JOHNY BOKELO: A SCION OF A MUSICALLY RICH FAMILY

Are musicians born or made? Any attempt to Respond to this question in the context of Congolese rumba; is likely to land you at the doorstep of the Isenge family. This is for the reason that this is easily the largest musical family in the history of the genre. The Isenge octad, comprising eight musical superstars, compares well and even surpasses "The Jackson’s five" of the USA, Mushrooms quintet, sons of Kaloleni Giriama in Kenya, and even the six musical children of Dorcas, popularly known as Bana Kadori, of Kenyan benga, whose patriarch was Ochieng’ Kabaselle.

For the Jacksons, the youngest star shone the brightest, while for Mushrooms and the Kadori, it was the eldest, but the Isenge constellation took a different trajectory, with the third star Jean Bokelo shining the brightest. The galaxy comprised, Ondo Ondoo, aka Mpoku Lokunda, the patriarch of this musical clan, the man who taught Dewayon the guitar.

Paul Ebengo, aka Dewayon, who was to later become Franco’s teacher was second in this family lineage with Jean Bokelo being the third born. Jean was mentored by Dewayon. The fourth was Jean-Jose. Lohota, who starred with Grand Pizza, and Mpia Monongi, aka Petit Pierre, who starred with Orchestra Veve and OK Jazz. Mpia, a twin's name, is also written ‘Mopia’. Monongi Mopia’s twin is Mbo Mayau. Mbo is a twin's name. Mbo Mayau featured for Grand Pizza. The other two are Alberto Bosaba and Roy Makengo, who headed the Grand Pizza.

Monongi Mopia, who until his death in Brussels in 2021, was a member of Odemba OK Jazz of Dizzy Mandjekou, once told this writer, he had no choice but to become a musician, now that everyone around him was deeply involved in music, from childhood.

“I couldn’t become anything but a musician,” he said. 

Jean Bokelo, born in 1938, began his music career in 1950. He started by featuring his elder brother’s band Watam in 1950 when he was only 12 years old.  Watam was the band that gave Franco his very first experience with a real guitar, away from the self-made three-stringed instrument that he had created to entertain customers at his mother’s stall at Ngiri-Ngiri. Just like Franco, the Isenge family grew up in Ngiri-Ngiri. 

After the evolution of OK Jazz at the studio Loningisa, Watam was allowed to fade away. It is Jean Bokelo who created the family’s next band, which hosted the Dewayon and himself. This band went by the name Conga Jazz but later rebranded to Conga Success. It is worth noting that Dewayon drifted away in 1962 to create his own Cobantu.

Just like Franco, Jean Bokelo, who went by the sobriquet 'Johny', possibly due to the pronunciation of his name, was a talented composer, arranger, singer, and solo guitarist. Being A guitarist adds substance to the performance of a band leader in the sense that they are able to dictate the direction the music takes in terms of style. That may partly explain why Franco clung to his Odemba style for ages, while Tabuley who wasn’t a guitarist, kept changing his style.

“Dino Vangu changed the style of Afrisa’s music for good.”. Faugus Izeidi told Jabulani radio while discussing this. subject. This and other factors may also explain why, despite the numerous Rebrands, Jean Bokilo bands retained their style. Of the two broad categories of Congolese rumba of the second generation, Jean Bokelo did OK Jazz School of Rumba, which was defined by Franco’s guitar and Vicky’s vocals, while the African Jazz School of Rumba, also known as Fiesta was based on the vocals of Grand Kalle and the guitar of Dr. Nico.

Jean Bokelo Isenge’s discography is quite rich, with hundreds of songs. ‘Mwambe’ came in at least eight versions and figuratively represents the musical octad in the family. Mwambe is eight in Lingala. ‘Liwa Ya Sinatra’ can as well trigger an argument that Jean Bokelo was the ultimate king of Pachanga, a throne whose kingship has been hotly contested by OKJ and Negro Success. Hits like ‘Tambola na mokili’ have been listened to, danced to, and performed many times by very many bands over the years.  Is that random song loved and appreciated? even by no rumba fans.

"Tambola na mokili dit, Omona makambo"

This introductory phrase asks one to explore the world and experience what it has to offer, essentially capturing man’s peculiar mannerisms that have been adopted by many other musicians. For Instance, Ochieng Kabaselle of LUNNA Kidi, in one of his songs, castigates a friend turned enemy whom he accuses of stealing his band’s equipment and music, while he was incarcerated for political reasons. Sandoka is yet another successful song by the band.

In ‘Mbongo’, he alleges a conspiracy between two entities, a woman and money, to sink the world. Simaro has replicated this theme in ‘Mbongo’ and Les Bantous in the song ‘Makambo Mibale’, composed by Kosmos Moutouari.

It is worth noting that Conga Success in 1968, rebranded to Conga 68. This rebrand brought in several top musicians. Among the singers is Jean Papy Ramazani, aka Ramadhani Nkalu Luaka, an ace soloist. Dizzy Mandjekou, and Sax Akazol, among others. The band for contractual obligations also recorded under the names Congo International and Conga De La Capitale.

Much later, the band changed its identity and mutated into Mbonda Africa.  Otherwise, Grand Pizza, which gave you Mandala, was the other band for the Isenge siblings. Jean Bokello died in January 1995 in Kinshasa. His was a successful musical journey that left the world dancing to his music and marveling at his catchy phrases.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio Livestream

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