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The classic album L'Ancienne Belgique was
released in 1985. The song contains a song by
solo guitarist Gerry Dialungana(Mukungu) and a
song by bassist Decca Mpudi (Ndaya) whose first
part is sung in lingala while the second part is
sung in Kintandu which is a dialect of Kikongo
that Decca speaks.
The other songs in the album were KSK by Josky,
a song about a man called Kassongo and finally
the hist song Pesa Position by Madilu System
Also in the picture is rythm guitarist Gege Yoka
Mangaya
TPOK Jazz often paraded a line-up with multiple
solo guitarits playing in tandem. In this
picture are guitarist Dizzy Madjeku, Thierry
Mantuika Kobi and Gerry Dialungana, all capable
of playing solo or mi-solo guitar
Franco is pictured here with Matalanza Sax who
was the band's most prominent saxophonist of the
1980s. he is considered by many as one of the
best saxophone players of Zaire-Congo along with
Modero Mekanisi of Afrisa and Empopo Lowai who
played for both Afrisa and OK Jazzzzz
In 1986, Franco recruited singer Jolie Detta to
the band. Detta shot to instant fame when she
sung on al album featuring hit songs Massou and
Layile. Unfortuntately for fans, Jolie did not
release any additional songs with TPOK Jazz. She
left OK Jazz that same year. Word is that she
disagreed with Franco over financial
remuneration issues.
After Jolie Detta left. Franco recruited two
women to replace her: Baniel Bambo and Nana
Akumu. They would go on to sing in a number of
songs like Flora un femme difficile and
Jes Vis Avec Le P.D.G.
Akumu is a Kenyan name. Many Kenyan fans
actually thought she is Kenyan. However it is a
nickname that was gien to her by her fans in the
1970s when she was based in Nairobi and used to
play at a local club.
In 1986, TPOK Jazz made an extensive tour of
Kenya. This concert was in Eldoret town
Franco's most memorable stop in 1986 was in
Kisumu where he was well received a star crazed
crowd. So excited were the fans to hear Franco's
guitar that they ripped down the perimeter
fence. TPOK Jazzz continued to play as if
nothing out of the ordinary was happening
Franco upon arrival in Kenya for the 1987 All
Africa games concert
TPOK Jazz were
one of the headline perfomers at the 1987 All
Africa games concert along with Zaiko Langa
Langa, Anna Mwale and Jermain Jackson. In this
photois Franco with Dizzy Madjeku, Gerry
Dialungana and Thierry Mantuika
Singer/composer Kiesse Diambu was nicknamed
"wanted" because he had been a key stalwart for
Orchestre Afrisa before defecting to TPOK Jazz.
at Afrisa he had composed hit songs like
Lumusu and Zuwa Te which was voted
Zaire song of the year in 1983. His departure
from Afrisa was a huge loss and many Afrisa fans
were unhappy.
When he joined TPOK Jazz, he composed songs like
Ma Zamba and Bomba Pema. However
he did not scale the heights of success that he
had achieved while at Afrisa. Later in the
1990s, he became a gospel singer.
Aime Kiwakana Kiala joined TPOK Jazz in the
early 1970s as part of the mass defection from
Festival Des Macquisards. He was one of the
band's lead vocals. His mesmerizing tenor voice
can be heard singing the lead vocals on songs
like Okundji, Celio, Lela Ngai na Mosika,
Likingo li Mboka plus his own compositions
which include Sema ya Kinalo, Eperduement
and Loboko Zoba which was a Nzonzing.
Franco with Dizzy Madjeku
Ntesa Dalienst, Madilu System and Josky
Kiambukuta were the most prominent vocalists of
TPOK Jazz in the mid to late 1980s
To the right of the
picture is vocalist Djo Mpoy whose silken voice
features on several songs throughout the 1980s
including Celio, Masikini and Boma Ngai
naboma yo
in this pic are Madilu System, Aime
Kiwakana, Malage De Lugendo and Josky Kiambukuta
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