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To honor the memory of the giant of Congolese music Kabasele Tshiamala aka Grand Kalle, Alain’s Marketing Agency and Projects (Amagep), an agency of promotion and marketing based in Johannesburg, is planning the celebration this year, 60 years of Congolese modern music as which it considers the creation of the African Jazz in 1951 as the starting point. This event will be held in advance of events commemorating the 30th anniversary of his death in 2013.<\/p>\n
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Preparations for the festivities are around four events: the publication of a book entitled “The political-cultural Pan-Africanist Militancy of the Grand Kalle” the production of a documentary with varying accounts of the greatness of Joseph Kabasele, the holding a series of conferences on the life of Grand Kalle and on his legacy to the African generation, the awards to all the musicians who collaborated with him in\u00a0 the propulsion of the ‘African Jazz and Congolese music in general.<\/p>\n
Already, Amagep is calling all artists (Congolese, African and the world) who had worked with Grand Kalle during the African Jazz epic, and those who knew him or were influenced by him, to bring their stories to be faithfully returned as the facts recounted in the book cited above. * (1)<\/p>\n
A worthy tribute<\/p>\n
Born on December 16, 1930 in Matadi, a port city in Bas-Congo, Athanase Joseph Kabasele Tshiamala, Grand Kalle, is the father of the modern Congolese music and one of the pioneers of contemporary African music. He revolutionized the art of Orpheus in the Congo being the first to found in 1951, a permanent modern orchestra, African Jazz, combining musical instruments, foreign and local in particular by introducing the electric guitar in the Congolese music. This revolution has been accentuated with the recovery of the Cuban rumba (or rather the return of the rumba from America back to its land of origin: Africa), which allowed the African Jazz to harvest the first phenomenal success not only in the Congo but also all over Africa and even worldwide. Thus, all the bands or musicians who appeared on the scene after the African Jazz are the Grand Kalle\u2019s heirs.<\/p>\n
On the political front, the Grand Kalle used music, which is the most powerful means of communication to convey the message of the decolonization of Congo and the rest of African countries, as well as to defend the cause of a Free Africa, united and prosperous, because that was the catalyst of Pan-Africanism. Among the protest songs, the most significant “Independence Cha Cha” (released in 1960), which became the anthem of all African nations acceding to international sovereignty, and “Africa Mokili Mobimba” (published in 1961). During the Congo’s independence in June 30, 1960, he was a member of Lumumba government as Information Secretary. And in 1967, at the summit of the Organization of African Union (OAU) in Kinshasa, he had given to each head of state present a 45 rpm to the glory of his country. As a result, rightly he is considered one of the fathers of Congolese independence and the OAU (1963). Finally, it is for the cause of nationalism and Pan-Africanist that he died a martyr, both artistically (since the disintegration of the African Jazz in 1963) and physically, twenty years later. He is therefore a national hero.<\/p>\n
Amagep agency invites music lovers and lovers of culture to enjoy the song “Tribute to Grand Kalle” produced by Tshika-Tshika, sung by two great well known artists of the period following the revolution of the African Jazz : Franco Luambo Makiadi and Tabu Ley Rochereau. The first charismatic leader of the TP OK Jazz died in October 1989, when he was his main rival, certify that Joseph Kabasele is the father of Congolese music. The second, having evolved in the African Jazz from 1959 to 1963, recognizes Kalle Jeff like as his father. The testimony of these two icons provide, through song, should help the younger generation to adjust their knowledge of the history of Congolese music paying to the Grand Kalle the due homage and respect. The logo, which appears in the image designed by Amagep, consists of a map of the DRC which embeds the figure of Joseph Kabasele. It also shows the Likemb\u00e9, a traditional instrument symbolizing African folk music, handled by a person whose only hands appear. This instrument is connected via a plug to the general Inga dam (invisible), located in the Congolese province of Bas-Congo, to symbolize the fact that the Grand Kalle Congolese music has innovated by introducing the electric sound<\/p>\n
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