Remembering the gentle giant of Congo music

Fondly referred to as ‘Le Elephant’ due to his massive size and giant legs,  Pepe Kalle not only had a melodious voice, but was also a master of the stage show. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • At the advent of the ‘Kwasa Kwasa’ dancing style in the early 1990s, Pepe Kalle was among the artistes who popularised it across Africa.
  • Speaking to the Saturday Nation from Kinshasa earlier this week, Lofombo Gode, who was a bass guitarist of the Grand Empire Bakuba band, said the highlight of the event will be  a visit to Pepe Kalle’s graveside in Matonge.

Saturday marks exactly 17 years since burly Congolese musician Pepe Kalle Yampanya died.

He is credited with some great compositions, but also for nurturing several people with growth disabilities into celebrities. Thanks to Pepe Kalle, Ayilla Emoro became a household name in Congo and elsewhere in East and Central Africa. Other ‘small’ stars brought to the limelight included dancers Jolie Bebe and Dominic Mabwa, who made a huge physical contrast with the burly Pepe Kalle.

Fondly referred to as ‘Le Elephant’ due to his massive size and giant legs,  Pepe Kalle not only had a melodious voice, but was also a master of the stage show. It was comical sometimes to see him cuddling the small dancers, who remained an integral part of his concerts. Emoro suffered a fatal heart attack during a tour of Zambia and Botswana in the early 1990s, a massive blow to the band, but Pepe Kalle soldiered on.

The spirit and legacy of his Grand Empire Bakuba band are still alive with some former members of the band resident in Kinshasa while others are based in Europe.

Pepe Kalle will be remembered for some of his big Soukous beat songs such as Moyibi, Roger Milla (in praise of Cameroonian soccer legend Roger Milla), and the highly sentimental Tika Makanisi.

At the advent of the ‘Kwasa Kwasa’ dancing style in the early 1990s, Pepe Kalle was among the artistes who popularised it across Africa.

Speaking to the Saturday Nation from Kinshasa earlier this week, Lofombo Gode, who was a bass guitarist of the Grand Empire Bakuba band, said the highlight of the event will be  a visit to Pepe Kalle’s graveside in Matonge.

Later,  former band members will attend Mass at a Catholic church in the Bandal suburb.

Later this evening, Lofombo hinted that there would be a special show at the Bandal Centre in Kinshasa.

Among those expected to take part are Dilu Dilumona, Djo Djo Ikomo, who had a stint with Franco Luambo Makiadi’s TP OK Jazz. Ikomo performed in Kenya in the 70s with Bana Ngenge and Les Noirs. Also expected is yet another of the ‘small’ dancers,  Dominic Mabwa.