Le Grand Kallé et l'African Jazz
Le Grand Kallé et l'African Jazz | |
|---|---|
African Jazz in 1961, featuring prominent members such as Le Grand Kallé, Charles "Déchaud" Mwamba, Docteur Nico, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Roger Izeidi | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | African Jazz |
| Origin | Belgian Congo (Léopoldville) (modern-day Democratic Republic of Congo) |
| Genres | Congolese rumba |
| Years active | 1953–1963 1966–1968 |
Le Grand Kallé et l'African Jazz, often simply referred to as African Jazz, was a popular and extremely influential Congolese rumba band from the modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo. Founded in 1953 in Léopoldville (modern-day Kinshasa) under Belgian colonial rule, the band was led by Joseph Kabasele Tshamala, popularly known by his stage name Le Grand Kallé. The group saw its heyday between 1958 and 1962, after which it was hit by defections by its members in 1963. It was briefly revived after 1966.