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 "Jambo Bwana," Kenya's unofficial tourism anthem.

The other siblings were the late Denis Kalume (drums/vocals), the late George Ziro (played everything and sang), Billy Saro (bassist/vocalist), and John Katana (keyboard/vocals). From Tanzania, we had the three siblings of Simba Wanyika—George, Wilson, and William Kalekezi—popularly known as the Kinyonga brothers.

George Peter was the pillar of the Kalekezi music venture. He was a multi-talented musician, capable of singing all vocal parts and playing all instruments. During the recording of "Baba Nyange," the percussionist failed to show up. George played the instrument so well that no one noticed it wasn’t the band’s traditional conga player.

He was also the band’s official technician, setting up the stage and ensuring the sound system was perfectly tuned. He acted as the band’s fundi, fixing any broken instruments—and he was good at it. That’s not all. He was also the band’s mechanic, always fixing their van whenever it developed mechanical problems.

“His death has really touched me. It could be the end of my musical life,” his brother Wilson said at his funeral, paraphrasing George’s critical role in the family's musical success. He was a skillful arranger and composer, as well as a very humble man.

In the Republic of Congo, the mega jackpot of musical families is that of Dewayon and his siblings, eight in total. The siblings include Ondo Ondo (Ondo Mpokuo Lokonda), the eldest brother who introduced Dewayon and Bokelo to music; Dewayon (Paul Ebengo), who was older than Bokelo and taught Franco the guitar; and Jean Bokelo. Others include Jean José Lohota, Porthos (Mpia Mongongo), a deadly rhythm guitarist of Conga and Grand Piza; Mbo Mayau’s twin brother; Alberto Bosaba; and Makengo Mavuzi Roy, a great composer of Grand Piza.

The concentration of talent in a single family is also evident in the Kabasele family, which boasted at least five musicians, with Kale as the patriarch. These were Kabasele and his four half-brothers, popularly known as Bana Kadori—a loose translation of “children of K’Adori,” with Dori being a shortened version of their matriarch’s name, Doris. Kabasele was the eldest and the founder of LUNNA Kidi. He was also the most musically successful of the Kadori quintet. When he was recruited into the military in 1978, he was not required to perform or record with his bands—LUNNA Kidi or Bana Kadori—as he had been recruited specifically to be a musician with the military’s Scarlet Band of the Lanet-based Infantry Battalion, 1KR.

Kabasele was the head of the patriarchal line. He introduced music to the family and taught them how to play. He founded LUNNA Kidi in 1968 while still a student at Pumwani. In the 1970s, to bypass contractual obligations—having signed with different record companies—he had to record or perform as Bana Kadori. However, despite the reasons for its creation, Bana Kadori morphed into a fully-fledged band with its own identity, performing and recording separately from LUNNA Kidi.

The quintet comprised Kabasele himself, Boaz Ogoli, Onyango Kadori, Omondi Kadori (aka Philemon), and Odindo Kadori. The late Boaz Ogoli, aka Boss, was the second eldest after Kabasele. He was a founding member of LUNNA Kidi and an exceptionally talented soloist and vocalist. However, sometime in the 1970s, he joined a band called Kanga Brothers, which specialized in jazz, and relocated with the band to Europe. He stayed in Europe for a while, and upon his return, he never re-entered the rumba world, having specialized in jazz. He later played with several jazz bands in Nairobi. He died in 1999, a year after Kabasele.

Of all the Kadori siblings, the soft-spoken Boss was closest to Kabasele. The third Kadori sibling was Joseph Onyango, popularly known as Onyi Kadori. Onyi Kadori also performed for LUNNA Kidi. He is an excellent vocalist and composer, featuring in many songs alongside Kabasele. The fourth-born was Philemon Omondi, aka Omosh Kadori, who died in 2023. He was also an excellent bassist and performed with several bands, including the home bands of Bana Kadori and LUNNA Kidi. He was also a talented singer and composer.

Odindo Kadori, known for the line “Mzee pita, tutaonana kesho” (in the song "Huruma Pasie"), sings about how Huruma thugs have always spared him. He is the current head of the Bana Kadori band. Contrary to what one might expect given their hostile upbringing, the sons of Kadori related well when it came to music. Several songs by Kabasele appear under the Bana Kadori band, which often left fans wondering whether Kabasele had ever been a member.

The difficulties that Kabasele faced at the hands of his foster father, marked by discrimination and contempt, were expected to strain his relationship with his foster siblings. But judging from his bond with the Kadori quintet, we see a Kabasele who was not vengeful and didn’t dwell on the past. Perhaps the music worked its magic.

Kabasele, who was supposed to leave the military after three years of service to concentrate on music, died in 1998, having carved a niche for himself as one of the most celebrated Kenyan musicians.

LUNNA Kidi wasn’t just associated with the Kadoris—it was their band. The siblings were the pillars and founders of LUNNA Kidi. At least one of them was always a member at any given time. Onyango particularly participated in many studio recordings, singing both lead and backup vocals. The Kadori musical bond remained unshaken by Kabasele’s discovery of his father, and even after his demise, that bond did not fade. His sons, Regi and Babu, have also collaborated musically.

There were times when LUNNA Kidi was essentially a Kadori affair, with all five siblings performing on stage. They were the backbone of the band over the years. With Regi and Babu Kabasele’s sons—also being musicians- we witness Kenya’s largest musical family, comprising seven members.

By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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