ORCHESTRA SUPER MAZEMBE
Bomas of Kenya

Orchestra Super Mazembe would have played a significant role in popularizing African music worldwide if the international popularity of World Music had started five years earlier. This extraordinary, exciting, influential group dominated the Kenyan and East African music scene from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s.

The band's roots lay in the democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire), specifically in hometown Likasi near Lubumbashi in Shaba Province, in the 1960s "music was everywhere". Many people in the region, including the band's families, were engaged in mining copper like their neighbours in Zambia.

The group's founder Mutonkole Lonwa Didos and his friends used to attend music clubs while they were still at school and decided on a musical career despite the objections and worries of their parents. Their main musical influence came not from the big established stars like Franco and Rochereau Tabu Ley, but from the newer artists on the Verckys label.

1. Gina        

2. Loboko   

3. Bamama 

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Tracklist: 

1. Kassongo                         4:35 Kitele Aley
2. Samba                              4:29 Katele Aley
3. Jiji                                      4:48 Tabu Ley/arr. Super Mazembe
4. Gina                                   8:35 Lovy Longomba
5. Mukala Musi                    8:04 Lobe Mapako Roddy
6. Mbanda Ya Mobange     4:42 Mutonkole Longwa Didos
7. Shauri Yako                     9:25 nguashi N'timbo/arr. 
                                                         Super Mazembe
8. Lukasi                               7:11 Lovy Longomba
9. Loboko                            10:15 Loboko Bua Mangala
10. Bamama                        4:07 Kassonga Wa Kanema/Majo
11. Longwa                          4:59 Muongkole Longwa Didos 

They borrowed musical instruments from an uncle in order to learn and practice. In 1967, Longwa founded the group call Super Vox. In 1969, they headed for Zambia, but the uncle relieved them of all the equipment before they managed to cross the border. So they arrived in Lusaka without any instruments. Luckily, the nightclubs owned their own sets of equipment and the band began to build their reputation. They established a winning formula of recording Congolese rumba in the different local languages Nyanja in the case of Zambia, Kiswahili for the people of Kenya and Tanzania and, of course Lingala for the Congo.

In Lusaka the group met the acclaimed musician Nashil Pichen of the Kenyan Super Eagles Limpopo Band who fired their imaginations when he told them about the vibrant music scene in Kenya. After rushing around getting visas in 1974, they headed for Nairobi, one of the main music centres in Africa, especially during the 1970sand 1980s.

In Nairobi the group found out that there was already another group called Super Vox and therefore they changed their name to Super Mazembe (earth-movers, or bulldozers). The name is perfectly apt considering the power and drive of their music.

The group found a willing audience quickly and took the country by storm. They popularized their own dance style - Mushosho - and were affectionately known as Bana Likasi or Bana Mushosho by their fans, as they vied for popularity with fellow Congolese groups Les Mangelepa, Les Kinois (Samba Mapangala's first group), Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga and Congolese/Kenyan band Les Wanyika.

March 1977 marked Orchestra Super Mazembe's first hit. The group were thrilled and surprised to see "Kassongo" shoot up the charts and remain at number one for three months. The song's title marks a trend for many tracks that are named after group members, e.g.: Longwa, Loboko etc. Kassongo was named afterKassongo Songoley (rhythm guitarist) and penned by main lyricist Katele Aley (vocals), who also composed "Samba".

Many bands were tied to specific venues by resident-band contracts, but this was not the case with Mazembe, who criss-crossed the country and also toured in Tanzania and Uganda setting audiences alight wherever they appeared. They became a household name. According to a Nairobi newspaper the group was so popular that "agricultural shows and top hotels scrambled to book them".

Mazembe cut the number of live appearances at times to concentrate on composing and their prolific recording career. The group also covered fellow Congolese singer, Nguashi N'timbo's "Shauri Yako" - a giant hit - and the Beatles" "Words of Love" which they called "Maloba d'Amour". They recorded an album for release on Virgin Records in 1982 and two of the tracks are featured in this collection - "Jiji" and "Bamama".

Over the years the group's line-up included Mutonkole Longwa Didos (founder & Vocals) - died 1999, Lovy Longomba ("ya Mama") - a crowd favourite with the high-pitched vocals - split in 1981 to form his own band - later died in car crash in Tanzania 1996, Kassongo Wa Kanema (vocals), Loboko Bua Mangala (guitar), Kilambe Katele Aley (vocals), the outstanding Bukasa wa Bukasa "Bukalos" (lead guitar) - died 1989, Rapok Kayembe Miketo (guitar) - died 1991, Mwanza wa Mwanza Mulunguluke (bass guitar), Komba Kassongo Songoley (guitar) died - 1990, Kitenge Ngoi wa Kitombole (drums), Musa Olokwiso Mangala.

Other members who joined at various times included: Kitaki Lokasa, Fataki Lokasa, Mwenze Kheko, Lobe Mapako, Kayembe Nyonga, Atia Jo Mwanza (bass guitar, who also did a stint with Samba Mapangala"s Orchestra Virunga), Petite Pasi and Kenyans: Ochuo, Mike Ogutu Ayieye, and Silas Kamau.

From the mid 1980s the group was beset with problems and vanished from the music scene for a while. The deaths of many members, others leaving to join different groups, splits, financial problems and equipment hassles all played their part in the group's decline. There were attempts, some temporarily successful, to revive the group, but with the death of Longwa recently it looks like the end. East African music has been relatively overlooked internationally - completely unjustifiably. If you like gutsy music with maximum feeling, exceptional guitar and horn playing, check out these other Earthworks albums: "Guitar Paradise of East Africa:, "Kenya Dance Mania", and three classic albums by Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga: "Virunga Volcano", "Ujumbe", and "Feet on fire" on Stern's.

"Giants of East Africa" contains my favourite tracks from Orchestra Super mazembe's heyday (1977 - 1986). All of the songs sparkle with something special: passionate vocals, razor-sharp guitar-licks, monumental bass lines, thrilling horns and a rhythm that demands your attention and forces you onto the dance floor. Listen to the way "Gina" and "Mukala Musi" build and finally explode into a joyous irresistible groove. The outstanding vocals and guitar riffs of "Kassongo" and "Jiji" - the music is all great. The Congolese musicians who settled in Kenya over the years incorporated some of the felling and sound of local benga music - with rumba, to make a new unique musical style, and Orchestra Super Mazembe were the prime example of this achievement. Enjoy!

Trevor Herman London, November 2001

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