Fans of the legendary Congolese musician Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi will tomorrow be marking the 36th anniversary of his death.
Kenyan FM radio and TV stations have lined up activities to mark this day of sorrow that is now a celebration of his musical prowess and achievements of his band, TPOK Jazz, which he founded and led for three decades.
For most of the fans, it is an occasion to celebrate the man who from the mid-1950s was at the forefront in churning some of the greatest songs on the Congolese rhumba music scene.
Franco, who died in a Belgian hospital on October 12, 1989, left behind in Brussels several members of TPOK Jazz.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation earlier this week, Brussels-based singer Nana Akumu, who sang on some TPOK hits, said they would mainly celebrate him online and partly later through live shows.
“Though we haven’t planned any major concert in his honour this year, we will always remember and honour his inspirations to us as musicians," she said.
Nana was among the musicians who accompanied Franco on his final concert tour of Europe. She recalled how Franco had encouraged them to remain strong as a band when based in Europe.
In Brussels, she occasionally teams up with other former TPOK Jazz members such veteran guitarist Dizzy Mandjeku, Lokombe Ntal and Malage De Lugendo during live shows.
Other former members of the TPOK Jazz based in Europe and elsewhere in Africa, include singers Prince Youlou Mabiala, Sam Mangwana, Baniel, Bambo and Wuta Mayi. Also guitarists Michelino Mavatiku, Flavian Makabi, and Makos Kindudi.
Franco’s greatest songs include ‘ Azda’, ‘Mamou’, Mado,’Candidat na Biso Mobutu’’, and ‘Matata ya Muasi na Mobali Ekoki Kosila te’.
Legendary Congolese musician the late Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Notably, ‘Azda was a Kinshasa motor dealership that imported the popular VW Beetle from Germany.
Song was more of a commercial jingle for the vehicle. While ‘Mamou,’ a duet between singer Madilu System and Franco is the story of an adulterous woman, who spends time sneaking into other people’s houses.
Franco's fans particularly like the part where the group’s bassist, Mpudi Decca mimicked the voice of a woman.
Mamou was accusing her divorcee friend of trying to break up her marriage yet she was, in fact, the one misbehaving.
The popular lyrics in Lingala on the song go as follows: "Olabaki nini eh! eh! Olobaki nini Mamou eh Olabaki ngai nafundaka yo mobali na yo olabaka ngai nasalaka kisefe na libala na bino (What did you say? What have you said Mamou? You said I'm reporting you to your husband. You said I'm jealous of your marriage).
There was the travelling TPOK Jazz, which Franco toured with in Europe and other countries. The Kinshasa- based group was often under the leadership of the orchestra's then long-serving Vice-President Lutumba Simaro Massiya.
