Joseph Lusungu

Full name	Joseph Lusungu
Country	Tanzania
Instruments	Saxophone

Joseph Lusungu was a foundational figure in East African Muziki wa Dansi, best known as the longtime leader and trumpeter of the NUTA Jazz Band (now Msondo Ngoma) during the 1960s and 1970s. Alongside saxophonist Mnenge Ramadhani, Lusungu was instrumental in defining the band's signature brass-heavy sound, which blended Congolese rumba influences with distinct Tanzanian arrangements. Beyond his musical contributions, he helped pioneer the "cooperative" model of music in Tanzania, where musicians were salaried employees of the National Union of Tanganyika, establishing a standard for the industry. His legacy remains tied to the early golden era of Tanzanian jazz, specifically for his role in building NUTA Jazz into one of the most influential and longest-running orchestras in the region.