Mariama

The singer and guitarist Kanda Bongo Man was born on 1 January 1955 in Inongo, in the then Belgian Congo, 500 km northeast of the capital Kinshasa. His father, also called Bongo Man, was a drummer. He himself was born as Bongo Kanda.

At 18, he left school to join a local band in Kinshasa. Shortly afterwards, he joined Orchestre Bella Mambo. This is the orchestra that was founded in 1972 by Emile Soki Dianzenza, who left the band Bella Bella because of a quarrel with his brother Maxim Soki Vangu. Soki Dianzenza then creates the band Bella Mambo, together with guitarist Dino Vangu. In 1976, Soki Dianzenza reconciled with his brother, after which he left the band he had founded. Kanda Bongo Man continued with Bella Mambo, together with guitarist Diblo Dibala.

In 1979, Kanda Bongo Man left for Paris, where he first worked in a window factory. His breakthrough came in 1981 with the song “Lyole”. He recorded this song together with Orchestre Bella-Bella, with Diblo Dibala on solo guitar.

Guitarist Diblo Dibala (nicknamed “machine gun”) plays solo guitar on several Kanda Bongo Man albums, including “Amour Fou” and “Kwassa Kwassa”. Later, Diblo Dibala starts a solo career.

Kanda Bongo Man is responsible for several innovations in soukous music. He often plays guitar solos and also introduces a new dance rhythm: “kwassa kwassa”, (in French: “kouassa kouassa”).

To illustrate how people dance to “kwassa kwassa”, here are a couple of youtube videos:

Kwassa-Kwassa dancing

Leçon de danse kwasa kwasa

Fans dance to ‘Kwassa Kwassa’ on stage with Kanda Bongoman

Kanda Bongo Man – Billi (Live At the Emperors)

Kanda Bongo Man, the “King of Kwassa Kwassa”, now lives in England, where he still regularly performs with his band. On 8 October 2021, for example, he will be giving a concert at “The Nell’s”, in West Kensington, London; a concert that has been postponed several times due to Corona. He also has plans for a new album.

Thanks to Muziekweb in Rotterdam.

Playlist:

1. Kanda Bongo Man: Ida, 5’43, auteur: Kanda Bongo Man, LP Afro Rythmes Présente Kanda Bongo Man, Afro Rythmes AR 065
2. Orchestre Bella-Bella & Les Frères Soki: Tikela ngai mobali, 5’19, auteur: Soki Dianzenza Emile, LP Éditions Bella-Bella, african MZD 433 90.854 B
3. Dino Vangu: Ibrahim, 7’33, auteur: Dino Vangu, CD Sorozo – 1977/78, Sono CD 36557
4. Kanda Bongo Man: Iyol, 7’40, auteur: Kanda Bongo Man, CD Iyole ea, Melodie 795112
5. Kanda Bongo Man: Bella bella elombe, 7’41, auteur: Kanda Bongo Man, CD Iyole ea, Melodie 795112
6. Diblo Dibala: Bolinga, 4’55, auteur: Diblo Dibala, CD Super soukous, Shanachie CD 64016
7. Kanda Bongo Man: J.T., 5’39, auteur: Kanda Bongo Man, CD Amour fou, Hannibal HNCD 1337
8. Kanda Bongo Man: Liza, 6’37, auteur: Kanda Bongo Man, CD Kwassa Kwassa, Hannibal HNCD 1343
9. Kanda Bongo Man: Djessy, 9’21, auteur: Kanda Bongo Man, LP Afro Rythmes Présente Kanda Bongo Man, Afro Rythmes AR 065