This Friday, we celebrate Le Commandant de Bord: the shy, laidback and clueless-looking lad from Matadi in the southeast of the sprawling Democratic Republic of Congo capital Kinshasa, who from the tender age 15 years was in the ambit of the Rumba music genre colossus, Luambo Luanzo Franco, until he was 80-plus years old.

In the company of Orchestra TPOK Jazz, Le Commandant de Bord or Joseph Londa Kiambukuta wore the mien of a university scholar – very much in the mould of Goma-born former rebel leader Prof Wamba Dia Wamba. Or he simply looked like a sage or griot from his cmmunity – the populous Bakongo tribe in the south of Kinshasa.

Kiambukuta was born and raised in Bakongo culture before a chance meeting later with another doyen of Rumba, Le Poete Lutumba Simaro Massiya – Franco’s most trusted lieutenant and Orchestra TPOK Jazz assistant band leader.

Orchestra TPOK Jazz was a family with strong bonds that was fashioned out of deep respect, love and trust. The unwritten chain of command outlived Franco, after his death in October 1989. It was on display when Franco’s sister Marie Louis Akangama and a close friend of the fallen giant retained some lawyers to write a letter to members of the band that was intended to reboot the set up left behind the ‘Colossus’ and impose their own will and chain of command.

The intention was to control Franco’s music business, a move that opened fissures and led to the collapse of the most influential and enduring music group on the African continent.

The gist of the letter was that Simaro, the natural heir of the top perch of band leadership was too old and a geezer to take over from Franco. Within the band, it was felt that after Franco died, it was Simaro who was best suited to take over the reins of leadership being one of the oldest and long-serving members, confidant, composer, instrumentalistand deputy leader of the band.

In the letter, Marie Louis Akangama advised Simaro to take a backseat because “he was too old to run the band”.  Marie also clandestinely dispatched another letter to Josky Kiambukuta to take over the reins of TPOK Jazz.

The instructions by Franco’s family and lawyers created some discomfort and intensified the infighting that was beginning to manifest with the egoistic and ambitious Madillu System in the mix, too.

Consequently, a meeting was held at Kusala in the capital Kinshasa to discuss the issue. It was attended by among others Josky, Ndombe Opetum, Sam Mangwana, Lola Checain and Makoso.

The meeting resolved not betray Simaro by throwing him under the bus. Reason? He was instrumental in their recruitment and had welcomed them into TP OK Jazz and mentored them, hence accepting what Luambo’s family had planned would have been a stab in the back.

They were guided by a Lingala proverb that warns: “Nzete babetela mbwa, mokolo mosusu bakoko kobetela yango moto” (The stick that is used to flog a dog might someday be used to batter you too).

It was upon this moral that Josky resolved to return all TP OK Jazz equipment to Franco’s family in Limete (one of 24 communes, boroughs or estates that are the administrative divisions of Kinshasa) and form a new band from scratch with members of TPOK. Initially, the band had no name. In fact, at their first concert together as band, they still had no name.

As they searched for a suitable name, Josky introduced this ensemble during one of their shows as Bana OK, which translates to the Heirs of OK Jazz or TPOK Jazz Children that has stuck to this day. They installed Lutumba Simaro Massiya as their band leader in recognition of his role in recruiting, mentoring and shaping their careers and world view.

Josky Londa Kiambukuta was 15 years old when he met Lutumba Simaro or Kilo ya Kinshasa (Kinshasa Heavyweight or Big Man) after a childhood friend took him to Lingwala, a municipality or commune in Kinshasa, where he lived.

He cut the figure of a shy and innocent lad who could hardly communicate coherently when he asked Simaro for a chance to be a vocalist with TPOK. Never the type to send away even a ‘dreamer’ Simaro asked him to try singing a few songs, which he did. He did not impress, but Simaro had an intuition that spotted a potential good singer if he was coached and mentored.

Simaro took him on board. And that is how Londa’s music career kicked off up to the time he died in 2020.

Simaro Lutumba had some influence in TP OK Jazz long before even Josky Kiambukuta thought of himself as a musician. Josky was actually an ardent follower and student of Tabu Ley – Franco’s rival.

When he joined TP OK Jazz his style of composition did not really align with TPOK Jazz’s and he struggled and even contemplated quitting the band altogether. Josky’s compositions typically tend to be sonorous and the tone ‘mournful’. When he noticed the pessimism, Simaro once again stepped in to steer him through the Odemba style of Rumba.

Patience worked for Josky, who after he got the hang of it went on to establish himself as a key pillar of TPOK Jazz. He rose to be a towering figure and brand for TP OK Jazz both as a crooner and a song writer.

Born in Matadi on Valentines Day in 1949, he hailed from the Kongo tribe. His actual name was Joseph Augustine Kiambukuta, while his mabanga (nickname) was ‘Le Commandant’ for ‘The Captain’.

Londa hardly the looked of like a musician. He was towering figure that would have passed for basketballer or a tutor because of balding head. He loved his Abacoste and was not an extrovert. He always looked humble and indifferent to his surroundings, but understanding.

He had calm attitude, which explains why nearly all his compositions can hardly be described as rambunctious. They were kind of inquisitorial – always trying to explain life to his audience. The songs gave a picture of a thoughtful man that rhymed and chimed with his humane or ‘philosophical’ disposition.

When he died on March 20, 2020, it was like pulling down the curtains on a generation of Lingala musicians analysts refer to as The Great TP OK Jazz. Some musicologists rate this as is the Rhumba Classical Era because of the timelessness of their compositions that are rich in theme, style and renditions that defy age, generation, gender, race and even technology.

In entertainment regimens, the compositions are hymnal in nature and outlived latter-day fast-paced genres that some quarters regard and frown upon as ‘quick and dirty’.

So, on Friday April 21, being a Rumba Friday, we will honour him Bana OK as the qualified and unrivalled Heirs of Luambo Luanzo Franco, who despite massive competition from the fast-paced Cavacha, Soukous, Tcha Tcho and other new genres came up from the late 1970s – Bana OK maintained Odemba style.

• A Tell report