Le Grand Kallé

Joseph Athanase Tshamala Kabasele (16 December 1930 – 11 February 1983), popularly known as Le Grand Kallé, was a Congolese singer and bandleader, considered the father of modern Congolese music. He is best known for his role as leader of the band, African Jazz, in which capacity he was involved in a number of noted songs, including "Indépendance Cha Cha".

Joseph Tshamala Kabasele Le Grand Kallé
Promotional photo of Kabasele for the Opika record label in the early 1950s
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Athanase Tchamala Kabasele
Born	(1930-12-16)16 December 1930[1] Matadi, Belgian Congo (now Kongo Central)
Died	11 February 1983(1983-02-11) (aged 52) Paris, France
Genres	African rumba
Years active	1953–1983
Labels	Surboum African Jazz

Background

Joseph Athanase Tchamala Kabasele was born in Matadi, Bas-Congo in what was then the Belgian Congo, modern Democratic Republic of Congo. He came from a prominent Congolese family, which included Cardinal Joseph Malula.^[2][3] Kallé went to secondary school and became a typist at a succession of commercial firms in the capital of the Belgian Congo, Léopoldville.

Career

In the early 1950s, at a new recording studio called Opika, Kasabele received an opportunity to pursue a career in music.^[2] He joined with two of the session guitarists at Opika records, Georges Doula and Albert Yamba-Yamba, to form a combo called Groupe Doula Georges. In 1951 Doula and his band starred in a publicity film for the radio station Voix de la Concorde, which operated under the call letters "OTC." To capitalize on the notoriety gained from the film, the band chose to rename themselves OTC.^[4]

In 1953, disillusioned with the lack of modernisation at OTC, he formed l'African Jazz, which some consider to be the most important Congolese band.^[1] L'African Jazz was one of the most popular early African rumba bands. At its height, L'African Jazz included big names like guitarist Dr Nico Kasanda, saxophonist Manu Dibango and singers Tabu Ley Rochereau, Sam Mangwana and Pepe Kalle.^[5]

In 1960, he established his own label, Subourboum Jazz, which was home to Franco Luambo's TPOK Jazz. Grand Kallé was responsible for striking deals with European record labels to ensure high quality recordings of his band's music for the Francophone market.^[5]

In the mid-1960s, Kallé suffered his first major setback when two of his protégés (Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr Nico Kasanda) left to form their own group called Africa Fiesta.^[1] Kallé never recovered from this setback,^[1] concentrating on nurturing the talent of singer Pépé Kallé.

Political influence

Joseph Kabasele (left) and Vicky Longomba (right) performing at the Round Table Conference in February 1960

As a prominent figure in the Belgian Congo, Kallé was chosen as a member of the Congolese delegation at the "Round Table Conference" on Congolese independence in 1960.^[1] He composed several songs on a political themes, notably "Indépendance Cha Cha" and "Table Ronde".

Death

Le Grand Kallé died in a hospital in Paris, France, on 11 February 1983. He was buried in Gombe Cemetery in Kinshasa.

Musical influence

Kabasele is regarded as one of the foundational figures in modern Congolese music and is often celebrated as the "father of Congolese rumba". Through his leadership of African Jazz, he helped define the stylistic contours of a genre that would dominate Central and West Africa for decades.^[2] His distinctively clear and tuneful vocal delivery established a new artistic standard for Congolese singers, to such a degree that contemporaries and successors were often said to be disciples of the so-called "Kabasele school".^[2] Kabasele's early recordings, such as "Parafifi" and "Kale Kato" (both released in 1952), were among the first to experiment with incorporating instruments like the saxophone into the Congolese rumba ensemble, and through his collaborations with guitarists like Nicolas "Docteur Nico" Kasanda and Charles "Dechaud" Mwamba, he helped forge the multi-layered, guitar-centric sound that would become a signature of Congolese rumba.^[2]

In 1960, his song "Indépendance Cha Cha", composed to celebrate the Congo's looming independence and to salute its national leaders, swiftly became a pan‑African anthem of decolonization embraced across Africa. Other works, including "Bilombe ba Gagne" and "Toyokana Tolimbisana na Congo", addressed themes of colonial oppression, national pride, and unity.^[2] Beyond his performances, Kabasele played a key role in institutionalizing Congolese music by founding the African Jazz and Surboum African Jazz labels in 1960, becoming one of the first Congolese publishers of African music, with these ventures promoting his own band as well as distributing recordings of rival bands like TPOK Jazz.^[2] Although internal disputes led to the dissolution of the original African Jazz in 1963, the band's model of professional organization and innovation served as the prototype for subsequent Congolese bands. In recognition of his enduring impact, Kabasele was named grand maître of Zairean music by the national musicians' union UMUZA in 1980.^[2]

Discography

Albums, including compilations

• Merveilles Du Passé – Hommage Au Grand Kalle Vol. 2 (1984, African)
• Essous / Kwamy / Mujos / Edo / Casino (1993, Sonodisc)
• 1966 – 1967 (1993, Grand Kalle/Syllart)
• Grand Kallé et African Team, Vol. 1 (1993, Grand Kalle/Syllart)
• Grand Kalle et l'African Jazz 1961–1962 (Merveilles du passé, vol. 2) (1993, Sonodisc)
• Grand Kalle & L'African Team (1997, Sonodisc)
• Le Grand Kalle (2013, Le Monde des Artistes)
• Jolie Nana (2013, Marylebone Records)
• Joseph Kabasele, Le Grand Kalle: His Life, His Music (2013, Sterns Africa)
• The History Of Le Grand Kallé, Vol. 1 (2013, Diamond Days)
• The History Of Le Grand Kallé, Vol. 2 (2013, Diamond Days)
• The History Of Le Grand Kallé, Vol. 3 (2013, Diamond Days)
• The History Of Le Grand Kallé, Vol. 4 (2013, Diamond Days)
• The History Of Le Grand Kallé, Vol. 5 (2013, Diamond Days)
• Butsana Mama: Le Grand Kallé & His Songs, Vol. 1 (2013, Supreme Media)
• Butsana Mama: Le Grand Kallé & His Songs, Vol. 2 (2013, Supreme Media)
• Butsana Mama: Le Grand Kallé & His Songs, Vol. 3 (2013, Supreme Media)
• Butsana Mama: Le Grand Kallé & His Songs, Vol. 4 (2013, Supreme Media)
• Butsana Mama: Le Grand Kallé & His Songs, Vol. 5 (2013, Supreme Media)

Notable singles

• Parafifi (1953, Opika; reissued ~1961, Surboum African Jazz)

Contributing artist

• The Rough Guide to Congo Gold (2008, World Music Network)
• Authenticité Vol. 2 (2014, Eben Entertainment)

As leader of Le Grand Kallé et l'African Jazz

(see that page)

External links

• Grand Kallé: The founder of modern Congolese music
• Rumba on the River, the Grand Kallé