Bango bakanga biso mayele boye, (They've hoodwinked us this much)

Nkisi ya bankoko bango baboyaka, (Traditional/herbal medication they declare evil)

Bikeko ya bankoko bango bandimaka te, (All sculptures of our ancestors, they do not accept)

Kasi na ndako ya Nzambe, biso tomonaka, (In church, we see sculptures as well)

Tokosambela bikeko bitondo ndako, (We worship in churches full of sculptures, and this is right according to them)

Mais bikeko yango se mindele, (But the sculptures in these churches are those of a white man)

This is a translated excerpt from the song "Nakomitunaka". Ordinarily, it is credited as a Verckys Kiamuangana composition, as stated in the LP. However, Nyakwar Urah, a Facebook user and a great fan of Congolese rumba, holds a different opinion.

He argues that the song is quite atypical of Verckys Kiamuangana's compositions. In his estimation, Verckys thrived on the 'cavacha style,' using a few catchy words, mostly extolling a woman's beauty, followed by a high-voltage saxophone sebene.

"Nakomitunaka" is devoid of the saxophone 'sebene'. Moreover, it is themed around religion, with the author raising pertinent questions about the authenticity of the religion imported into Africa by European explorers, who were also prospecting for gold and slaves.

The kind of philosophical narration, delivered in prose with an easy solo singing style, points to the work of Simaro Lutumba Ndomanueno. He was a master of thoughtful prose that evoked critical thinking, earning him the nickname Le Poète.

Indeed, after further investigation, it emerged that the song was composed by Simaro and later sold to Verckys, who recorded it with his Orchestre Vévé at Maison Vévé, incorporating the vocals of a young Pepe Kalle.

Simaro played with Orchestre Congo Jazz of Madiata briefly in the late 1950s before joining Orchestra Micra and eventually switching to OKJ in 1961, taking over the rhythm guitar from Brazzos. While primarily a rhythm guitarist, Simaro's exceptional compositional prowess soon outshone his instrumental role.

A typical Simaro song leaves you deep in thought. His 1973 hit "Mabele" is a testament to his poetic brilliance. He disregarded conventional song structure, delivering lines that might seem incoherent but provoke deep reflections on life.

Sample this:

"Mokolo tokokufa tokekende na drap ya mpembe ata ozali riche" (We will all be draped in a white cloth when we die, regardless of how rich we were)

"Ebembe ya masiya ata bokimi ye, banzinzi bokolela ngai" (Even if you refuse to mourn me, flies will still mill around my corpse, wailing)

"Mutuna bolenge asala economic, akoma mobange achange makanisi" (When young, people save; but as they grow old, they start spending, fearing their wealth will remain with others upon death)

The song was sung by Sam Mangwana. Simaro, despite composing several less poetic songs, also wrote "Ebale Ya Zaïre" around the same period. His ability to craft deeply philosophical compositions later shone in songs like "Mbongo," "Dati Petrol," "Mabele," "Mandola," "Affaire Kitikwala," "Maya," "Testament Ya Bowule," and many others.

Perhaps the most famous among these is "Faute Ya Commerçant," which was released and marketed as an OKJ song. However, it was actually a 'Nzong-Nzing' project incorporating non-OKJ musicians.

The soloist in the song was Divo Vangu, who was then an Afrisa International musician. The singer, Sam Mangwana, was also not an OKJ musician at the time. Other musicians included Flavian Makabi on bass, Simaro himself on rhythm guitar, Ringo Moya on drums, Sebaret on trumpets, and Loway on saxophone. The song was recorded at the government-owned RANEPAC Studios in Kinshasa.

Despite being loyal to Franco, Simaro participated in several projects outside OKJ since the 1970s. He worked with a 'Nzong-Nzing' known as Orchestre Mi Amor in 1972.

Other members of the band included vocalist Tusevo Nejos, who later starred with Vévé, Ramazani Nkalu-Luaka, who also later joined Vévé, and Diatho Lukoki, who had performed with Festival Des Maquisards before eventually joining OKJ.

The soloist was the late Mose Sengo, and the rhythm guitarist was Simaro himself. Other musicians included bassist Celi Bitshou, formerly of OKJ and Vévé, saxophonist Isaac Musekiwa—the first black sax player in the rumba world, who had played for African Jazz, OKJ, Vedette, and the rebel band Orchestre Révolution—and Nigerian saxophonist Dele Pedro, also of OKJ.

This studio session resulted in five songs: "Gina," "Na Lifelo," "Marie Louisa," and "Lisano Ebandaki Na Kin," all composed by Simaro. Among these, "Na Lifelo" captured listeners' imaginations as Simaro encouraged people to enjoy their meals, noting that some were hospitalized and unable to eat, while others should enjoy their cigarettes, as some were incarcerated at Makala Prison and could not smoke.

Despite establishing himself as the master of philosophical compositions at OKJ, Simaro’s prowess as a rhythm guitarist was equally remarkable. He was the master of the 'Pachanga' rhythm and played in many OKJ songs from the 1960s, including "Some Left" (1966), "Quatre Boutons" (1966), "Madame de la Maison," and others.

Simaro was born on March 19, 1938, making him a few months older than Luambo. He passed away on March 30, 2019. He remains an unforgettable figure in the music industry, having steered Congolese rumba in a unique and thought-provoking direction.

(Music was just music, a few lines extolling a woman’s beauty, a marriage down to the rocks and other common themes, until Simaro came to the scene.)

 
By Jerome Ogola

Jabulani Radio

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