Baba National (Baba Gaston) - Ilunga Ilunga

[@alfredkasololo5242]

Depuis chez-moi à Bukavu, Sud-Kivu, j'écoutais ses chansons. Baba Ilunga Gaston. Il était le "Lwambo" de la rumba congolaise version swahili. Il a fait sa marque avec la chanson "Kakolele."

[@lucyhabwe1310]

Baba National,back in my high school late 70s wow, ilunga ilunga Who's there listening 🎧👍 Barua kwa mpezi wangu Gaston❤️❤️❤️ RIP papa

[@Bellingham0035]

@ Juluka. I may be mistaken but I believe Bana Ngenge had Jojo Ikomo. I also think Jojo Ikomo left to form Bassanga after a band member stabbed a fellow musician to death while they were in Dar. The last time I heard of Jojo Ikomo was when he was in Empire Bakuba. As for me Bana Ngenge's greates hit was NAIROBI. ( Iko Iko Iko Iko na Bana ya Ngenge)

[@frankkabwechere2926]

You can not believe that I first listened to this song in 1977 and it is to me still a hit!!!May his SOUL REST IN PEACE!!

[@leilasalma2064]

I'm so proud of my father I love you and miss you so much and will never forget you every single day we cherish you and listen to your music your legacy will still continue your daughter Bena wa ilunga I love u ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jamesgordonjames2998]

Glad to know his offspring are around and fondly remember this great man. I place in the same category as many unrecognised Zairean greats who significantly advanced and marketed Zairean music. He definitely made Swahili a dominant language in Zairean compositions. Please daughters write his biography and publish his full music catalogue so that Africans will remember him 1000 yrs from now if Donald Trump, Putin, the Chinese, North Koreans, Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel and the Arabs don't blow up the world with their nukes.

[@alfredkasololo5242]

Baba Ilunga National, une riche culturelle congolaise. Un des pères de la rumba congolaise version swahili surtout. Même mort, ses oeuvres musicales peuvent enrichir sa famille si on a des bons agents de marketing. N'est-ce pas que les Bob Marley, les Michael Jackson, les autres vedettes de la musique déjà décédés font toujours entrer l'argent pour leurs pays et leurs familles par le tourisme, des musées, des publicités ou des droits d'auteur.🙏🇨🇩Mungu alinde roho yake.

[@omegapaul9834]

I watched Kabilla Kabanze and Bwamy Walumona playing for Baba Gaston at Madunis night club. This makes a difference for peuple who only saw Mangelepa much later hawawezi kuelewa.

[@Juluka69]

where is / was Madunis club

[@martinoluoch6]

+J Oluoch. later Florida club, koinange street

[@paulomega3575]

Ber ndi mit. Nice song Kabila Kabanze. Nalingi nzembo oyo

[@antonykennedyochieng5642]

le capite Bwami walumona on lead guitar& Kabanze Evani on lead vocals were no joke man!

[@jamesernest2761]

With mine own eyes l saw him and his team at NAMIS Club @ Nairobi show .

[@bensonkigada]

Awesome

[@kiswahilikitukuzwe2547]

Baba Gaston Ilunga wa Ilunga was later appointed as a diplomat by president Mubutu to represent Congo (Zaire) at their Nairobi embassy. I think he was the one in charge of cultural affairs at the embassy. That is how he disappeared from the musical scene.

[@dominicmaluki5242]

I appreciate the deep and rich history of rhumba musicians you guys are sharing here. Be blessed the big rumba family

[@stephenkatete9410]

This song was recorded before Orchestra Les Mangelepa members left Baba Gaston to form their own band in 1975 or 1976

[@zouzouangel3914]

I am so glad to know that my father meant so much to you all all your comments are appreciated. he was indeed a good father to us as well. he loves everyone with all of his heart I can describe him as a very good kind hearted man respectful and caring. our life has never been the same since Bana Gaston ILUNGA wa ILUNGA left us may his soul rest in peace. Victoria wa ilunga.

[@musa2843]

oooh he touched many of us through his music! There was no Christmas without his Kakolele Viva Christmas

[@007mkenya]

WE called it Markelepa, stand up and dance 1979 at GS,,, then there was mangelepa in the early 80s

[@georgeodhiambo598]

@@007mkenya Wrong. The dance style called "Marquez les pas" - pronounced as makelepa. It was the French translation of "mark your steps". It started with Ilunga's band before the 75/76 split. By the time mangelepa ( a corruption of the title of the original dance style) was formed, the band was mangelepa and the dance style was mangelepa. And that was 75/76.

[@noahkamarei6187]

This is when I was a Form 3 student!

[@omegapaul9834]

If there was not Baba Gaston there would not have been Mangelepa, Baba Gaston brought all of them to Nairobi and they were in his band later they left him and formed Mangelepa. Listen to Kakolele Viva Christmas, what a hit.

[@Juluka69]

You are very right Omega , Gaston was a very courageous man to go against the Verkeys , TP Ok wave . He made a very smart move coming to Kenya where Lingala was really rocking as opposed to others who went to West Africa .

[@siasabora]

Baba is a Legend!

[@DKMBUGUA]

For those who don't know this particular song was sang and played by to be Les Mangelepa.Baba gaston brought Mangelepa to Nairobi and after a short time the whole Band defected and formed Mangelepa.As you may notice the lead vocalist in this song is Kabila Kabanze Evani

[@georgeodhiambo598]

David Mbugua : It is not true that the" whole band" left Baba Gaston to form Mangelepa. Firstly, the chart buster "Viva Christmas/Kakolele" was sung after the exodus by Mangelepa. Lutulu Kaniki stayed behind with Gaston and only joined his pals later after the mangelepa first anniversary had been released. Tshimanga too stayed behind. Kasongo too stayed with Gaston but later left during the second major exodus that saw the formation of Orch Bwambe Bwambe. It is this second exodus that appeared to have dampened Gaston's music spirit and he turned his focus to business, buying and selling things between Kenya and Tanzania.

[@davidtharau6062]

You very right Mr George odhiambo. You hit the nail on the head. It just happened as you have put it.

[@Bellingham0035]

Yes, I remember now, the flamboyant dancer, Fataki Los Los Masumbuko ya Dunia. They had a smooth way of playing. My memory fails me on Bassanga, the nickname of Peter Otieno. Legend has it that he was so taken by a band that had entered the Kenyan thro Mombasa led by a Jojo Ikomo (yeah yeah). The band had some strange guitars with 'two heads' ( Double necked) -Rangers/Ibanez/Gibson. Peter Otieno took to crazy liking of this band hence the nick name. The name of the Band- L Och Bassanga

[@GobsonNjagi]

Funny enough, baba national brought almost every Congolese bands in eastern Africa, yet they never recognized him, he died a lonely man, with very few music friends, Tshimanga assossa, kabila kabanze am I saying the truth?

[@Bellingham0035]

H Ochwada. I think you can easily be mislead by some posting here so be abit careful. This talk of Baba Gaston being a nobody is not merited at all. Long befoe Mangelepa, we know Gaston had hits, Mpenzi Gaston, Kelekele, TP Englebert etc. Being from Eastern Congo most of his songs were in Swahili. In deed Lubumbashi people always found it easier to live in East Africa. Remember DJ Edward Masengo of VOK through to Hi Fives to Mangelepa. baba Gastons music prowess stands

[@Juluka69]

Very good points , of course Gaton's talent and contribution to the spread of Zairean music is undeniable

[@Juluka69]

Baba may well be a legend but I think the force behind him were well what we know as Orch. Les Mangelepa, Baba was more of an organizer and motivator. R.I.P. little brother, you will live on thru your music which is everlasting.

[@henrykatumpe6617]

I bought the hit single kakolele viva Christmas in 1978 with pocket money down nyamakima in Nairobi

[@georgeodhiambo598]

Gaston created what you are referring to as "the force behind Gaston"! And he guided it! So Gaston was the the force behind "the force behind Gaston"! Nope, you don't make sense.

[@jamesgordonjames2998]

Kabila, Lutulu, Evani, Le Capitaine, Ambassadeur, Fundi, Medico, Baba Ilunga Ilunga, Fundi, Tshimanga Zadios. Mukala Bebe, Estazo Wa Esther & Nguashi Ntimbo had already left.

[@Wanderaleo]

Who had left ???

[@georgeodhiambo598]

what had they left?

[@josiahmuthemba115]

Sikizeni Bwami wa Lumwona na lead guitar yaani solo. Niwachache waweza copy beat ya solo yake manake si mchezo na si rahisi.

[@Prof.Dr.SavaiGukhu]

@Josiah Muthemba: Nimekubali!! Huwezi photocopy guitar solo ya Bwamy Wa Lumona. Ngumu!! The same solo complexity you find in "Mimba."

[@mohamedsendege3747]

God gave courage to me Asante sana ALLAH

[@simiyuwafula6590]

I was in college MTC Nairobi.

[@otienooluoch3846]

A hit for all time!

[@davidonsongo4385]

Enzi zetu hizo

[@hochwada]

Naliakar, I please can you elaborate on what you have written here? I am in the process of researching the impact of music and popular culture in Kenya. For sure Congolese music has been very influential and has far-reaching impact on the social and economic lives of East African inhabitants. We need to write these things for posterity :)

[@Juluka69]

I already e-mailed you, check your mail ."the granf sausage?" ...LOL !!!! think that one would be obvious, ha ha ha...I didn't know that was Paddy Viera's nickname. As for Dan Odindo, perhaps he could tell us...ha ha

[@GobsonNjagi]

Nice 👍

[@Juluka69]

You are right Jojo Ikomo was one of the Bana Ngenge guys, add Moreno Batamba and Fataki Lokassa "Masumbuko ya dunia" . Not sur who else was there. The band Ikomo formed was Orch. Basanza not Bassanga . Bassanga was the nickname of a famous Gor Mahia player

[@jamesgordonjames2998]

Bassanga was Kalombo Mwanza's band and came in from Kampala. He recruited Djo Djo Ikomo into Bassanga. Their 1st Kenyan hit 'Mobembo' has no Ikomo but he appears in 'Oyando'. When Bassanga collapsed, Ikomo and Moreno joined Les Noirs while Kalombo went to Bwambe Bwambe, Super Mazembe, Viva Makale and then Virunga before disappearing from Kenya.

[@fenwickss.musonye1790]

I am looking forward to the day I will get the song barua yako uliyonitumia, iko chini ya miguu ya kitandaa oohh Baba Gaston

[@Darubini2]

I think you are referring to the song titled Baba Gaston and recorded by Baba National. I will post it soon.

[@fenwickss.musonye1790]

Darubini2 Thanks brother. I wish I got my hands to it.

[@Darubini2]

Send me your email address and I will email you the mp3 file.

[@Darubini2]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqebeaKrr72ZY9U

[@Juluka69]

@bonangame Julie where are you currently , are you also a musician ? Your dad was one talented man and also a nice person personally. His music will live on

[@Bellingham0035]

I await the email. I just am wondering whether it is the same reason, Quarter Lain singer is nicknamed 'Suzuki 4X4' or why Arsenal's Patrick Viera was nicknamed 'Le Grand Sausage' Or why my best friend Daniel Odindo was nicknamed 'Skuaba'

[@Juluka69]

I think you can find Mokano here, stuff by Bana ngenge on the other hand are rare. Who were the Bana Ngenge band members ? I know Fataki Lokassa and maybe Moreno Batamba sang with them at one time, who were the other guys ???

[@Juluka69]

You are right Fataki was one guy you never could ignore and yes Peter Otieno "Bassanga" was the Gor Mahia right back then but how he got the bassanga name is another story altogether. I shall mail you the story on e-mail..

[@Wanderaleo]

Bassanga nicknamed himself in school (Eastleigh). During that time nicknaming oneself was the order of the day and we had two Otienos in the same year all playing basketball , Otieno "Kurata" (from Yashuaki Kurata) and Otieno "Basanga" (from the song) and so to differentiate them we used the extended names and that's how they stuck.

[@buashraf]

Les Mangelepa owe their origin from the late Baba Gaston Ilunga wa Ilunga.

[@Bellingham0035]

ayi yawa to Jois nyar japuonj bende chieng' wanarom. Iparo kaka nene imiel Park Inn ma igo otenga ka un gi nyar tz hik piero abiriyo gi auchiel ( Translation: This song is easier to dance to just like visting an inn in a park and eating zebra meat).

[@mohamedsendege3747]

great song

[@mohamedsendege3747]

i was maskin

[@violakyomukama6572]

Great

[@mohamedsendege3747]

walked from kampala to entebbe but at school

[@Juluka69]

@josephjosky No, he was his own man. That's why he left Zaire early in his career. In Zaire then you had to be associated with Franco or Kiamangwana to make it. He left for Zambia and ended up permanently in Kenya with his boys.

[@nathankabango952]

Several of the youngmen that ended up being prominent in Kenya as Bana Ngege...; Fataki, Jojo, among others came to Kampala with Verkeys Kiamuangana and Orch Veve to entertain Idi Amin in the 70s. They stayed back and formed their own group; Bana Moja, which performed at the 'New Life' Club, in Kampala's suburb of Mengo.They would later move to Kenya as Bana Ngenge, then Moja One I think was born out of that. The last time I saw Jojo, he had come to Kampala in the 90s with Pepe Kalle's Empire Bakuba band. All super talents!

[@georgeodhiambo598]

Their move into Kenya wasn't neatly planned the way you are putting it. DRC was and still is a vast country with extremely poor infrastructure. Those in Eastern Congo were more affiliated to East African countries, particularly Tanzania. That's how the then Vox Africa, to be later renamed Mazembe found its way into Zambia, and later to Tanzania and eventually to Kenya. For Gaston, tours in Tanzania were common. Moving to Nairobi was due to better recording facilities. And of course when they landed in Nairobi there was no turning back.

[@Prof.Dr.SavaiGukhu]

Where is Shonde Shonde?

[@omegapaul9834]

Listen to Baba Gaston and Tschondo National-Kalai all names mentioned good rythym by Maindusa, this proves Abu Ashraf right and J.Oluoch very wrong you need more homework Oluoch.

[@Juluka69]

Omega Paul , in what instance or claim am I wrong may I ask ? For me there's no homework to do far as Mangelepa n Gaston are concerned , heard it ALL from the boys themselves , am still in touch with them even as we speak .

[@Darubini2]

+naphtallie banda. The song you are looking for is Ngai Mwana Na Zongi. I could not find it on KZbin but I will post it shortly.

[@jaredochieng3697]

I just remember Uhuru park by then

[@Juluka69]

No he never did, think he was based in Lubumbashi, Luambo was a Kinshasa guy

[@victormajani6659]

Well noted