Jabulani Library

FROM LUBUMBASHI TO NAIROBI WITH MUSIC

May 09, 2025 - 02:35 AM The Story of Darzee & His Band Bilenge Du Congo, Nairobi’s Current Biggest Band "Bilenge" is a Lingala word for youth. The name was given to us by Mr. Dr. Maloba, who managed the band," Darzee Kalend says in response to the origin of the name. "At that time, we couldn't agree on the name to baptize our new band, with some members insisting that it be named Kivu, Lubumbashi, while others wanted Bukavu, based on their hometowns." That was in the mid-1990s. Darzee had been in Nairobi for a few years, having traveled from his home country, the DRC, in 1993. He was brought into Kenya by Evany Kabila Kabanze, the Les Mangelepa supremo, with the intention of reviving the band whose......

MWAMBA WA MUZIKI NA MITINDO YA KONGO

May 07, 2025 - 03:09 AM Papa Wemba alianguka na kufariki jukwaani akifanya alichopenda zaidi: muziki. Sanaa ambayo alijitolea kwa miongo mitano tangu aanze na Zaiko Langa Langa mwaka 1969. Maarufu kama Le Kuru, Papa Wemba alikuwa mmoja wa vipaji vya juu kutoka Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo (DRC), nchi inayochukuliwa mara nyingi kama nyumbani kwa miungu ya muziki. Maisha yake ya muziki yalifafanuliwa na vipengele vitatu vya msingi: sauti yake ya kipekee, uwezo wake wa kuchanganya mitindo ya muziki, na ushawishi wake wa kina katika mitindo kupitia La Sape, harakati nchini DRC inayojulikana kwa uzuri wa kifahari. Labda hakuna kilichokamata ukubwa wa hasara yake zaidi ya kuwasili kwa ishara ya ndege ya......

CARRYING A TOT & TAGGING A JAPANESE HUSBAND

May 05, 2025 - 01:00 AM STELLA IS COMING AGAIN On May 17th, poor Freshley Mwamburi will once again be at the airport, awaiting the touchdown of a Japanese flight from Tokyo because, apparently, one of the passengers on board is his lover, Stella. This is a story that the country relives every May, mainly for the drama so vividly captured by the composer.Apart from the viral Kasongo, originally sung by the Congolese expatriate band in Nairobi, Super Mazembe, another song that has achieved iconic status in Kenya is Stella by Freshley Mwamburi. This evergreen song has become an internet sensation, perhaps because it resonates deeply with a common narrative: the tale of women accused of taking advantage of men, often......

SAMMY KASULE : ONE OF THE FEW RUMBA STARS FROM KAMPALA

April 28, 2025 - 11:00 AM It is exactly four years ago today that this writer received a forwarded message on WhatsApp from a Ugandan friend, journalist Jacobs Odongo Seaman, about Sammy Kasule's death. The message came in a few minutes after the death of veteran journalist Philip Ochieng was made public by his family, making that day a black Tuesday.The message read that Ugandan musician Sammy Kasule had died in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Sammy Kasule had fallen sick and was traveling abroad to Sweden to seek treatment, but when the plane stopped in Amsterdam, it was assessed that his condition had deteriorated, necessitating immediate medical attention in the Netherlands. He died a few days later. Kasule Sammy, a......

SAAK SAKOUL OF THE MERCURIAL TRIO MADJESI

April 26, 2025 - 04:15 PM Congolese singer Bonghat Tshekebu, popularly known as Saak Saakul or Sinatra, formerly of Orchestre Sosoliso, died three years ago today.The musician passed away on the morning of Sunday, March 19, in a hospital in Paris, where he had been admitted. The then 80-year-old had been ailing for some time. Saak Saakul was a singer and composer with Orchestre Veve, led by the late Verckys Kiamuangana, a band he joined in 1969. He was the first of the three vocalists of the band, known collectively as Trio Madjesi—comprising Mario Matadidi, aka Mabele, originally from Angola, and Loko Masengo, aka Djeskain, originally from the Republic of Congo—to join the group.Alongside Bebe, the duo......

ACE SOLO GUITARIST LAMBERT BERESI DIES IN PARIS

April 24, 2025 - 06:17 PM Congolese ace solo guitarist Lambert Beresi has passed away. His death was announced on social media by Morden Miziki Congolese, a site dedicated to rumba music. According to the source, Beresi, popularly known as Bers, died in a hospital in Paris, where he had been admitted. He had been battling ill health since the COVID era in 2019.Beresi played with several bands both in the DRC and in Paris, but his most notable musical engagement, arguably the peak of his career, was as a soloist with Afrisa International in the mid-1980s. With this band, he contributed to at least three albums, earning him a place in the Congolese music hall of fame. He played in iconic songs such as Boya Ye, La......

BOYA YE LYRICS WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

April 23, 2025 - 07:41 PM Oh mama aah aah Baseki ngai mingi na bato Boya ye eeh, boya ye eeh, boya ye eeh Batuni ngai mingi na bato Mobali nini ozali na ye Mosala te eeh, ndako te eeh, nkiti te eeh, falanga te eeh, mama a a a. Oh mama aah aah People laugh at me a lot Leave him, Leave him, Leave him People often ask me What type of husband did I marry? Without work eh, without a house eh, without furniture eeh, without money eeh, Oh dear. Okangi motema, o mama Bampasi nyoso okomona O mama aah, o mama aah Liputa moko okolata, osukoli mosusu mpe okozela ekawuka mama. You persevere All the problems you experience Oh mama ah, oh mama ah You wear one pair of panties You wash......

KADORI QUINTET YET ANOTHER DYNASTY OF KENYAN MUSIC

April 18, 2025 - 06:31 PM Across the world, siblings have excelled in different fields: academia, sports, art, etc. The "Pentagon" of the Kindiki professors recently captured the country’s imagination. These sons of Tharaka Nithi have shattered the glass ceiling in academia, attaining professorships in different disciplines. The most prominent of the five is Prof. Kithure Kindiki, Kenya’s current deputy president. Musically, we have the Mushrooms band. The band was formed in 1972 by five musical siblings from Kaloleni Giriama. They were led by the eldest, Teddy Kalanda Harrison, who, apart from heading the band, was also an astute composer, saxophonist, and vocalist. He is the composer of the evergreen......

EBALE YA ZAIRE LYRICS WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION

April 16, 2025 - 03:17 PM Masuwa ekonana Loseba ebeti. Masuwa ekonana Bolingo mpe enani. Masuwa ebungi oh na kati ya Londende Bolingo mpe ebungi na kati ya londende. Ngai na libongo naleli ii oh Mbole, Mama. The boat goes upstream. The siren sounds. The boat goes upstream, and my love does too. The boat has disappeared in the mist, and my love has also disappeared in the mist. Standing on the riverbank, I cried Mbole, dear. Chérie okendeke malamu Mbole e Elaka okomelaka ngai soki okomi Nayeba bolingo obosani ngai te oh Nandima bolingo ata ndele okozonga.Nazali se kozela mokolo masuwa ekozongaNgai awa ata sango ya mpamba Jeannie oh mama oh. My love, Mbole, have a good tripPromise me to write as soon as you......

ISAAC MUSEKIWA: THE SAX LEGEND OF CONGOLESE RUMBA

April 12, 2025 - 11:55 AM ISAAC MUSEKIWA, the legendary saxophonist of Rumba Congolaise, was far greater than the image traditionally portrayed: that of an occasional, ordinary sax player among many in the OK Jazz lineup.A tenor sax specialist, Musekiwa honed his craft at Opika Studios under the guidance of Belgian jazz musician Fud Candrix while performing with Grand Kallé’s African Jazz. He became one of the earliest indigenous Africans to rise as a professional saxophonist in Rumba Congolaise. His roots trace back to Zambia.Born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to Zambian parents, Musekiwa revealed during a 1973 visit to Tanzania with OK Jazz that he was the brother of Michael Enock, a......

Jabulani Library

FROM LUBUMBASHI TO NAIROBI WITH MUSIC

MWAMBA WA MUZIKI NA MITINDO YA KONGO

CARRYING A TOT & TAGGING A JAPANESE HUSBAND

SAMMY KASULE : ONE OF THE FEW RUMBA STARS FROM KAMPALA

SAAK SAKOUL OF THE MERCURIAL TRIO MADJESI

ACE SOLO GUITARIST LAMBERT BERESI DIES IN PARIS

BOYA YE LYRICS WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

KADORI QUINTET YET ANOTHER DYNASTY OF KENYAN MUSIC

EBALE YA ZAIRE LYRICS WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION

ISAAC MUSEKIWA: THE SAX LEGEND OF CONGOLESE RUMBA

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Jabulani Library

FROM LUBUMBASHI TO NAIROBI WITH MUSIC

MWAMBA WA MUZIKI NA MITINDO YA KONGO

CARRYING A TOT & TAGGING A JAPANESE HUSBAND

SAMMY KASULE : ONE OF THE FEW RUMBA STARS FROM KAMPALA

SAAK SAKOUL OF THE MERCURIAL TRIO MADJESI

ACE SOLO GUITARIST LAMBERT BERESI DIES IN PARIS

BOYA YE LYRICS WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

KADORI QUINTET YET ANOTHER DYNASTY OF KENYAN MUSIC

EBALE YA ZAIRE LYRICS WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION

ISAAC MUSEKIWA: THE SAX LEGEND OF CONGOLESE RUMBA

News

Jabulani Library (261)

Jabulani Swahili (9)

Rumba Chronicles (30)

Programs

JABULANI TOP 7 AT 7

WEEKEND RHUMBA OVERDOSE REPLAY

TOP 10 AT 10

WEEKEND SOUKOUS ODYSSEY

BENGA BLAST

RHUMBA REVIVAL

Latest podcasts

Legend Franco Luambo Makaidi

Find us on

Contact us

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