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Describe the atmosphere and live music at a local pub, restaurant, festival, church or temple, club night.... inspire other people to check it out!
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Musician: Kanyinda Koko Mukala
Location: Bristol
Instruments: congas, voice
Music: Congolese / Rumba
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HOW I CAME TO THIS MUSIC听听听听听听听听听听WHERE I PLAY听听听听听听听听听听A FAVOURITE SONG |
  
Listen to Koko and fellow-refugees perform with Eliza Carthy at
This story includes material from Celebrating Sanctuary: Conversations with
Refugee Artists
(London Arts, 2002)
The Home of Black Websites
Koko performed as part of
Radio 3's World Music Day on
1st January 2003 |
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 听听Listen (4'04) to 'Kabakani' performed by Kanyinda Koko Mukala with his band, Soukous Koumbele, from the album, Sentimental, (Sterns, 2002).
听听Listen (1'50) to Kanyinda Koko Mukala talk about his music.
'...all the other students pointed at me to be the one to join the band.'
How I came to this music:
I've been a musician since I left school in 1965. It actually started for me at school when the mayor for our region had a party and he needed a band. Somehow he got in touch with these two musicians who worked for the railway company. One came with two guitars, accordion and congas, and the other with a trumpet. They told the mayor they could play the gig but they'd need more players, so could he try to find out if there were any young musicians in schools who'd like to come and join them and form a group to play his party. The notice got to my school and when it reached my class, all the other students pointed at me to be the one to join the band.
 After school a friend and I went to see the two guys and we rehearsed with them for two weeks. I was singing and playing congas while my friend sang, two other students played rhythm and lead guitars and the two old guys played accordion and trumpet. We played the party and it was so successful that the owner of the club decided to make us his resident band. He started us on a monthly salary of the equivalent of maybe 90 pence. At that time that was enough! I didn't know the value of money, I was young and free and eating well with my family. So I just felt good that I had something to do and hey! - I was a professional musician.
In 1968, I did my first record in Kinshasa with an orchestra called Vox Africa. It was led by Jeanot Bombenga, Sam Mangwana played in it, Dalienst Ntesa from OK Jazz sang and Papa Noel played lead guitar. Later on I played with Tabu Ley in a band with Sam Mangwana, Festival des Maquisards and Dr Nico - I played with him for a long, long time.
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