Tabu Ley, Franco, Pepe Kalle: Season of sorrow as fans remember Rhumba greats

The final months of the year remind Rhumba fans of the legends they lost. Memories start with the king of rhumba, Le Grand Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi of TP OK Jazz Band (pictured), who died on October 12, 1998, and Congolese soukous singer Pierre Moutouari, who died on October 8 this year.

Others were Franco’s students Verckys Mateta Kiamuangana, who died on October 13, 2022, and Rigo Star, born guitarist Rigobert Bamundele, who died on October 26, 2023, aged 68.

When the month of November knocks, it comes with memories of Pepe Kallé Yampanya of the Great Empire Bakuba Orchestra, who died on November 28, 1998, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), ahead of legendary Tabu Ley Rochereau of Afrisa International Orchestra, who died on November 30, 2013.

And then comes the demise of top-notch Congolese rhythm guitarist and leader of Orchestra Mode Succes, Bopol Mansiamina, and thereafter Orchestra Four Stars, who passed on November 7, 2021.

Papa Noel, one of the greatest singers and composers at TP OK Jazz Band, is another legend whose demise on November 14 last year shocked the rhumba world as if God was not fair to the music industry in the months leading to the festive season.

Nyboma Mwan’dido described the two months as some of the saddest in the rhumba music world.

As a musician, he said, whenever the festive season approaches, it reminds him of the collaborations he made with some of the fallen legends.

Nyboma has worked with Pepe Kallé, Tabu Ley, Mansiamina, Franco and Papa Noel on a number of hit songs.

“I’m always disturbed by this whenever we approach the festive season, and it reminds me of my colleagues who went to dance with the Almighty Lord. We had good times together,” said Mwan’dido, who’s currently based in Paris, France.

Asked which was his best hit song with any of the fallen legends, he was quick to point out Moyibi (Thief) by Pepe Kallé in the late ’80s.

“That was my best collabo song that’s still loved by many of my fans, which brought on board a number of top stars from Soukous Stars like Lokassa Ya Mbongo,” he said.

However, Mwan’dido, who’s 72, said he was happy to still be alive and kicking with the likes of Wuta Mayi, Syran Mbenza and a few top-notch musicians still based in Paris and Brussels.

Speaking from Maryland in the United States of America, Orchestra Virunga Band Leader Samba Mapangala said this is nature. “What we don’t know is the time, just like these musicians didn’t know their time,” he said.

Mapangala is happy with the collaboration he did with Mansiamina in his album Vunja Mifupa Kama Bado Meno Iko, where he (Mansiamina) played rhythm guitar. “Bopol was a top rhythm guitarist in that part of the world,” said Mapangala.

He’s also full of praise for Franco and Josky Kiambukuta.

Brussels-based Congolese songstress Nana Akumu, who honed her skills at TP OK Jazz Band, said she does not take her days lightly with Franco at the musical outfit.

“He was like my father, who taught me many things in music. I remember very well when we came to Nairobi in 1983 at around this time (October/November) when I was new in the outfit, and it reminds me of lots of our glorious days,” Akumu told The Standard.