Artist Spotlight

LOKASSA YA M'BONGO

December 08, 2024 - 08:26 AM In the world of Congolese music, where lead guitarists often take the spotlight, Lokassa ya M'bongo stands out as a rhythm guitarist who achieved stardom. His journey began in 1968 with one of Africa’s greatest bands, Afrisa, led by the legendary Tabu Ley Rochereau. Initially, the band was known as African Fiesta Nationale, and Lokassa spent years in the background, playing alongside prominent musicians like Attel Mbumba, Michelino Mavatiku Visi, and Dino Vangu. For a decade, he contributed to the success of Afrisa’s hits and performed on the international stage, including the band's brea...

KASONGO TRENDS

December 07, 2024 - 01:23 PM Do you want your son to become a musician? Name him, KASONGO. It is a musician's name. 1. ANTOINE KASONGO is the first generation who recorded at Ngoma in the 50s. His peers were Paul Mwanga, Camile Feruzi, Leon Bukassa, Wendo Nkolosoy, Henri Bowane, my favorite musician Henrique Tinapa, etc. Franco, Grand Kale, Tabuley, Bavon, etc. are second generation, and Lipua Lipua, Bela Bela, Zaiko, Kamale, etc, are third generation. 2. RONDOT KASONGO WA KASONGO, the bald head OKJ sax player. Kasongo, who joined in 1969, replacing Verckys, died of lung cancer in the 90s. He was a consistent figure in OKJ songs, and you'd easily mistake him for part of the band's sound system, which is comprised......

MOSE-KONZO

November 18, 2024 - 05:07 AM MOSE-KONZO this is a mid-1970s classic by Tabuley's Afrisa, one that exemplifies the depth of talent at this orchestra that had at the time, a few years ago made a maiden appearance for an African band at the famed Olympia in Paris. The soloist in this song was Maitre Dizzy aka Pierre Mandjekou Lengo. He had joined this band after stint with his own Kossa Kossa. He was at this time Afrisa's first choice soloist but the band also had Dino Vangu. The band had two rhythmsts as well around this time, Bopol and Lokassa. Definitely, at that time Lokassa was the master of the accompaniment, as the Congolese call the rhythm guitar. Lokassa did the rhythm of the song, as Bopol took up the......

VETERAN musician King Kiki is dead.

November 16, 2024 - 03:00 PM SAD NEWS VETERAN musician King Kiki is dead. Kiki also known as Kikumbi Mwanza Mpanga died yesterday in a Daresalam hospital. Kiki one of the Congolese musical exports to Tanzania came into East Africa in 1971 with orchestra Fauvette of Ndala Kasheba and made Daresalam his home.He was among the star-studded Maquis Du Zaire line-up that also included soloist Field Marshal Nguza Vicking, sqz olayer Chinyama Chiyanza, bassist Illunga Banza Mchafu, Kanku Kell, Tshimanga Assosa, Vumbi Dekula Kahanga among others, that gave you Karubandika among other age-less classics. He also sang with several other Tanzanian big bands. He will be buried in Daresalam. Jabulani Radio......

TRIBUTE TO THE LEGEND

November 15, 2024 - 07:50 AM AWILO aka Albert William Longomba one of the greatest drummers in the history of rumba congolaise lays a wreath in the grave of his former boss at Viva La Musica, Le Kuru Papa Wemba at Necropole Cemetery. AWILO is a musical giant in his own right was a star drummer with Loketo in the 80s. He played both percussion and drums. He is a son of musical legend Vicky Longomba who sang with Franco's OKJ in the 60s. He is also half-brother Lovy Longomba of Kenya's Super Mazembe and uncle to Longombas. Jabulani Radio Livestream Next Track Track History ...

INNOS COLLABORATES WITH AWILO

November 15, 2024 - 07:37 AM Artist Innoss’B has announced a second collaboration with Awilo Longomba. The two artists released the track “Long Hands” in late 2022 and the clip has accumulated more than 11 million views on YouTube. In a post on social media, the Young Leader announced a new collaboration. It can be said that the clip has already been shot. In the teaser, the two artists are seen dressed as the former dancing to a very danceable song. “After the success of your song MABOKO MILAYI, our new collaboration is comingAWILO LONGOMBA MBONGO NA NGA feat INNOSS’B ... We look forward to your challenge videos, wrote Innoss’B. This will probably be a generic that......

AFRICAN FIESTA NATIONALE

November 08, 2024 - 07:00 PM AFRICAN FIESTA NATIONALE Stadium Tata Raphael, May 20th, 1970, just before the Paris Olympia concert. Réné Kassanda, (vocals) Michelino Mavatiku Visi (rhythm), Pepe Ndombe (vocals), Attel Mbumba (solo), Seskain Molenga (drummer) Faugus Izeidi (mi solo) Kola Philo (bass), Rochereau Pascal ( vocals/band leader) Empompo Loway (sax) Lokassa Ya Mbongo (rhythm) It was after the Olympia concert, the first by an African band, that this band rebranded from African Fiesta Nationale to Afrisa International. The band came into being in 1966, when Tabuley, Willy Kuntima, and Roger Izeidi went separate ways with Dr Nico and his rhythm brother Dechaud, naming theirs Africain......

TABULEY'S AFRICAN FIESTA NATIONALE

October 25, 2024 - 05:44 AM TABULEY'S AFRICAN FIESTA NATIONALE TRUMPETERS Willy mbembe, Vieux Biolo, Jean trompette GUITARISTS Lokassa Ya Mbongo (rhythm) partly hidden,, the late Atel Mbumba (soloist) and my friend Mzee Faugus Izeidi on mi solo This was the same lineup that travelled for the Olympia historic concert. A typical song done by this lineup is hortense, a Ndombe Opetum composition of 1970. Remember the band rebranded to Afrisa International after the Olympia tour Jabulani Radio Livestream Next Track Track History ...

BOY ON THE DRUMS

October 14, 2024 - 01:21 PM BOY ON THE DRUMS This is Albert William Louis...most people know him as Awilo Longomba.Back then aged just 24 years old in the group Viva La Musica, during their first tour of Japan in 1986. They used to call him 'the boy on drums' as he was the youngest in the group when he joined a few years earlier. In one interview, he remembers his late father, the famous Rumba singer, Vicky Longomba one of the founding members of T.P OK Jazz. Awilo said his father was his greatest inspiration though he never wanted the young man to venture into music...but as if his destiny was marked- to be in music.To date, Awilo has celebrated close to 40 years in the music industry and has won more world music......

THE HIDDEN VOCAL GEM

October 14, 2024 - 12:51 PM THE HIDDEN VOCAL GEM Wuta Mayi(from the water) was with TP OK JAZZ in the 1970s before leaving to join Syran Mbenza, Nyboma Mwandido, and Bopol Mansiamina to form the Four stars/4 etoiles in 1982. Sometimes I feel they had a side band known as KASS KASS fronted by the late Jean Pappy Ramazani and the late Passi Jo, anyway the late Bopol Mansiamina used to play solo, rhythm, and bass. The guy was gifted, just like the late Nene Tchakou who used to play solo and rhythm guitar. I learned yesterday that after independence in 1960/61 somehow the Musicians from Congo Brazzaville opted to go back home, Franco had no vocalists since he used to play the solo guitar in the background, that's......

Artist Spotlight

LOKASSA YA M'BONGO

KASONGO TRENDS

MOSE-KONZO

VETERAN musician King Kiki is dead.

TRIBUTE TO THE LEGEND

INNOS COLLABORATES WITH AWILO

AFRICAN FIESTA NATIONALE

TABULEY'S AFRICAN FIESTA NATIONALE

BOY ON THE DRUMS

THE HIDDEN VOCAL GEM

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