Awilo Longomba

Awilo Longomba
Awilo Longomba
Born	May 6, 1962
Origin	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Genres	Soukous, Techno-soukous
Occupation(s)	Singer, drummer
Associated acts	Viva la Musica
Website	https://awilolongomba.skyrock.com

Awilo Longomba is a Congolese soukous musician. At first a drummer in Viva la Musica,[1] Stukas, Nouvelle Generation and Loketo, he left drumming for singing and released his first album Moto Pamba with help from Shimita, Ballou Canta, Dindo Yogo, Dally Kimoko, Sam Mangwana, Syran Mbenza and Rigo Star in 1995. Awilo has performed live concerts in Africa, Europe, and North America.[2]

His second CD, Coupe Bibamba (1998) garnered an increasingly large international audience. This was followed by Kafou Kafou (2001) and an album, Mondongo (2004), which features Japponais, Dally Kimoko, Caen Madoka, Djudjuchet, Josky Kiambukuta and Simaro Lutumba. He is also credited as an atalaku (animateur) on some soukous records. After first moving to France in the 1980s,[3] Awilo now lives in London, United Kingdom and is married to Paradis Kacharelle and they have a son called Lovy Believe Church Awilo Longomba.

Awilo's relatives in the music industry include his father Victor Longomba[1] a founding member of T.P OK Jazz as well as his late elder brother, Lovy of the Longombas, who are a popular Afro-fusion group based in Kenya. Lovy had a rich tenor voice and was a member of Super Mazembe led by Longwa Didos.

In 2008, Awilo Longomba released the new album Super-Man which was another success. Awilo continued his popularity in USA/ Canada while on tour with Nabtry International Cultural Dancers, an African dance group founded in 2007 by Grace Haukwa. The Super-Man tour was successful throughout 2008 and 2009. By popular votes and a historic win at the International Reggae and World Music Awards with over 120 countries voting in, Super-Man won the Best Soukous Entertainer Award 2009. CEO and founder of Nabtry Grace Haukwa, who represents Awilo in the US, received the award on Awilo's behalf at the ceremony.

His versatility has been evident lately with his many collaborations with modern day and styles musicians in many African Countries, among them are Nigerian Artistes P Square, Tiwa Savage, Olamide and Yemi Alade.

References

Stewart, Gary (2000). Rumba on the River: A History of the Popular Music of the Two Congos. Verso. p. 333. ISBN 1-85984-744-7. On the well-trodden road to Paris, bands of the younger generation followed in the footsteps of their elders. Papa Wemba's lengthy stay in 1982 had awakened him to the opportunities that lay beyond his Zairean home base. The upheavals that had followed his return to Kinshasa resulted in a ‘new look’ Viva La Musica that by 1986 included a formidable lineup of young singers: Reddy Amisi,Remy Ngoua, Ketai Muchawaya,Lidjo Kwempa, Litemo Luciana, Stino ‘Stino As’ (Ace) Mubi, and Ngizulu Kubiala, known as ‘Fafa de Molokai.’ On-again-off-again singer Pepe Bipoli was on again, along with Joe ‘Joe Fat’ Fataki, a singer from Wemba's old Yoka Lokole. A pedigreed newcomer, Vicky Longomba's son Awilo, joined them on drums. In all the band numbered around sixteen, including guitarist Bongo Wende.
Kaggwa, Andrew (9 September 2015). "Bebe Cool, Eddy Kenzo win big". The Observer. Retrieved 7 October 2020. Last weekend in Toronto, Canada, alongside Bow Wow and Awilo Longomba, Bebe Cool was one of the performers at the highly-billed African Entertainment awards.
Winders, James A. (2006). Paris Africain: Rhythms of the African Diaspora. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 93. ISBN 1403960046. Awilo Longomba (1962–), also originally from Zaïre, first came to France in 1986 as drummer for the famous singer Papa Wemba. His father, “Vicky” Longomba, was a very popular singer with Zaïre’s prominent band O.K. Jazz. In 1989 Awilo moved permanently to Paris, and became a French citizen in 1994, having married a French woman.

External links

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[Rumba-1] Stewart, Gary (2000). Rumba on the River: A History of the Popular Music of the Two Congos. Verso. p. 333. ISBN 1-85984-744-7. On the well-trodden road to Paris, bands of the younger generation followed in the footsteps of their elders. Papa Wemba's lengthy stay in 1982 had awakened him to the opportunities that lay beyond his Zairean home base. The upheavals that had followed his return to Kinshasa resulted in a ‘new look’ Viva La Musica that by 1986 included a formidable lineup of young singers: Reddy Amisi,Remy Ngoua, Ketai Muchawaya,Lidjo Kwempa, Litemo Luciana, Stino ‘Stino As’ (Ace) Mubi, and Ngizulu Kubiala, known as ‘Fafa de Molokai.’ On-again-off-again singer Pepe Bipoli was on again, along with Joe ‘Joe Fat’ Fataki, a singer from Wemba's old Yoka Lokole. A pedigreed newcomer, Vicky Longomba's son Awilo, joined them on drums. In all the band numbered around sixteen, including guitarist Bongo Wende.

[Toronto-2] Kaggwa, Andrew (9 September 2015). "Bebe Cool, Eddy Kenzo win big". The Observer. Retrieved 7 October 2020. Last weekend in Toronto, Canada, alongside Bow Wow and Awilo Longomba, Bebe Cool was one of the performers at the highly-billed African Entertainment awards.

[Paris-3] Winders, James A. (2006). Paris Africain: Rhythms of the African Diaspora. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 93. ISBN 1403960046. Awilo Longomba (1962–), also originally from Zaïre, first came to France in 1986 as drummer for the famous singer Papa Wemba. His father, “Vicky” Longomba, was a very popular singer with Zaïre’s prominent band O.K. Jazz. In 1989 Awilo moved permanently to Paris, and became a French citizen in 1994, having married a French woman.