Congo mourns ex-Afrisa guitarist Shaba Kahamba

DR Congo is mourning the loss of yet another icon of its golden generation of talented musicians. Former Afrisa International bass guitarist Shaba Kahamba died in hospital in Holland on Monday morning and rumba fans in Africa and Europe have been reflecting on his contribution to the rich legacy of Congolese music in Lingala.

Despite keeping a low profile in recent years, Shaba (born Kamba Emmanuel in August 1947) will be remembered for the mastery of his favourite instrument and his stage antics during his heyday with the legendary Tabu Ley Rochereau’s band. Tabu Ley himself died in Belgium in November 2013, having been ravaged by a stroke that had left him in a wheelchair.

Shaba played the bass guitar on most of the popular songs by Afrisa International in the 1980s, featuring songbird Mbilia Bel such as Nakei Nairobi, Beyanga, Eswi Yo Wapi and Cadance Mudanda. The partnership between Tabu Ley and Mbilia saw Mbilia having a daughter, Melodie, with her band leader before leaving him to try out a solo career.

BIG BLOW

According to Shaba’s Paris-based fellow veteran guitarist Dino Vangu, a family member broke the news of the death in Holland. “His death is a big a blow to the Afrisa International fraternity, particularly as we have of late been involved in efforts to revive the band,” Vangu said in a telephone interview from Paris. Vangu, who was the main lead guitarist with the band until 1985, recalled that Shaba played the guitar on some of the Afrisa International’s hit songs of the 1980s, including Sorozo, Ebue, Tanga Tanga and Zuwa Te.

Speaking on the phone from the US, where he now lives, Mekanisi Modero, the long-serving band manager, said Shaba’s death was a blow to the former Afrisa members’ efforts to revive what was one of Congo’s best music ensembles. It was for a long time only rivalled by grand master Franco Luambo Luanzo’s TPOK Jazz. Mekanisi said: “In the recent past, we had some live shows involving some of the US-based former members of the Afrisa International band, including Huit Kilos and Wawali Bonane.”

He revealed that they had planned to incorporate Shaba in some of their revival shows. The new Afrisa International Band is working on an album to include reworkings of some of the songs composed by Tabu Ley.

Before joining the Afrisa International, Shaba had a stint with Orchestra Bella Bella Band in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Veteran London-based guitarist Mosese Fan Fan, speaking on the phone alongside compatriots and fellow musicians Nzaya Nzayadio and Fiston Lusambo, expressed shock at Shaba’s death. Shaba will be buried next Friday in Kortetenhoef, Holland.