Papy Tex and Dilu Dilumona, harmonized with the voice of the Grand Pepe, to bring out the best of Empire Bakuba. 

It has been 28 years into his death and the shadow of Pepe Kalle, born Jean Baptiste Kabasele Yampanya, who coincidentally was born on 30th November 47 years earlier, died. Pepe Kalle who Joseph Kabasele mentored, began his career with African Jazz in 1967, then a very young teenager of school-going age. 

Alongside Papy Tex, who describes him as an important pillar, one whose demise left the band staggering with no option but to crumble, Pepe's first assignment in the studio was the recording of the song 'Pardon Papi' composed by Papi Tex, while both were under the tutelage of Grand Kalle.

However, it was at the Veve studios affiliated bands of Bella Bella and Lipua Lipua that Pepe Kalle's musical star glowed bright enough to attract the attention of the music world to this singing sensation. Alongside Papy Tex, whose musical journey seemed conjoined to that of Pepe, the duo had also had a sojourn in another outfit known as African Choc.

Empire Bakuba came into existence in 1972, with Pepe Kalle, Papy Tex, and Dilu Dilumona as its core members. This was during the Cavacha wave that was sweeping across the country with rumba taking a new direction. Bands such as Zaiko were slowly discarding the saxophones and in their place, employing the guitar sebene, which worked well for performances. 

The band soared high throughout the 1970s and when the 1980s came, it was among the top bands in the country, even winning a 1982 award as the best. By the time of Pepe's death, the band's discography was swelling beyond the 300-song mark, with songs like Tika Makanisi being one of the most sought-after songs. 

In his latter days, he incorporated several other musicians, singer Nyboma, guitarist Beniko Popolipo, and Lokassa, and recorded some of his most popular hits. 

Although it has been 26 years since his demise, his music remains evergreen in the minds of his fans and this is evidenced by the fact that many programs are planned to mark this event, both in Paris and his country, Kinshasa. Although long gone, Pepe is still here with us through his music.

By Jarome Ogola

Jabulani Radio Livestream

Next Track

Track History

Empire Bakuba is a celebrated Congolese band, formed in 1973; and disbanded in 1998. Core members: "Boeing 737" Kinanga Nanzao (born Congo-Kinshasa, July 6, 1953; guitar), Dilu Dilumona (born Kinshasa, Feb. 15, 1948; vocal), "Doris" Ebuya Lange (born Congo-Kinshasa; guitar), Pepe Kalle(born Kinshasa, Dec. 30, 1951; died Kinshasa, Nov. 29, 1998; vocal), "Papy Tex" Matolu Dode (born Kinshasa, June 28, 1952; vocal).

Empire Bakuba was the direct descendant of African Choc, a neighborhood band built around the nucleus of singers Kalle, Dilu, and Papy Tex. Afrisadrummer Seskain Molenga, on the lookout for musicians to help him make surreptitious recordings, introduced African Choc to producer Verckys  Kiamuanganain in 1972. Molenga and African Choc recorded several songs together under the name Les Bakuba for Verckys's Vévé label. In early 1973 the group, playing with borrowed instruments, performed live for the first time as Empire Bakuba, so named because a chief of the Bakuba people had been a large man like the giant Kalle.

When Verckys's promise of instruments never materialized the musicians moved to the new label, Sosoliso, owned by the popular singing group Trio Madjesi. There Empire Bakuba joined the ranks of the "youth bands," a growing numbers of new bands formed by young musicians who were challenging the dominance of the older groups. Some youth bands dropped the usual horn section and produced a rougher sound influenced by Western rock. Empire Bakuba kept a foot in both camps by using horns while playing the rumba with a livelier edge.

A cast of supporting characters augmented the core group, which included the three singers and, eventually, guitarists "Doris" and "Boeing 737." In 1980 the band added a dancing dwarf named "Emoro" (Tumba Ayila) as an eye-catching foil to the "elephant" Kalle. When the speeded-up rumba known as soukous began to flow from Paris-based Congolese artists, Empire Bakuba adopted the style and made it fashionable among Kinshasa music lovers who had formerly rejected it as inferior.

Although the band made music aimed at the dance floor, nearly every song's lyrics commanded attention, a requisite for Kinshasa fans. Papy Tex's "Sango ya Mawa" (sand news) from 1978 spoke of the death of a loved one. Dilu's 1983 hit "Kambile" (a man's name) examined jealousy and infidelity. In 1985 Kalle dared to describe the difficult life in Mobutu's Zaire (as Congo-Kinshasa was then known) in "Article 15 Beta Libanga." The musicians were prolific in the studio, turning out three or four albums in each of their peak years from the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties. In addition, the band toured extensively in Africa, Europe, and North America.

During the course of its twenty-five year existence, Empire Bakuba rose from its beginnings as neighborhood attraction to win international acclaim. The longstanding friendship and respect that existed among the musicians made it one of Congolese music's most stable bands. Stability fostered creativity and success in the marketplace. Rumors of discord surfaced around 1998, especially when Kalle recorded a solo album. His sudden death from a heart attack later the same year put the rumors and the band to rest.

 Listen to Jabulani Radio

A lie that's told repeatedly, finally wears a gown and graduates into a truth, especially if an authentic truth is coming out, from any direction of trust. 

Was the fallen giant of Congolese music, Papa Noel aka Nedule Montswet born on Christmas as oftentimes alleged?
No! Papa Noel, popularly known as Ya Nono, especially by his peers, told the Diamant Noir (Black Diamond TV) that he wasn't born on Christmas day of 1940 or of any other year.

Of course, no one knows anyone better than themselves, as such, it is very sad to conclude that Papa Noel wasn't born on Christmas. This relegation comes with a domino effect on other popular beliefs regarding this top musician. 

Supposedly, it is from the date of birth that the musician is supposed to have gotten the name Noel. So if he wasn't born on any Christmas, what's the origin of the name Noel? He gave his accurate date of birth as 29th December 1940.

The fallen giant went ahead to elucidate this aspect to the inquisitive host in the interview. He says he was the only boy among a long list of female siblings, and that's how he earned to sobriquet 'papa' which as a title, is associated with respect and even some level of adoration, in many cultures. His parents named him Antoine Nedule Montswet, the last two being family names rooted in their clan. He grew up as Antoine Nedule Montswet with his peers preferring the moniker Papa, until when a little later in life.

Antoine Nedule Montswet akan Papa learned his to play guitar under the tutelage of Daniel Lubuelo, aka De La Lune who was by mid-1950s an established musician. He was among the founding sextet at OKJ and also appeared for Le Bantous De La Capitale in their first lineup in 1959.

Nedule's first fully professional engagement as a musician was in 1965 when he backed up Leon Bukasa, a first-generation Congolese musician, on guitar. The song 'Clara Badimwene' was the magic bullet that the teenage guitar sensation needed to gain recognition and a reputation as an astute guitarist. 

So when he felt the need to get himself a stage name, the task became as easy as reading the name LEON, the name of his mentor backward, and he became NOEL. It was Leon who took him to Ngoma Studios for his very first recording. This is according to Papa Noel himself. He carried the name all his entire music journey, and since no source of authority, to debunk the myth, the falsehoods were regurgitated and even captured by sources of authority, until he made the revelations. Is his date of birth and the origin of the name the only misinformation about the musician? No. Many abound. In an attempt to enumerate his success in music, many commentators have had to list his compositions with the bands he played with. 

This is a faulty yardstick to gauge the depth of his musical abilities. His primary role as a musician was to play guitar. Although he was equally a good composer, relying on the songs he composed to showcase his capabilities will definitely give a wrong reading. He did quite well composing from his early days with Bantous all along, but to accurately capture his contribution to Congolese music we have to look beyond this and capture all his involvement in music. 

As a tribute to the fallen giant, Alastair Johnston lined up the following songs in a podcast posted on the Muzikifan page:

Vox Africa "Zaire eboya ngai (Zaire is very beautiful)" Naluki yo trop Elodie
Bana Congo "Soukous son" Cafe Noir 2007
Bana Congo "Combinacion de Soneros" 2002
Papa Noel et le duo incomparable "Haute tension" with Wuta Mayi & Carlyto Lassa
Leon Bukasa "Monique wa baba" Ngoma: the soul of Congo
Maquina Loca "Bango oyo" Ngoma: the soul of Congo
Vox Africa "Oyo zuwa (Come on)" orig: Lokole
Vox Africa "Mama na Didier" Compilation 1968 orig: Edivox
Papa Noel "Bon samaritain" Nono
Bantou Jazz "Bolingo botioli (Love is a threat)" Merveilles du passé vol 1
OK Jazz "Mobali malamu (Good morning)" Keba na matraque / Quart Siècle vol 1

This is a brief but accurate illustration of his greatness as it goes beyond his own compositions. 

To further illustrate how good he was, in the Bon Samaritan album, he played both solo and rhythm. This shows he was an all-round musician, comfortable with all guitars. He was indeed a giant of African music with immense contributions to the evolution and development of the genre. The world of music is so seriously bereaved by his demise.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio Livestream

Next Track

Track History