Congo Colossus: The Life and Legacy of Franco & OK Jazz

Graeme Ewens

ISBN 10: 0952365510 / ISBN 13: 9780952365518

Published by Buku Press, 1994

About this Item

Shelf and handling wear to cover and binding, with general signs of previous use. Covers may have fading and nicks and other signs of wear and imperfection commensurate with age. Binding is tight and structurally sound. Pages unmarked. Sealed in plastic for shipping. Secure packaging for safe delivery.

Seller Inventory # 1597349884

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Congo Colossus: The Life and Legacy of Franco & OK Jazz
• Publisher: Buku Press
• Publication Date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0952365510
• ISBN 13: 9780952365518
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Weight: 0.79 pounds

About this title

Synopsis

Franco Luambo Makiadi, the Zairean guitarist, composer and band leader, was a truly legendary figure. In a 40-year career the boy from the Congo grew to become one of the best-known, most loved and most controversial personalities in Africa, straddling the continent like a Colossus.

A dynamic guitar stylist, Franco was also a fearless satirist, lavish praise singer and witty social commentator, whose declared mission was to 'provoke, disturb and tell the truth'. His music was one of the few consistent factors in African life, from the latter days of colonialism to the end of the 1980s. But his career was colored by conflict, controversy and the gossip of 'radio trottoir', which implicated him in sorcery, drugs trafficking, political intrigue and more.

"Congo Colossus" tells the story of Franco's life from a precocious guitar-playing kid in Kinshasa (Leopoldville) to cultural figurehead of one of the largest countries in Africa. It explores the important lyrical content of some prime songs from the OK Jazz repertoire of 3,000 compositions, and features an extensive discography.

About the Author

Graeme Ewens is a freelance writer and editor who knew and worked with Franco. He was deputy editor of Africa Music magazine (Lagos) and music editor of African Sunrise (Lusaka). His articles have appeared in West Africa, New African, Africa Now, the Kenyan Daily Nation and Nigerian Tribune, as well as in the Sunday Times Magazine, The Guardian, The Independent, and City Limits. He has been a contributor and researcher for radio and television, and is the author of "Africa O-Ye! A Celebration of African Music".