The Cameroonian saxophonist, Mamu Dibango, died Tuesday at the age of 86 from covid-19, announces his official Facebook page.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Manu Dibango, our Grandpa Groove. »
Manu Dibango is the first world celebrity to die from coronavirus infection. Despite his advanced age, he was still able to organize concerts. The last one was on 01/02/2020 in Montpellier, in the South of France.
According to Paris Match, to talk about Manu Dibango is to evoke an era that young people under 40 can’t know about.
Emmanuel N’Djoke Dibango, known as Manu Dibango, was born in Douala, Cameroon on 12 December 1933. His family is Protestant, and his mother directs the church choir.
A long musical career
In 1949, he went to Saint-Calais in the North of France to continue his studies. It was in Cartre that he discovered jazz in the early 50s. He learnt piano, then saxophone, and began to perform on stage.
It was in Brussels that he met his wife Coco. His jazz became Africanized in contact with the Belgian Congolese milieu. Joseph Kabasele Tshamala, known as Grand Kalle, hired him in his orchestra. They recorded several records which were successful in Africa. He brought them to Kinshasa where Manu launched the twist in 1962 in his own club. The success was phenomenal. But the musician did not feel well received in his country and decided to return to France.
In 1967, Manu Dibango was at the head of his first Big Band. He developed his innovative musical style for a series of television shows.
In 1972, he recorded the B-side of a single “Soul Makossa”. He conquered the United States with a tour that was a great success.
From 1975 to 1979, he conducted the Ivorian Radio and Television Orchestra in Abidjan. In 1978, he recorded an album with Nigerian musicians, “Home Made” before flying to Jamaica. There, he worked on reggae with Sly Dunbar.
In the 80s, he collaborated with Serge Gainsbourg. In 1982, he published his album “Waka Juju”. On 14 May 1986, Manu was awarded the “Médaille des Arts et des Lettres”.
In 1992, Yves Bigot asked him to record the album “Wakafrica”. A cover of the greatest African hits.
The album “Labastabastani” was released in 1996. It was inspired by the disappearance of his wife the previous year. Manu Dibango released two albums, the animated music of the film Kirikou and the wild beasts in 2005. An album in homage to Sydney Bechet.
Gerard Rugambwa
