TPOK Jazz

OK Jazz, later renamed TPOK Jazz (short for Tout Puissant Orchestre Kinois de Jazz), was a Congolese rumba band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo established in 1956 and fronted by Franco. The group disbanded in 1993, but reformed in 1996.

Location

The OK Jazz band was formed in 1956 in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa), in what was at the time the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). At one time in the late 1970s and early 1980s the band grew to more than fifty members. During that period, it often split into two groups; one group stayed in Kinshasa, playing in nightclubs there, while the other group toured in Africa, Europe and North America.

History

1950–1959

The musicians who started OK Jazz included

In the early 1960s Vicky Longomba and Jean Essous left OK Jazz to join African Jazz. Franco then became the leader of the band. He recruited vocalists Kwamy Munsi and Mulamba Joseph Mujos. Simaro Masiya Lutumba joined OK Jazz in 1961.^[2] Essous was replaced by saxophonist Verckys Kiamuangana Mateta. In 1962 OK Jazz visited Nigeria on their first foreign tour. Later that year, Vicky Longomba rejoined the band. Lola Checain, a vocalist who had left earlier also came back.

Around this time, the band changed their name to TPOK Jazz. TP stood for "Tout Puissant" (all mighty). Band membership had increased to over twenty. The quality of their music had improved to where they could challenge African Jazz for the position of Congo's premier group. Franco's music had such popular appeal mainly because it discussed issues affecting ordinary people on a daily basis. Franco led other Congolese musicians in using new technology to produce sounds of much higher quality than in any other part of Africa. The new technology included electric guitars, amplifiers and basses. Congo had now assumed the premier position as Africa's leading music nation.

During the 1970s Franco and TPOK Jazz consolidated their position as one of the two giants of Congolese popular music, along with

In 1978 Franco released two songs — "Helene" and "Jacky" — that were deemed "indecent" by the Attorney General of his native country. After a brief trial, he was convicted and sent to prison, along with other band members, including Simaro Lutumba. Franco was released two months later, following street protests. That same year, Mayaula Mayoni released the song "Nabali Misere" (I am married to misery). He quit the band soon afterwards, to pursue a solo career.^[7]

In 1979 Franco moved his recording base from Kinshasa to

At the beginning of 1987, Franco released a 15-minute song with the title "Attention Na Sida" (Beware of AIDS). Sung mainly in French amid heavy African drums and a kaleidoscope of thundering guitars, the song is moving even if one does not understand all the words.[12] Also in 1987, TPOK Jazz were invited to perform at the 4th All-Africa Games in Nairobi, Kenya. On one of the eight albums that the band released in 1987, called Les On Dit, Franco introduced two new female vocalists Nana Akumu and Baniel Bambo. In 1988, Josky and Dalienst re-joined the band.

1989 was a challenging year for the band. Franco's health was in obvious decline. He had by now moved permanently to Brussels. He did not play much and when he did, could only manage about twenty minutes. The band started to fall apart with the defection of Malage de Lugendo and Dizzy and Decca, who returned to Kinshasa to pursue other opportunities. Later that year Sam Mangwana teamed with Franco to release the album Forever. The album sleeve carried a photograph of Franco in which he appeared emancipated and obviously in ill-health. It turned out to be Franco's last album.

On 12 October 1989, Francois Luambo Makiadi died in a hospital in Brussels, Belgium. His body was flown back to Zaire. After four days of mourning, he was given a state funeral on 17 October 1989, by Mobutu Sese Seko's government.^[13]

1990–1993

Following the death of Franco, the band members, led by Simaro Lutumba, Josky Kiambukuta, Ndombe Opetum and Madilu System approached the Franco family and agreed to split earnings; (70% musicians and 30% family). This arrangement worked from August 1989 until December 1993.^[14]

During that period, the band released an album entitled Hommage A Luambo Makiadi, made up of songs recorded before Franco died.

Then in December 1993 it all came crashing down. The Franco family was not satisfied with the profit-sharing arrangement in place at the time. The family wanted more money. They could not reach an agreement with the musicians. The musicians returned the musical equipment to the family and went on to form a new band, Bana OK. Thus ended the life of one of Africa's most famous bands of the twentieth century, that lasted more than thirty-seven years; from June 1956 until December 1993.^[15]

Band members

TPOK Jazz had many members over the nearly 38 years of its existence.^[16] The list of band members reads like a "Congolese Music Hall of Fame Inductees". Many members came and went, with many of those who left coming back, some on more than one occasion. Here are some of the members of the band.^[17][18]

Discography

A small fraction of the hundreds of records and albums released by TPOK Jazz during the thirty-seven and a half years of the band's existence includes:^[19][20]

See also

• African Rumba
• Music of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Francois Luambo Makiadi
• List of African musicians

References