When its first crop of leaders crossed over to Kenya from Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1976, they were full of energy. Orchestra Super Mazembe’s shows attracted large crowds.
Their old songs, which are still loved to this day, in addition to the new ones that have been released, are a testament to the legacy of a musical outfit whose lifespan spans over five decades.
Unlike many similar outfits, the band weathered the deaths of its founding leaders, Longwa Didos Muntokole and Kasongo wa Kanema, fairly well.
Longwa Didos Muntokole and Kasongo wa Kanema died in March 2000 and April 14, 2020, respectively.
In their heyday, the band produced top hits such as Kasongo, Samba and Bwana Nipe Pesa, among others, which took the East African region by storm in the 1970s and 1980s. That legacy continues to date under the leadership of Longwa Ngoi.
Ngoi said they have lived up to the bill, owing to lessons learned from legendary bands such as TP OK Jazz Band of Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi and Afrisa International of Tabu Ley Rochereau, who have since died.
“As a team, we embrace one another while doing lots of consultations on management issues. It has assisted us in coming up with conclusive decisions to the satisfaction of all band members,” said Ngoi.
He said they also give all members a chance to exercise their talents by coming up with their own compositions as lead singers, as was practised in TP OK Jazz Band.
This approach has assisted the band in composing six new songs, which have been released into the market.
They include Merci Papa, Rafiki, Sammy Njiru, Olive Cotton, Ukraine and Retroviseur, sung in Kiswahili, Lingala and French.
In retaining the band’s identity, Ngoi explained that they have faced many challenges owing to harsh economic times that have tested their survival.
“We always source for work, some on contractual partnerships, which have since led us to entertain guests at both low and high-profile public and private functions,” he said.
“Consistency has been key to our success. Therefore, it’s a measure that has kept us going to this level, and it’s a spirit we will not let go,” said the band leader, who is also a composer and singer.
The group has 14 members today. They are singers Salim Kadima, FBI Kisimbi, Bills Bilolo, Longwa Disco, Jukins Kisala, Cedric Kadre and Chamant Wadola; drummer Ley Yakuza; solo guitarist Nelson Mugando; David Ngale (rhythm guitar); Yves Lubanga (bass guitar); keyboardist Prime Muranatha; and percussionist Steve Jembe.
“We believe in dwelling in our old style of either Lingala or Kiswahili lyrics. This is key to us, and we will continue to practise it so that we inculcate it into the current generation of our fans,” said the 44-year-old Ngoi, who is the son of the band’s founding leader, Kasongo wa Kanema.
He said the group has never had any defections since its formation.
“In fact, many musicians join us instead. This is because of our culture of never being in a hurry for quick money,” said the band leader, whose primary base is Nairobi.
Ngoi reminded their fans countrywide and in the region that they are set to go places and are not limited to staging shows only in the capital city.
“We are not limited to having our shows in Nairobi, but also in different parts of the country and the region. However, it will depend on various logistical reasons,” he said.
Ngoi said they are set for a one-month tour of the United Kingdom in July, where they are scheduled to stage six shows in London.
This could be the second-longest international tour in the band’s history after the 1996 tour of Japan under the leadership of then band leader Kasongo wa Kanema. It was a two-year escapade that allowed the musical outfit to perform several shows in different Asian cities.
“We are ready to follow in the same footsteps as my father three decades later, during summer this year, when climatic conditions are favourable to our fans in Europe,” he said.
In their long journey to retain their identity, Ngoi said they have faced several challenges, including late or lack of payment from clients when urgently expected. This development sometimes forces him to dig deep into his pocket to pay staff salaries.
“Late payments by different clients at times derail us in steering the ship towards greater heights. It’s our main predicament here. However, we are forced to look for alternative sources to complement this anomaly,” he admitted.
