Francois Luambo Makiadi

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Franco Luambo

Background information
Birth name François Luambo Makiadi
Also known as Franco
Born July 6, 1938(1938-07-06)
Died October 12, 1989 (aged 51)
Genre(s) Rumba
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, guitarist
Instrument(s) Guitar
Vocals
Years active 1950-1980s
Associated acts OK Jazz, TPOK Jazz

François Luambo Makiadi (6 July 1938 - 12 October 1989) was a major figure in twentieth century Congolese music, and African music in general. He is widely referred to as Franco Luambo or, simply, Franco. Known for his mastery of rumba, he was nicknamed the "Sorcerer of the Guitar" for his seemingly effortlessly fluid playing. As a founder of the seminal group OK Jazz, he is counted as one of the originators of the modern Congolese sound.

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[edit] Formative years

Francois Luambo Makiadi was born in the rural village of Sona Bata in the Bas Zaire region of what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then the colony of Belgian Congo). When he was still a baby, his parents moved to the capital city of Leopoldville (now Kinshasa). His father, Joseph Emongo, was a railroad worker while his mother baked homemade bread to sell at a local market. At age seven he built a rudimentary guitar that he played to attract customers to his mother's stall. His talent was recognized by guitarist Paul Ebengo Dewayon who taught Francois how to play. In 1950, the twelve year old made his professional debut as a member of Dewayon's band, Watam, impressing audiences with his skills on a guitar almost as big as himself. Three years later, Francois recorded his first single Bolingo na ngai na Beatrice (My love for Beatrice) after he had become part of the house band for Loningisa Studio. The band leader, Henri Bowane, shortened his given name to "Franco", a tag that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

In 1955, although he was being given plenty of studio work, Franco formed a band with Jean Serge Essous that debuted in the OK Bar in Leopoldville. The following year the band was renamed OK Jazz (later TPOK Jazz) in honor of the place it had begun. Within a year of its founding, OK Jazz was challenging Grand Kalle's African Jazz as the biggest group in Congolese music, and it continues to be the standard by which modern Congolese musicians are judged. In 1958, Essous left OK Jazz, leaving Franco as undisputed leader of the constantly metamorphosizing group that ballooned from six original members to about 30 in the 1980s. Franco claims that OK Jazz produced over 150 albums during the 30 years of its existence, though 84 have been conclusively documented, and the band dominated the Congolese music scene.

Also in 1958, Franco was jailed for a motoring offense, though a crowds of fans enthusiastically greeted his release. In 1960 the violence and instability accompanying the transition to independence convinced Franco to move OK Jazz to Belgium to continue recording. When the situation stabilized under the rule of dictatorial President Mobutu Sese Seko, who named the new country 'Zaire', the band returned to play the Festival of African Arts in Kinshasa in 1966. OK Jazz gained government support as part of Mobutu's attempt to create an authentically Zairean culture. Nevertheless, Franco did not shy from political subjects in his songs, or from venturing from his accustomed 'praise' tradition of music to the 'preaching' tradition, leading to several arrests when he displeased the authorities. These brushes with the law only increased his popularity with his fans.

[edit] Mid-career

Franco proved to be an astute businessman, forming a recording company to control his own work and nurture new talent. At one point, there were even two OK Jazzs, one based in Zaire and one in Europe. Franco owned land in France, Belgium and Zaire; including the four biggest nightclubs in Kinshasa. While the ever-changing band toured constantly, particularly in Africa and Europe, OK Jazz never broke into the American market; a 1983 U.S. tour was unsuccessful. For reasons that have never been explained, Franco declared himself a Muslim in the mid-1970s and changed his name to Abubakkar Sidikki. However, he never observed the tenets of the Islamic faith and continued to be known as Franco.

[edit] The 1980s

In 1980, Franco was named a Grand Master of Zairean music by the government, an honor that linked him with the ruling elite that was responsible for much of the economic problems beggaring the country. The subject of his songs shifted dramatically in this period to patriotic songs and praise songs to wealthy fans. He also began a drastic weight gain, eventually reaching about 300 pounds (136 kg). However, he retained the ability to move and excite people with his music. In 1985, Franco released his biggest hit ever, Mario, an account of a gigolo who lives off of his older lover.

In 1987 rumors began to circulate that Franco was very ill. The only solo composition he released that year was "Attention Na SIDA" ("Beware of AIDS"), a warning to avoid catching the disease, leading to unconfirmed speculation that he had contracted HIV. He began to withdraw his energies from OK Jazz, causing the band to begin to disintegrate under internal tensions, and reconverted from Islam to Roman Catholicism. On 12 October 1989 Franco died while in a Belgian clinic. His body was flown back to Zaire where his coffin was transported on a flag-drapped hearse with police escort through streets packed with thousands of grieving fans. The government declared four days of national mourning during which state radio played nothing but Franco's songs. On 17 October he was buried.

[edit] External links

[edit] Literature

  • Congo Colossus: Life and Legacy of Franco and OK Jazz by Graeme Ewens, Publisher: Buku P. (12 Oct 1994), ISBN-10: 0952365502