A special night to celebrate Congolese culture and music will tonight to be held tonight at Kuche Kuche Cashless, Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
The event dubbed Congo Night, will be a culmination of the Congolese Independence Day celebrations which started last Sunday. It will feature a special performance by the Bilenge Musica Du Congo band.
Speaking to Saturday Nation earlier this week, Darzee Kalend, the Bilenge Musica band leader, said they had lined up a special musical repertoire from the 1960s to date during the event
“We have been rehearsing special songs to entertain our fans during the night ranging from the best of the legendary Grand Kalle to Franco Luambo Makiadi, Tabu Ley Rochereau and others," he said.
For rhumba music lovers the popular Independence Cha Cha song by Grand Kalle (Joseph Kabesele) is one expected to be of great interest during the show. This was the song that was performed in Brussels, Belgium by Kalle alongside members of African Jazz during the Congolese Independence Day in 1960. Among those in the African Jazz band were guitarists Dr Nico Kasanda, Dechaud Mwamba, Armando Brazzos and Roger Izeidi.
As Darzee pointed out, tonight’s event will be a musical journey with revellers having the chance also to make special requests for their best songs. There will also be a special session for revellers to sample the best of African attire. The show will start at 7pm until dawn.
Meanwhile, the Bilenge Musica Du Congo band performs every Wednesday and Sunday at the Treasure Gardens, Kilimani in Nairobi.
Elsewhere, Congolese musician Shora Mbemba who died last month, will buried today in Kinshasa. Shora who was the band leader and founder of the Super Choc de Shora Mbemba band was the innovator of the popular Congolese ‘Ma’Ndundu” dancing style.
His younger brother and fellow musician Gode Lofombo, said there would be a funeral service starting at 12pm (Kinshasa time) ahead of the burial ceremony later in the afternoon.
DJ Papa Chally.
Photo credit: Courtesy
In Nairobi, the King Lion Sounds reggae disco group will today (July 6) hold the Rasta Festival. The Annual Deadbeat show will be held at Blue Hut Hotel in Ngara, Nairobi.
The show to be hosted by Papa Chally will feature performances by Lion All Stars, guest DJ and hostess Empress Marion. There will be dread merchandise available alongside snacks and drinks. Entry raffle tickets at Sh100. The show starts at 2pm.
Elsewhere the Blankets and Wine show that was to be held on July 7, 2024, at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, has been postponed to July 28. The organisers attributed the postponement to “security concerns in the wake of the recent violent protests that rocked parts of the country.” Ticket holders can alternatively use them for shows on either October 6 or December 22.
