Former TPOK Jazz songbird Nana Akumu releases nostalgic album
Belgium-based Congolese singer Nana Akumu.
What you need to know:
- A notable composition on the new album is the song Urafiki in praise of Cotu boss Francis Atwoli.
- Before relocating to Nairobi in 1978, Nana had a stint with the legendary Cavacha band Orchestre Shama Shama.
One of the top former female TPOK Jazz Band singers, Nana Akumu, is celebrating her rich musical link to Kenya with the release of a brand new album.
The 17-track album titled, Grand-mère (grandmother), by the Belgium-based Congolese songbird contains songs in Lingala, French and Kiswahili.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation recently, Nana revealed her future plans, including a tour of Kenya later this year. She hopes to stage her first show in the country after more than 40 years.
A notable composition on the new album is the song Urafiki in praise of Cotu boss Francis Atwoli.
The veteran trade unionist is a big rhumba fan, who in recent years he has been sponsored several tours of Kenya by some of Nana’s Europe-based compatriots.
Other notable tracks in the new album include Usiniudhi, Mon Foyer, Haraka Haina Baraka, Ndoki, Salela Don na Yo and Odemba.
Belgium-based Congolese singer Nana Akumu.
For many years, Nana was mistaken for being a member of the Luo community. The name Akumu is popular in the lakeside region. As such, it was perfect disguise for Nana during the years she was based in Kenya.
However, she is from the Ituri tribe, a Nilotic community in Eastern DRC Congo.
Before relocating to Nairobi in 1978, Nana had a stint with the legendary Cavacha band Orchestre Shama Shama in Kamapla.
She arrived in Nairobi with Baba Gaston. Nana and her colleagues later formed the group, Orch Pepelepe (Bana Ekanga). Other group members included Bijou Yassa Ibrahim, Pepe Mato and Tabu Nkotela.
Some of the group's earlier releases include Liwa ya Mama Tabu, Iyolela and Haraka Haina Baraka.
For Nana, 1979 also marked a major milestone in her personal life as it was the year she gave birth to her first child at Nairobi’s Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
In 1983, she returned home to Eastern Congo, before moving to Kinshasa in 1984 to join the Tier Monde Cooperation Band. This was an offshoot of TPOK Jazz, which featured Djo Mpoyi, Sam Mangwana, Diatho Lukoki, Ndombe Opetum and Empopo Loway.
In 1985, Nana briefly joined the legendary Johnny Bokelo Isenges’s Mbonda Africa band.
Her breakthrough came in 1986, when the grandmaster Franco Luanzo Makiadi recruited her into TPOK Jazz, alongside Banlel Bambo. Both were brought in to replace mercurial singer Jolie Detta, who had left the band.
It was also around the same time that Nana took part in recording Sam Maangwana’s original version of the hit song, Fatimata, in Congo Brazzaville.
Nana was part of the TPOK Jazz group that accompanied the then ailing Franco on his final tour of Belgium in January 1989. Franco died in October of the same year.
Today in Belgium, Nana performs with Odemba Band led by Dizzy Mandjeku. The group also features other former TPOK Jazz members, including Malage Lugendo and Lokombe Ntal.
