BIOGRAPHY OF LE GRAND MAITRE

BIOGRAPHY OF LE GRAND MAITRE

Franco Luambo Makiadi, the Congolese legendary musician, continues to hold a special place in the hearts of millions of music lovers across the globe, 35 years into his death. His music sells in shops across the continent and beyond, in Latin America, the USA, and Europe. Online applications created long after his death are also dominated by his music. His fan base has continued to swell with younger fans, probably born after his death, getting hooked, more than three decades into his death, with fans and musicians marveling at how magical he was to head a band that stayed intact for 37 years, churning out chart-topping records, estimated to be slightly more than 1500 songs, and each title managing a rare feat of being an artistic masterpiece with genius instrumental and lyrical layout, that would make any first-time listener want to learn a thing more about the team behind the song.

Fellow musicians, some of who were his band members at his TPOK Jazz, describe him as a musical wizard of our time. Legendary guitarist, who served as his band’s spokesperson in the 80s, Dizzy Mandjeku, who was also his solo guitarist, now heading his band, Odemba OK, based in Brussels, describes Franco’s death as the biggest catastrophe to befall the continent entertainment world.

American jazz musician, Yves Francois, based in Chicago, says ‘’Franco, born in poverty, learning on other people’s guitars, became the man who made the entire continent dance to rumba and the beat spread beyond the continental boundaries and ended up being one of the few truly fantastic and influential guitarists and leading a band whose scope can only be compared to Duke Ellington’’

Who was this Franco Luambo Makiadi and how did he manage his way to the top?

How big was he, that when he visited the Republic of Tanzania, in September 1973, he was given diplomatic status and driven around in a government limousine, complete with a court of arms, as narrates Mzee Johnes Lemnge Moshi, who worked with the government then, and was part of the team that was mandated to take care of the logistics?

Great was the man, who in 1980, entered a recording studio in Brussels, alone, without a single member of his OK Jazz, and with minimal assistance from an embassy official on bass, he did the lead vocals, backup vocals, solo guitar, rhythm guitar, percussions, and bottle, to record the longest of all his songs ever, a 24-minute hit song “ Nalingaka yo yo te”.

Luambo’s success story can be traced to a record label, called Loningisa, established in Leopoldville in 1950, by two Greek brothers, Athanus and Basile Papadimitriou. This was the second record label to set base in Léopoldville, after Ngoma, which was established in 1948, and which produced Wendo Nkolosoy and Henri Bowane’s “Marie Louisa” considered the oldest Congolese record available in the shops and which was the first Congolese music to cross the boarders, which in a way did set the trend we see, where almost every city in sub-Saharan Africa has a Congolese rumba band.

Young Franco, born on July 6th, 1938, and whose childhood toy was a self-made guitar, designed to lure customers into his mother’s baking stall in Ngiri Ngiri, was introduced to Lonigisa, by musician Ebengo Dewayon, in 1953. Dewayon had noticed Luambo’s talent and had taken him in his band, which performed occasionally at weddings and funerals. Lonigisa had Henri Bowane, as its art director. In those days, Bowane, who was an accomplished guitarist, was alongside Wendo Nkolosoy, Congolese most influential musician. He was instrumental in establishing the record labels, as a reliable scout for talent, in Léopoldville, and beyond.

During this era, competition and rivalry in music were between record labels, as these were the important entities, employing musicians, and bands were either nonexistent or were assembled for concerts. Recordings were strictly a record label issue, and musicians were employed by the record companies

This is why Joseph Tshamala Kabaselle, is considered the father of contemporary Congolese music, because he was the very first musician to put up a fully professional band, when he established his African Jazz, in 1952, from a pool of musicians revolving around record company, Opika. Contrary to popular belief, OK Jazz evolved over a period of time and its creation cannot be traced to any particular date, and the 6th of June 1956, cited by various sources as the date the band was conceived is actually the very first date the band performed at the OK bar, owned by Jamais Gaston Cassien who latter on, after Congolese independence, changed his name to Oscar Kashama, as he told Peruvian filmmaker Allan Brain, in his documentary Rumba kings.

The OK acronym, for the band stood for Orchestre Kinois as indicated in some album sleeves. It isn’t clear what inspired Jamais Gaston to name his bar OK Bar. The band had existed a few years before this date and had had several recordings to its credit, with the team of musicians signed by the record label which was increasingly becoming popular, only that they did not formally identify as members of any band, and were often referred to as Bana Loningisa, a Lingala for children of Loningisa. The musicians were Antoine Moniana aka Roitelet, who played contrabass, Vicky Longomba and Philip Lando aka Rossignol as vocalists, Sartunin Pandi as Conga player, Franco and Dewayon as guitarists and Jean Serge Essous, an accomplished clarinet player, a native of the Republic of Congo, who was to later star with Les Bantous De La Capitale of Brazzaville.

Franco established himself as a guitar player of no mean repute. He was creative and skillful. He was natural and versatile and developed a sub-genre of rumba, based on his guitar and the voice of Vicky Longomba. He called it Odemba and is broadly categorized as OK Jazz School of Rumba. This was to rival the big band of the day, called African Jazz, of Joseph Kabaselle, aka, Grand Kalle. He had legendary guitarist Nico Kasanda on solo, his elder brother Charles Mwamba ake Dechaud on rhythm, and Roger Izeidi on maracas, among other established names in his retinue.

The sub-genre of rumba, created by this band, and perfected by other bands later in the 60s, like Festival Des Maquisards and Vox Africa, is also known as African Jazz school and was based on Nico’s guitar, and the voice of Grand Kalle, as explained to this writer, by Dizzy Mandjeku, who played with L’African Fiesta National of Tabuley, Grand Maquisards, African All Stars, and TPOK Jazz. The African Jazz School of Rumba had a solo guitar, a mi solo guitar, a rhythm guitar, and a bass guitar.

That of OK Jazz had only three guitars, a solo, rhythm, and bass. However, in 1972, Franco introduced a hybrid of the two schools, introducing a fourth guitar, but not a mi solo as defined in the context of the African Jazz school of Rumba where a mi solo was just to bridge the pitch of Nico’s solo and the rhythm of his brother, Charles Mwamba aka Dechaud. At times, the mi solo guitarist, ie Faugus Izeidi for African Fiesta National, would strike the same chord and pattern as the soloist, but on a lower tone, on the fretboard, or create any pattern that bridged the two and made the music richer in arrangements.

In Franco’s new arrangement, the song would have three guitars, as usual, bass rhythm, and solo. Because Franco would roam wildly in his solo, it was important that a guitar be introduced to cover the traditional role of the solo, to fill the void left by Franco's wild exploits

This second solo was mostly played in the band by Franco himself or Thierry Mantuika, a man Luambo groomed for this specific role. An example at hand is Mario, recorded in Brazaville, which has Papa Noel play the solo guitar, but Luambo gets in for a special run. Keen rumba listeners are able to note the difference in the guitar arrangements of the music of the two schools of rumba.

OK Jazz music did not feature any mi solo a fact corroborated by Mavatiku Visi, aka Michelino, who was brought in by Franco in 1974, during this experimental stage, as he had had experience with the African Jazz school of rumba, having been a guitarist with Nico in his band, L’African Fiesta Sukisa, a band he established after falling off with Grand Kalle at African Jazz in 1963. Michelino, who currently resides in Paris, was to also feature for Tabuley in Afrisa International, and later Festival Des Maquisards. One of the big bands that did OK Jazz School of rumba is Negro Success of two guitar wizards Bavon Siongo and Bholen Leon Bombolo. Bavon was Franco’s younger brother.

Throughout his `career, Franco exhibited rare managerial skills that saw his band survive for decades. None of the bands formed in the 50s survived to see the 70s, except Les Bantous De La Capitale of Brazzaville and Luambo’s OK Jazz. African Jazz was crippled by a mass walkout in 1963 that saw the band lost guitarists Nico and Dechaud, singer Tabuley and maracas player cum vocalist, Roger Izeidi, among others decamp to form their L’African Fiesta. Negro band (not negro success) formed in the mid-50s, moved to another studio band, based at the same record label, called Esengo, and later folded in 1959  When a majority of musicians defected to cross the waters of river Zaire (Ebale ya Zaire) to go from Le Bantous De La Capitale.

Rumba, is a technical genre and the success of any particular band highly depends on the talent of the personnel keeping a talented team intact is every band leader's headache. Franco’s band had the best of the best from every particular field. The first defections at OK Jazz were in December 1956, when Essous (clarinet), Pandi (percussions), and Rossignol, all nationals of the Republic of Congo, defected to record label Esengo, after being allegedly poached by Bowane, who had defected to the record label from Loningisa. From there, they formed a studio band Rock A Mambo. Franco brought in singer Edo Nganga (from the Republic of Congo), as a vocalist, Celestin Kouka (maracas/vocals), Nino Malapet (sax) Armando Brazzos (rhythm).

Edo is presently ailing in his Brazzaville. For the first set of defection, Franco brought in a very formidable force. In 1958, he brought in saxophonist saxophone player Isaac Musekiwa, from Rhodesia. Musekiwa, who died in 1990, had been with African Jazz since 1952. He is the very first indigenous African to play the instrument in Congolese rumba, after being taught by Belgian Jazz musician Fud Candrix, who introduced the instrument to Congolese rumba.

In 1959, Kouka, Nganga departed to join Les Bantous, and Franco brought in two great vocalists, Jean Kwamy Munsi and Joseph Mulamba, also called Mujos. In 1960, Brazzos and Vicky couldn’t resist the allure of flying to Brussels and so defected to the African Jazz of Grand Kalle. The duo did not stay long at the band and later in 1960, teamed up with Bholen and Djeskin to form Negro Success. In the same year, Franco brought in guitarist Picolo Tshamala, sax player Albino Kalombo, guitarist Bholen Leon Bombolo, contrabass player Alphonse Epayo, maracas player Simon Moke, and singer Dihunga Djeskin.

TPOK Jazz continued to be a hotspot of talent, attracting the best of musicians from the two Congos and beyond. Early '60s, Franco brought in sax wizard Verckys, who was to later 1969 create his band Veve and record label, Editions Veve, guitarist Simaro Lutumba, trumpeter Christophe Djali, and singer Lola, who was to stay with the band until after Franco’s death in 1989. He remained with the band until his death in 1992, and in terms of recordings participated in, he ranks only second to Luambo. He mostly did backup vocals but in his composition of 1980, Lolaka, he sings alone.

Vicky and Brazzos also returned in 1963, after a brief sojourn in Negro. Other musicians to join the band in the 60s are vocalists Mitchel Boyibanda, Nigerian sax player Dele Pedro (a Nigerian national), bassist Francis Bitshoumana aka Celi Bitshou, who composed the hit song Mado, Jean Felix Poeula aka Du Pool a conga expert and solo guitarist Mose Fan Fan. Vocalist Youlou Mabiala also joined in 1966. Typical OK Jazz music of the 50s only had the percussions and maracas and no drums but when drum sets were introduced in the early 60s, Franco brought in Nesta Diangani as the band’s first drummer.

He was later in the early 70s, to be joined by Ntoya Fwala and later by Seskain Molenga and Kakoma Nado, the latter, who Franco describes at a show in Utrecht Netherlands, as the best drummer ever in Congo. Other musicians who joined OK Jazz in the '70s and '80s are solo guitarists Thierry Mantuika, the late Gerry Dialungana, Papa Noel, and Dizzy Mandjeku. Rhythmists; Petit Pierre, Ya Makosso Kindudi and Gege Mangaya.
Bassists; The late Mpudi Decc and Flavian Makabi.

Vocalists; Josky Kiambukuta, Sam Mangwana, Ndombe Opetum, Ntesa Dalienst, Djo Mpoyi, Nkalulu Lokombe, Jojo Ikomo, Bialu Madilu, Denis Bonyeme, Baniel Bambo, Nana Akumu and massu star Kamenga Kayabote, aka Jollie Detta. Others are sax players Lunama Mbemba, Kasongo Wa Kasongo, Empopo Loway, Sax Matalanza, Sax Iblo, Reuben Kunsutsa and Michel Sax, trumpeters Adamo Kadimoke, Kasongo Kapitena, Zinga Ngole, Milanda Barami and trombone player Mpiaza Adelar. In the later days, Franco incorporated pianists, among them Vincent Kenis.

What makes OK Jazz music everyone’s favorite is the appealing melodious vocals delivered in classy instrumental backup done by the very best. Benjamin Bibens, a drummer with OK Jazz, after the demise of Franco explains that the band attracted the best of talent because it had established itself as the musical powerhouse of the country, that even big names dissolved their bands, to join OK Jazz, just to be part of the success story and get a bit of fame. It was everyone's dream to join the band.

The result was a galaxy of stars in all sections of the band and this meant Franco’s music, which was based on his guitar, had the best guitar works, percussions, and horns. There is a near consensus among music lovers across the world that his guitar skills are unmatched, and 26 years later, no musician has come close to that. Guitar expert Olivier Tshimanga, also a top musician from DRC explains the technical concepts behind Franco’s unique guitar techniques in his YouTube tutorials. What amazes me is, it isn’t just the quality of the song outstanding, but the quantity as well.

Though it’s a near impossibility to compile a complete discography, based on the songs available, Franco’s band did more than 1500 songs. Among this, his compositions are an estimated 60%, with Simaro having composed an estimated 15% Vicky 5% and 5% and the rest a cumulative 15%. Musicians, within the band, had a free will to compose songs and every song is credited to the composer in the original sleeve.

A Franco discography, compiled by a Japanese blog, based on record labels, listed his songs as follows,
Loningisa…186
CEFA…..144,
Epanza Makita…112,
OK Jazz…136,
Boma Bango....45,
Tcheza, Likembe…….10,
Vicklog….44,
Populairs…104,
Ngoma…….24,
ZEBI…..3,
PATHE….86,
Fiesta…..92,
Africa Surboun 66 and others 31, totaling 1091 songs.
Apart from the instrumentation wizardry, Franco's songs were equally captivating in lyrical compositions.

His art addressed societal issues and politics in equal measure. His love-hate relationship with Mobutu’s government found its way into the music from as early as 1966, when Mobutu, faked a coup to determine who among the men in his government were loyal, and who were not. The fake coup was headed by the then Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) governor, Colonel Alphonse Bangala. He lured several government officials to support the coup.

The government ministers who fell for the trap were executed. Franco composed a called “ Colonel Bangala” in praise of the coup leader for “sanitizing” Kinshasa. He again composed the song “ Bokassa na Mobutu”, in praise of the Central African Republic strongman, and again in 1971, Kwamy Munsi composed a song called “ Mboka republique” which praised the just launched authenticity program that would see the country discard names and general lifestyle of the west in favor of the authentic African

Franco composed a total of nine songs in praise of Mobutu

He at the same time attacked the government with coded messages in songs and when he was incarcerated in1978, for recording two songs Jackie and Hellen, that were regarded explicit by the authorities, he launched a scathing attack on the regime with a song composed while in Makala prison, title “Taileur mokolo tonga” which was directed at the then Chief Attorney, Kengo Wa Dondo, who had since been dismissed from the job, over different reasons.

He sang commercials for corporates as well, ie Fabrice, Argetrove, Peuch Del Sol, Azda, among others. The rivalry also played into the music and two songs of 1966,’’ Chicotte’’ and “ Course au pouvre” were penned by Franco, in perhaps the strongest-worded musical attack on anyone, and was directed at his vocalist who had since defected to rival camp, L’African Fiesta, and had from there composed a song “faux millionaire’’, attacking Franco . Kwamy was later to join Franco again in 1970. He as well covered social mischiefs in his songs like the “professional borrower” he castigates in “Illouse”, who borrows, jewelry, then lends them to some other friend, among many other issues. On the other hand, his deputy, Simaro, would sum up the realities of life in smartly worded poems ie “Mabele”,” Kitikwala”,” Cedou”,” Ebale ya zaire”,” Maya”,” Testament ya bowule” among many others.

His fans remember him as the father of the continent's contemporary music. Prof Larry Gumbe, a Nairobi-based scholar and politician, sums up Luambo in one word ‘’colossus’’. TV personality Wiliam Okoko, also of Nairobi describes Luambo as “the wizard of the guitar, who bestrode the continent like a colossus”. His solo guitarist between 1968 and 1973, Mose Fanfan, remembers their days with nostalgia and says Franco is simply irreplaceable. Dizzy Mandjeku, says this despite joining Franco when he was already an established musician. He learnt a lot from Franco whom he describes as extremely talented. Kitali Wendo Ngaira, an ardent fan from Nairobi says Franco was one remarkable musician who set the bar so high, that others can’t simply match.

Alfred Onyango Oduor, an economist at Cape Town University, South Africa, sums it all up by stating that music ended with the death of Luambo. This would mean current musicians can’t measure to the standards of Franco. Haggai Isanya, a radio presenter at Mulembe FM of Nairobi, says the station, in its weekly rumba program, will feature Franco, for a month, this October, to mark his 26th anniversary, indicating, he is the musician whose songs are most requested by listeners. One of his vocalists Sam Mangwana, was once quoted by Franco biographer Graeme Ewens, saying Franco was a unique combination of Mozart, Pele, and Muhamed Ali, who appears only once in every one hundred years.

From a young orphan in the streets of Kinshasa in the 50s, Franco died a universally recognized hero, having staged concerts in almost all major cities and interacted with world leaders. His first concert in the Western nation was in 1960 and organized by Grand Kalle, who also helped him establish his own record company, Epanza Makita. His very last concert was in Melkweg, Amsterdam on 22nd September. He had been sick and hospitalized in Brussels but insisted that he be driven across the border to the Netherlands, where his band was performing.

He was weak and frail. He sat down most of the time, struggling to be his usual self. Dizzy recalls that in that event, whenever Franco stood up, he (Dizzy) went to stand behind him, for fear that he could fall. He died three weeks later, on 12th October 1989, in a Belgian hospital and was airlifted to Kinshasa, and buried in Gombe Cemetery. He left behind a son, Yves Luambo Emongo, a businessman in Brussels, and sixteen daughters. His band TPOK Jazz, continued performing until 1993, when it was disbanded.

To his fans, Grand Maitre lives, through his music.
If you read this to the very end, you are a true African music fan. We celebrate you. 

BY  JEROME OGOLA

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