One last song for departed rumba great

The legacy of veteran Congolese crooner Tabu Ley has received a mighty professional boost.

Two weeks after his burial in Kinshasa, his peers have decided to honour him with a collaborative song.

Most of the musicians are back in the Congo DR capital, having come for Tabu Ley’s burial from their various bases.

They quickly got together and have been recording a tribute appropriately titled, ‘Merci Tabu Ley’ (Thanks, Tabu Ley).
This is in honour of Tabu Ley’s solid contribution to the growth of Congolese music spanning four decades.

The project is led by guitarist and producer Maika Munan and features the vocals of leading Congolese singers, some of whom directly owe their successful careers to Tabu Ley.

Tabu Ley gave many budding musicians a chance to hone their skills in his Afrisa International Band.

Speaking to the Saturday Nation by telephone from Kinshasa on Tuesday, Maika said the group was putting together the  final touches to the song.

MUSICIANS COLLABORATE

It will be modelled on the famous We are the World charity collaboration by the super group USA for Africa that was done in 1985, and whose lyrics were written by the legendary  Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. 

“We would like the whole  world to know the huge influence Tabu Ley had on us in music, especially in terms of expressing our vocal prowess,” Maika said.

Musicians in the project include Koffi Olomide, Papa Wemba, Werra Son, Fally Ipupa, Mbilia Bel, Nyoka Longo and Fere Gola.

Veteran band leader, composer and guitarist Lutumba Simaro Masiya also played a role in planning the track.

Kenyan fans of Afrisa International might recall that Maika was part of Tabu Ley’s entourage when his band toured Kenya in 1982. It was during this tour that the band released the hit song Kamunga, featuring Mbilia Bel on the lead vocals.

Mbilia, a former dancer, was the sensational new voice in the  group, lending her great vocals to songs that rekindled Tabu Ley’s fame in East Africa.

Her hit songs included Beyanga, Nadina, Eswi Yo Wapi and Nakei Nairobi.

Mbilia would later have a daughter with Tabu Ley, Melodie. Her daughter is now also a singer.

Former Afrisa International band manager Mekanisi Modero told Saturday Nation: “All of us who performed alongside him or who were inspired by him will be teaming up again to remember him.”

The US-based Modero, who flew to Kinshasa  for Tabu Ley’s burial, is taking a big part in the new song.

Any mention of Tabu Ley, who was once popularly known as Pascal Rochereau, is incomplete without reference to his compatriot and great rival Franco (Luambo Luanzo Makiadi).

RIVAL PILLARS

Through several decades from the late 1950s, the two were considered the rival pillars of Congolese music.

While Tabu Ley was a suave and urbane artiste, Franco’s beat was more richly anchored in tradition.

The crowning moment of their respective careers was a massive collaboration album titled Lisanga ya Banganga (unity of singers), in which they literally buried their rivalry to produce great songs, including Ngungi.

Interestingly, both died in Belgium — Franco in 1989 and Tabu Ley on November 30.