As much as “Hip Hop” tradition has become a global “standard” of rendering popular music, it is the “jazz tradition” that is the greatest gift of African Americans to the world, as far as I am concerned. It all started in the World War II years, when several of the African American “Big Bands” were sent to Europe and the Far East to entertain American and Allied troops. The impact was immediate, especially in view of the fact that African American virtuosos provided a robust antidote for the vicious form of racism that Fascism and Nazism represented. In 1950s some of us British colonial “subjects” in African countries like Kenya, were influenced by the same “bug” as we danced the “jitterbug” to the “big band” sounds played by African musicians. In Kenya, there was the “Mzungu” (white man), nicknamed “Bwana Kiko” (Mr. Pipe Smoking), who organized one of the first African jazz bands in Nairobi.

The Cuban Influence and Heritage

African “Big Bands” that were organized in the post World War II years, combined the Latin American jazz heritage of Cuba with the African American “big band” jazz tradition of the US to produce new music played by the Cuban Marimba Boys in Nairobi. It turns out that there was actually a Cuban Marimba band in Cuba! This is jazz heritage that formed the background of the Congolese music that became the standard for producing “popular music” in Africa–welcome to the world of Congolese music of OK Jazz and Franco! In the 1950s, Congolese rumba had an unmistakable influence of the Latin rumba. But over the years, very complex musical compositions have been developed by the Congolese global superstars such as Kofi Olomide, Fally Ipupa and Frerre Gola. The background musicians who play instruments like the guitars, saxophones and drums/percussions, are simply incredible. Unlike a “true jazz” stage, they are not afforded the space of showcasing their talents during live performances!

Coast Bands in Kenya

It was in Mombasa that some of the greatest bands in Kenya took root and with that came the popularization of the jazz “rumba” tradition of Cuba and South America. Bands were big time stuff with saxophones, trumpets, drums, guitars, bass, and several vocalists. ECO (East Coast Orchestra) Band led by Badi Juma, were a household name at the Coast. Both “white” joints such as big hotels and popular clubs such as the African Railway Club in Mombasa, provided the much needed revenues to sustain these bands. Then came African weddings. These were all-night affairs that became rooted in the African musical culture at the Coast. You could not pay the musicians for playing all night. Rather, it was the pomp and circumstance of the occasions and wider public appreciation that motivated the musicians to play all night! Welcome to the world of Bango Music!

Mzee Joseph Ngala and the Bango Tradition

After the passing of “big bands” of yester years at the Coast, it is Mzee Joseph Ngala who has kept the jazz rumba tradition alive at the Coast. In the musical rendition of the clip “Nione Raha” (So I may be happy), I combined my favorite song of Mzee Ngala with images of my relatives to celebrate Mother’s Day. This is complex music by any measure and it is a far cry from the “hip hop” popular music that you hear today throughout Africa. Bango musicians have achieved mastery over the instruments they play: drums, regular and bass guitars, alto and tenor saxophones, trumpets, and accomplished male and female vocalists. The critical question that I would like to end with is: how will Bango bands survive economically beyond wedding venues and a following of those who bill themselves as “Bango addicts”?