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Empire Bakuba & Pepe Kalle
(Congo-Kinshasa)
Biography
Empire Bakuba has been the band that was brought to fame by the late singer
Pépé Kallé. This giant singer (he was 2m10 tall and about 150kgs) has been,
together with Dilu Dilumona and Matolu Dode Papy Tex, the pivotal leading figure within this band.
Kallé started to sing in a church choir as so many other Congolese singers. Soon, his talent was recognised and and after having sung in various school bands, he started to compose songs for other artists who were then successful. In 1966, he joined Papa Noel's "Le Bamboula", and he also worked with Madilu System and Bozi Boziana. Around 1968, he and Papy Tex created l'Orchestre African Choc. They later joined other bands, Orchestre le Mysotis and Bella Bella, until Seskain Molenga, drummer of Afrisa, asked them to participate in a new outfit, Bakuba. This was actually the starting point of a winning team «Kadima» (Kalle, Dilu and Matolu), remaining the core of band over years. The band was soon renamed into Empire Bakuba, in reminiscence of an old empire in present West Kasai Province.
Kallé started to sing in a church choir as so many other Congolese singers. Soon, his talent was recognised and and after having sung in various school bands, he started to compose songs for other artists who were then successful. In 1966, he joined Papa Noel's "Le Bamboula", and he also worked with Madilu System and Bozi Boziana. Around 1968, he and Papy Tex created l'Orchestre African Choc. They later joined other bands, Orchestre le Mysotis and Bella Bella, until Seskain Molenga, drummer of Afrisa, asked them to participate in a new outfit, Bakuba. This was actually the starting point of a winning team «Kadima» (Kalle, Dilu and Matolu), remaining the core of band over years. The band was soon renamed into Empire Bakuba, in reminiscence of an old empire in present West Kasai Province.
Pépé Kallé
Since then, Empire Bakuba remained successful for years, without really changing its style in music. Their live shows
were full of energy, both the giant Kallé and the dwarf Emoro danced to enchant the public.
Guitarists like Diblo Dibala and Kinanga "Boeing 737" were part of the band,
and there were many occasional co-productions, for instance with Tabu Ley,
Nyboma, Simaro.
Pépé Kallé died in 1998 of a heart attack. Soon after, Papy Tex was seriously injured in a traffic accident in Brussels. These two events lead to popular belief that Empire Bakuba was no more. But after having spend more than a year in a hospital, Papy Tex slowly recovered. In October 1999, he was inaugurated by the traditional chief of the Bakuba tribe in the Kasaï province as the new leader of Empire Bakuba. Since then, only a few albums were released. Kinanga left to create Empire Fondation, Godé Lofombo left to continue with Delta Force and Dilu Dilumona left in 2003. Papy Tex is now the sole band leader of Empire Bakuba.
Pépé Kallé died in 1998 of a heart attack. Soon after, Papy Tex was seriously injured in a traffic accident in Brussels. These two events lead to popular belief that Empire Bakuba was no more. But after having spend more than a year in a hospital, Papy Tex slowly recovered. In October 1999, he was inaugurated by the traditional chief of the Bakuba tribe in the Kasaï province as the new leader of Empire Bakuba. Since then, only a few albums were released. Kinanga left to create Empire Fondation, Godé Lofombo left to continue with Delta Force and Dilu Dilumona left in 2003. Papy Tex is now the sole band leader of Empire Bakuba.
Pépé Kallé was born: 30 November 1951, as Jean Kabasele Yamanya wa ba Mulanga, in Kinshasa. He died 28 November 1998, also in Kinshasa
Empire Bakuba has been formed: in the mid 1970s by Kallé, Dilu Dilumona, and Papy Tex
Style: Congolese rumba / soukous
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| Papy Tex & Likinga: | |||
| Mon bébé | 2002? | Clarys Music | |
| Fondation Empire Bakuba: | |||
| Sauvetage | 2001 | JPS Production CDJPS 154 | |
| Empire Bakuba / Papy Tex: | |||
| Flash | 2004 | Solfège Universel Production | 2CD |
| Empire Bakuba / Pepe Kalle: | |||
| Gardez votre souffle | 2007 | Village Records | CD reissue with bonus DVD |
| Johnny Bitoto | 2004 | Ngoyarto NG087 | |
| Sango Ya Mawa | 2003 | Ngoyarto NG086 | |
| La naissance de l'Orchestre: Nazoki | 2003 | Ngoyarto NG085 | |
| Young Africa | 1999 | EXW 0002122 | |
| Souvenirs | 1999 | Syllart | |
| The Best of Pepe Kalle | 1999 | BMG-Milan | Tracks from CD 70051-2/CD 65054/CD 65050 |
| Les plus grands succès: "Zabolo" | 1998 | Ngoyarto NG052 | Early recordings |
| Cocktail | 1998 | Ets. Ndiaye/ Sonodisc CD79815 | |
| Best of... | 1998 | Syllart | Most tracks from SYL 8324/ 38752/ 38113 |
| Full Option | 1997 | Babi Production | With Papy Tex |
| Souci ya Likinga | 1997 | Flash FDB 300238 (EPP10) | Reissue of LP Kagi Production 086 (1986) |
| Merci Maman | 1997 | B-Mass BMP 970095 | |
| Loin des yeux, Dieu seul sait | 1997 | Flash Distribution FDB 300035 | |
| Wasiwa | 1996 | Sonodisc CDS 7006 | With Papy Tex |
| Welcome in Africa | 1996 | Babi/Jimmy's BOP015 | With Papy Tex |
| Savoir vivre | 1995 | B-Mass BMP 950063 | Also 50474-2 |
| Gardez votre souffle | 1995 | SUN Records | |
| Atinze Muana Popi | 1993 | Sonodisc CD 65054 | Reissue of LP BB 002 (1989) |
| Divisé par deux | 1993 | Sonodisc CD 65050 | Reissue of LP BB 012 (around 1990) |
| Poto Malili: Kinshasa Moto! Moto! | 1993 | Musicanova MUS1003 | |
| Mamie (music clarification) | 1993 | Gefraco/Kaluila KL067 | (CD 70070-2) |
| Feu d'artifice - Lisanga ya Banganga | 1992 | Sonodisc CDS 5505 | With Tabu Ley |
| Hommage à Emoro | 1992 | Syllart 38117-2 | With Pepe Kalle and Bopol Mansiamina |
| Larger than Life | 1992 | Stern's STCD 1038 | Reissue of Gerant |
| Gerant | 1991 | Syllart 38113-2 | |
| Le tube de vos vacances: Liya Liya Faina | 1991 | SIMS/Sonodisc CD 49908 | |
| Gigantafrique | 1990 | Globestyle CDORB 062 | |
| L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur | 1990 | Gefraco/Kaluila KLCD032 | LP from 1988 |
| Mavuela Somo & Pepe Kalle | 1990 | MDL 301 | With Mavuela Somo |
| Stop feu rouge - voisin | 1990 | Bleu Caraïbes 82804 | With Madilu, Nyboma & Simaro |
| - Compilation CD of Nyboma & Madilu Stop feu rouge-voisin and Pepe Kalle chante le poète Simaro (JM Production 91080) | |||
| Show times | 1989 | MA 4034 | |
| Cé Chalé Carnaval | 1989 | Afrorythmes 31001-1/ AR1012 | |
| Pepe Kalle chante le poète Simaro | 1989 | JM Production 91080 | |
| Atinze Mwana Popi | 1989 | BB 002 | LP |
| Pon Moun Paka Bougé | 1988 | Afrorythmes 45309-1 | LP |
| Moyibi | 1988 | Syllart 38752-2 | With Pepe Kalle |
| Ya Moseka de l'Empire Bakuba | 1988 | SIC 002 | |
| Bakuba Show | 1987 | Syllart SYL 8338 | LP, also showing ref. number 8743 |
| Sombokila | 1987 | Syllart SYL 8334 | |
| Blanche neige | 1987 | Rythmes et Musique REM 670 | With Grand Zaiko Wa Wa |
| Nzoto ya chance/ 8 000 km | 1987 | Leader Records Repro 01 | Sometimes refered to as Kwassa Kwassa |
| Joe Dikando | 1987 | LS 70 | |
| Livre d'or | 1986 | DV 001 | Papy Tex with Empire Bakuba |
| Dans Massasy calculé à Abidjan | 1986 | LP ACMP 1001 | Avec Emoro le nain danseur |
| Adieu Dr. Nico | 1986 | Sonodisc CD8040 | |
| Obosini Kisomele | 1986 | Syllart SYL 8322 (8730) | LP |
| Allah | 1986 | Rythmes et Musique REM 550 | LP |
| Chérie Ondi | 1995 | Editions Veve EVVI 45 | CD re-issue of 2 vinyl albums (Double Double and Pepe) |
| Tête africaine / Nizi | 1985 | Eddy'son / K dance 4222 (DK 006) | LP, Dilu & Empire Bakuba à Paris |
| Bombe atomique | 1985 | Mélodie 79512-2 | Also Afro Rythmes 0999 |
| Muana Bangui | 1985 | Rythmes et Musique REM 490 | LP |
| Trop c'est trop | 1985 | Rythmes et Musique REM 410 | LP |
| La Belle Etoile | 1985 | Rythmes et Musique REM 360 | LP, also Patience (Veve EVVI 41, 1985) |
| Bonana 85 | 1985 | PF 770 | LP |
| Kabambare | 1985 | GM 1935 | LP |
| Amour propre | 1984 | Editions Veve EVVI 19 | Also: Rythmes et Musique REM 260 |
| Zabolo | 1982 | Rythmes et Musique REM 220 | LP |
| Empire Bakuba & Nyboma: | |||
| Empire Bakuba / Zouke Zouke | 1986 | Syllart SYL 8324 (8724) | LP, with Nyboma |
Thanks to Dolf Motz and Ronald Zee for their help in compiling this discography.
Sources
Sources
Page added October 2002