Sam Mangwana

Samuel Domingos Mangwana (born 21 February 1945), known professionally as Sam Mangwana, is a Congolese-born singer, born to Angolan parents. He sings in Lingala, Kikongo, Bambara, Swahili, French, English, Portuguese, and Spanish. He was the frontman of his bands Festival des Maquisards and African All Stars. Mangwana was a member of François Luambo Makiadi's seminal band TPOK Jazz, and Tabu Ley Rochereau's bands African Fiesta, African Fiesta National and Afrisa International.

Mangwana uses his music to address corruption and violence, and his popularity, often described as "Mangwana fever", has spread across the continent from West to East, through Central Africa, and into Southern Africa.

Life and career

1945–early 1960s: Early life in a migrant Angolan family in Belgian Congo Samuel Domingos Mangwana was born on 21 February 1945 in Léopoldville, Belgian Congo (now Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo), to Kongo Angolan parents. In an interview with the online music magazine Pan African Music, he explained that many Angolan families migrated to the Belgian Congo during the colonial period in search of better educational and economic opportunities. Most members were already established artists, whereas he remained relatively inexperienced within the professional music scene. Although he had been promised promised remuneration, payment was not forthcoming. In practice, musicians often relied on informal contributions from audiences to meet basic subsistence needs. Coming from a comparatively stable family background, Mangwana found these conditions increasingly untenable and grew progressively disillusioned. The group also operated a publishing company, which operated as a form of production label at the time. By then, Mangwana had become popular in Kinshasa, partly because of his ability to sing in several languages, including Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

A few months after his arrival, preparations began in the Congo for the Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit, scheduled to take place in Kinshasa. As part of the preparations, the Ministry of Culture organized a competition for an official song under the theme Congo Nouveau, Afrique nouvelle ("New Congo, New Africa"). The winning song would also represent the country at Expo 67 in Montreal. which soon expanded to include several prominent figures in Congolese music, including Lokombe Bola Bolite, Dizzy Mandjeku, Jean Bokosa "Johnny", Michelino Mavatiku Visi, Diana, and Ntesa Dalienst. At the start, they did not have instruments or equipment. They then turned to Denis Ilosono, a former private secretary to Mobutu and a longtime acquaintance of Mangwana. Ilosono welcomed Mangwana and asked his staff to check whether unused instruments from Négro-Succès were still available. The crisis, together with internal disputes, led to the band's dissolution. Guivano went on to form Orchestra Dua, Mangwana briefly continued under the name Festival de Sam, Lokombe resumed his government position, and Diana rejoined African Fiesta National. Mangwana's time with Festival de Sam was short-lived, as he would eventually dissolved the group. Mangwana was outside the venue, watching the performance with a friend from behind the railings. During a break, Franco noticed him and asked Jean-Jean whether the man outside was the former African Fiesta National singer. Jean-Jean confirmed it was indeed Mangwana and asked why he was not inside. Recordings made with Tabu Ley during this period were released with his name receiving equal billing alongside that of his mentor. According to Chris Stapleton and Chris May in African All-Stars: The Pop Music of a Continent (1987), the venture failed to achieve its objectives and was succeeded by the formation of African All Stars in 1978. The record featured Mangwana's "Les Champions", Mandjeku's "Ata Bassali Nakozonga", Lokassa's "Makengo", and Kanyama Moya Lotula's "Kanyama Moya Lotula".

In 1978, the group followed up with Georgette Eckins, a four-track LP produced by Adios Records and distributed by Adaramola Records. The title track wryly recounts a story of unrequited love, with Mangwana narrating his repeated romantic disappointments in French while the band playfully echoes and comments on his misfortunes.

Band memberships African Fiesta (1962) African Fiesta National (1965) Orchestre Vox Africa (1967) African Fiesta National (1967) Festival des Maquisards (1968) Orchestre Afrizam (1970) TPOK Jazz (1972) Orchestre Afrisa International (1976) African All Stars (1978)

Discography African All Stars: Les Champions (1977) Sam Mangwana et l'African All Stars: Georgette Eckins (1978) Théo-Blaise Kounkou et l'African All Stars: Zenaba (1978) Sam Mangwana et l'African All Stars: International Sam Mangwana (1979) Waka Waka (1978) Maria Tebbo (1979) Georgette Eckins (1979) Matinda (1979) Affaire Disco (1981) Est-ce Que Tu Moyens? (1981) Cooperation (1982) Affaire Video (1982) N'Simba Eli (1982) Bonne Annee 1983 In Nairobi (1984) Aladji (1987) For Ever (1989) Lukolo (1989) Capita General (1990) Megamix (July 1990) Rumba Music (1993) No Me Digas No (1995) Galo Negro (1998) Sam Mangwana Sings Dino Vangu (2000) Volume 1 Bilinga Linga 1968/1969 (June 2000) Volume 2 Eyebana 1980/1984 (June 2000) Very Best of 2001 (March 2001) Cantos de Esperanca (April 2003) Lubamba (2016)

With TPOK Jazz Lufua Lua Nkadi - Sung by Sam Mangwana, Michel Boyibanda, Josky Kiambukuta and Lola Checain in 1972. Luka Mobali Moko -Sung by Sam Mangwana, Josky Kiambukuta, Michèl Boyibanda and Lola Chécain, in 1974.

Contributing artist The Rough Guide to Congo Gold (2008, World Music Network)