Tabu Ley, the son of Bagata, who sang his way into the hearts of a global audience, would have been celebrating his 86th birthday this November had death not snatched him from his fans 13 years ago.
Although he was endowed with many talents, including songwriting, composing, choreography, and band leadership, the most potent weapon he carried into the battle zone that is the music world, and which saw him scale the heights of success, was his voice. Ley was a fine singer with a soothing, melodious tenor that made listening to him a pleasure. That was possibly the magnet that kept fans hooked.
However, the voice comes at the very end of the production line. A song has to be written, composed, and rehearsed many times with the involvement of an entire band before it is finally taken to the studio for recording. Writing a song is not the same as composing one. Songwriting entails putting the lyrics on paper, while composing involves creating the melody, which is arguably the more demanding task.
Music is teamwork. In most cases, a song begins as an idea in the mind of the writer. Turning that idea into a complete song takes the input of several people, each contributing uniquely to its greatness. For a musician to become as successful as Tabu Ley did, he must have had a dedicated team behind him. Like every other band, musicians join and leave. Some stay so long that they become identified with the band, while others spend such a short time there that their membership barely registers in the band's history.
Tabu Ley had musical engagements with Rock-A-Mambo, Jazz Africain, African Jazz, and African Fiesta. However, the band over which he exercised full authority was African Fiesta National, which rebranded as Afrisa International in 1970 following the Olympia concert in Paris.
The band came into existence in 1966 and remained active until Tabu Ley's death in 2013. Even long after his passing, it has continued to exist in the United States. We explore some of the big names associated with the band—the musicians whose contributions helped shape not only Tabu Ley's success, but also the direction Congolese music took.
Born Mekanisi Zemba in January 1944, the saxophonist joined Afrisa International in 1970. He later rose to become the band's manager, seeking business opportunities and signing deals on its behalf.
That was not all. He also became the band's official master of ceremonies. He is the voice heard introducing the song Adeito during the 1977 FESTAC Festival. The role possibly suited him better than anyone else because he spoke both English and French fluently. Mekanisi's saxophone style also helped shape Afrisa's musical identity. The band may have had other renowned horn players, including the legendary trumpeter Willy Kuntima, saxophonists Empopo Loway and Michel Sax, among others, but Mekanisi Modero's style was dominant and consequently influenced the band's overall sound.
He was also a good composer, with songs such as Ma Fille among the pieces he contributed to the band's repertoire. Mekanisi was equally generous with information, readily making himself available to anyone seeking to understand the band's history and music.
When this writer sought information about the band's ever evolving musical style, Mekanisi was on hand to help. Through a telephone conversation, he offered a detailed account of the subject, providing valuable insight into the musical journey of one of Congo's most celebrated bands.
Dino joined Afrisa in 1976 from Ndombe Opetum's Afrizam. However, he initially remained in the shadows, spending time on the bench until 1977 when the band travelled to West Africa for a concert. Several musicians, among them soloist Dizzy Mandjekou, chose to remain behind as the band travelled back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
That was when Dino took over the solo guitar, beginning a reign that lasted almost a decade. Faugus Izeidi, an author and guitarist who played with the band from 1966 to 1968, described Dino as the only guitarist who influenced the band's musical style. Dino's style came to define Afrisa's sound, and given Tabu Ley's experimental approach to music, no solo guitarist who played for the band made a greater impression than Dino Vangu.
Lokassa joined the band in 1968 after Johny Bokassa, who had previously played the instrument with the band, left in December 1967 to join the team that created Festival des Maquisards. Bokassa was an elder brother of Lola Checain of OK Jazz.
With a band whose musical style was constantly evolving, a versatile rhythm guitarist was precisely what Tabu Ley needed. Although Lokassa later made it bigger with Soukous Stars, his decade-long stay at Afrisa had a greater influence on Congolese music. Kaful Mayayi, a song composed by Tabu Ley featuring Mavatiku Visi (popularly known as Michelino) on solo guitar, is an excellent example of how effectively Ley's team retained the band's identity while maintaining its tradition of musical experimentation.
During that period, another rhythm guitarist who played with the band was Bopol Mansiamina, who was equally talented. However, Lokassa stood out for his contribution to Afrisa's sound.
Lokassa left the band in 1977 alongside the group of musicians who went on to create African All Stars, another outfit that would leave its mark on the development of Congolese music. Of all instrumentalists, the rhythmist’s role is the most critical, as it is the instrument involved in the earliest levels of composition.
Mbilia Bel was the band's star attraction for much of the 1980s. Whether it was her melodious voice, charming looks, or captivating stage movements, she had the audience's undivided attention. Even when the band visited Nairobi in 1982 with an entirely new lineup of singers, the other vocalists remained largely unnoticed as Mbilia commanded the spotlight.
Tabu Ley had distinguished himself as a master showman, and Mbilia added immense value to this aspect of his music.
Following the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle boxing bout in Kinshasa featuring George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, American rock star James Brown staged a scintillating performance. Congolese music subsequently took a divergent path, with greater emphasis on showmanship. Tabu Ley led the pack with his dance moves, stage presentation, and ability to turn musical performances into spectacles. Mbilia Bel made the stage even more exciting with her gorgeous looks, graceful movements, and captivating performances.
Although some pundits have argued that the obsession with Mbilia, both by the bandleader and the fans, somewhat affected the band's growth as it veered away from the path of success it had previously followed, it is equally important to acknowledge that she influenced Afrisa's music in many ways.
Her presence added a new dimension to the band's performances, while her voice and stage appeal helped sustain its popularity during a period when visual presentation was becoming increasingly important to the success of Congolese musicians.
For a long time, Mpanga was a solo guitarist with Baba Gaston's Baba National, which operated in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi. When he returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo, he joined Afrisa, bringing with him not only his guitar skills but also his command of Kiswahili.
Afrisa was now known as Afrisa International rather than African Fiesta National, reflecting a broader outlook beyond its original identity. With an East African audience to serve, incorporating Kiswahili songs into its repertoire made commercial and artistic sense. It was Mpanga who composed and translated several popular Afrisa songs into Kiswahili, among them Nadina and Nakeyi Nairobi, both of which became very popular in East Africa.
These songs helped strengthen the band's connection with its East African fans, demonstrating how Congolese musicians could adapt their music to different audiences without abandoning the distinctive sound that had made them popular. However, at Afrisa, the guitarist played mi-solo, as opposed to the solo guitar, which had initially been his speciality. His versatility allowed him to contribute to the band in a different capacity while remaining an important part of its musical machinery.
Guvano joined the band in 1966 as a teenager. He was to take over a role previously held by guitar god Dr. Nico Kasanda. For that reason, he had to be exceptionally good, and he certainly proved himself. His trademark solo guitar style, which mirrored Dr. Nico's approach, is particularly prominent in the band's recordings from that period. One example is Mokolo Nakokufa, in which the guitar work reflects the influence of the legendary guitarist.
When Guvano was involved in a road accident and hospitalised, Tabu Ley composed a song for him. That gesture increased his significance within the band, extending his influence beyond his contribution to setting the pace for its guitar sound. The other guitarists who played with Afrisa included Dizzy Mandjekou, Lambert Baresi, Dammiseau Kambite, Paul Mbumba, and others. Each brought a different touch to the band's evolving sound, helping it maintain the versatility that characterised its music.
Guvano's contribution illustrates how Afrisa built upon the foundations laid by earlier guitar masters while allowing younger musicians to develop their own identities within the band.
Shaba was a longtime bassist with Orchestre Bella Bella before joining Afrisa, where he became one of the band's most recognisable faces. His trademark bass lines graced some of Afrisa's most popular recordings. Among the outstanding examples was Monsieur Malonga, in which the bass work contributed to the rhythmic foundation that supported the band's elaborate arrangements.
The bass guitar was an essential component of Congolese dance music, providing the pulse around which the guitars, horns, percussion, and vocals could interact. Shaba's contribution helped give Afrisa's music the rhythmic drive that made it appealing to dancers and listeners alike.
Shaba Kahamba died in 2016 and was buried in Paris.
The band was, for the long period of its existence, graced by very many talented musicians in the various departments. That they are not mentioned here is not an indictment of their capabilities, as they must have been good enough to have rendered their services for this top band. Tabu Ley was stylish and innovative, unlike Franco Luambo Makiadi, who was a stickler for his Odemba style and a perfectionist. To maintain this trend, Ley needed a steady supply of talent. Some he got from already established bands, while others he got from small and barely known outfits.
Tabu Ley, who was born in Bagata, Bandundu in Kwilu, died on November 30 at St. Luc Hospital in Brussels. In his career spanning five decades, he led one of the most formidable bands in the DRC, Afrisa International, and recorded close to one thousand songs. Fans will be marking 13 years since his demise this November.
BY JEROME OGOLA
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