Jabulani Radio - RSS Artists - Musical Artists & Orchestras

Adam Ndaro Solomon

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Adam "The Professor" Solomon, born Adam Ndaro Solomon on January 1, 1963, in Mombasa, Kenya, is a Juno Award-winning composer, guitarist, and singer. His musical journey began early, playing traditional instruments like the kivoti (flute) and the kayamba (shaker) at village celebrations of the Mijikenda people of coastal Kenya. He established his career as a lead guitarist and singer, collaborating on recordings and videos with many of Kenya's most popular musicians and bands, including Joseph Kamaru, Super Mazembe, Les Wanyika, and the Mombasa Roots Band. His international touring credits include workshops and performances with African superstars such as Papa Wemba and Ismael Lo.

Solomon eventually moved to Canada and co-founded the great pan-African band, The Afronubians, in 1993, with whom he toured Western Canada and released two CDs. In 1995, he formed his own Toronto-based band, Tikisa. His solo work and collaborations have earned him significant recognition, including a double win at the Toronto African Music Awards (TAMA) in 1997 for Best Release and Best New Performers for his album Safari. Most notably, he was a key collaborator on the African Guitar Summit CD, which won the Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year in 2005. Solomon, who sings in six languages including Swahili, English, and Arabic, has continued to perform and release albums like Rocket Express II: African Renaissance Blues and Mti wa Maisha (Tree of Life), cementing his reputation as a master of African rhythms, from traditional chela to soukous, reggae, and African blues.

Abeti Masikini

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 23:30:00 +0000

Elisabeth Finant, celebrated professionally as Abeti Masikini, was a trailblazing Congolese singer, composer, and bandleader often hailed as the "Queen of Soukous." Born on November 9, 1954, in Kisangani, she emerged from an upper-middle-class family, with her mother being a church choir leader whose musical influence nurtured Abeti's early singing passion. Despite initially working as a secretary after completing her secondary studies, her dedication to music led her to a talent contest in 1971 where she was discovered by Togolese producer Gérard Akueson. Abeti Masikini was a significant figure in 20th-century African music, noted for modernizing Congolese rhythms by fusing them with elements of folk, blues, and pop. A powerful advocate for gender equality, she was the first Congolese woman to front her own band, Les Redoutables, which served as an important launchpad for numerous female artists. Her international fame was confirmed by a groundbreaking career that included being the first Central African female artist to perform at prestigious venues like the Olympia Hall in Paris, New York's Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Apollo Theater. Over her nearly three-decade career, she recorded over twenty studio albums. Tragically, she passed away from uterine cancer in Villejuif, Paris, on September 28, 1994, at the age of 39, leaving behind a profound legacy of musical innovation and female empowerment.

Afrigo Band

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 23:39:00 +0000

Afrigo Band is a legendary and enduring musical group from Uganda, widely recognized as the longest-lasting band in the country's history. The band was officially formed in Kampala on November 1, 1975, following a split from the popular Cranes Band. The initial lineup consisted of eight musicians, with Moses Matovu, a vocalist and alto saxophonist, as a key founding member and later the band's long-time leader. The name "Afrigo" is a contraction of the motivational slogan "Africa-Go" (musically), reflecting their desire to champion African music. Their distinct sound is a vibrant fusion of traditional Ugandan rhythms, Congolese soukous, jazz, and African Rumba.

The band quickly rose to prominence, even becoming the resident band at Cape Town Villas, a venue frequented by then-President Idi Amin, which temporarily granted them a unique status. Throughout Uganda's turbulent history, Afrigo Band has persevered, rebuilding after their instruments were looted during the 1979 liberation war. Moses Matovu, the only surviving original member, has provided continuous leadership. Over the decades, the band has produced over 20 albums and launched the careers of iconic Ugandan vocalists like Joanita Kawalya and Rachael Magoola.

Afrigo Band's extensive discography includes numerous classic songs like "Jim," "Oswadde Nyo," "Obangaina," "Maria," and "Teri Mubi," which address various themes from relationships to social and political issues. The band celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015 and remains active, performing regularly in Uganda and touring internationally to play for the Ugandan diaspora. They continue to be a pillar of East African music, maintaining their cultural significance while mentoring younger musicians to ensure the legacy of the "Afrigo" sound continues.

Adu Kwasi

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Adu Kwasi is a legendary Ghanaian highlife musician. He is also known as Noble Adu Kwasi or the leader of the Adu Kwasi Band. His classic music catalog spans several decades. Music enthusiasts often love timeless tracks like Akwankwa Hiani, Ofie Nipa, and his popular medleys.

Albert Gacheru (Gacheru Wamaitu)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 01:39:00 +0000

Born in Nyandarua, Albert Gacheru Kiarie (1963–2021) was a Kenyan Benga singer, producer, and anti-piracy campaigner who reshaped the local music business from the ground up. Operating out of his independent studio, Wamaitu Productions, he ruled the airwaves in the late 1980s and 1990s with popular hits like "Mwendwa Wakwa Mariru," "Mumunya," and "Ya Ndirica." Frustrated by how rampant piracy stripped musicians of their earnings, Gacheru enrolled in law school at age 50, earned his degree, and qualified through the Kenya School of Law so he could take major distribution syndicates to court himself. By the time he passed away in Nairobi at age 58, he was remembered as much for his catchy music as for spending his later years fighting in court to make sure local artists actually got paid what they were owed.

Africando

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 23:19:00 +0000

Formed in Paris in 1992 by producer Ibrahima Sylla and arranger Boncana Maïga, Africando is a pioneering transnational salsa super-group that unites elite New York-based Latin jazz musicians with legendary vocalists from West and Central Africa. The project was conceived to celebrate the deep historical exchange between Afro-Cuban rhythms and African popular music, brilliantly reinterpreting classic salsa standards in African languages as well as giving vintage African rumbas the driving pulse of salsa dura. Featuring rotating heavyweights like Pape Seck, Gnonnas Pedro, and Sékouba Bambino, the collective has built a celebrated catalog that serves as a cornerstone of modern cross-cultural African music.