Verckys Kiamuangana Mateta

Georges Kiamuangana Mateta (19 May 1944 – 13 October 2022), known professionally as Verckys, was a Congolese saxophonist, composer, producer, bandleader, and record executive. A significant figure in the evolution of 20th-century Congolese and African popular music, he is referred to as "Vévé", "the man with the iron lungs" and "Wazola Nzimbu". Kiamuangana's record label Éditions Vévé brought many Congolese musicians to prominence, including Zaïko Langa Langa, Koffi Olomide, Empire Bakuba, Afrisa International, OK Jazz, Langa Langa Stars, Victoria Eleison, Historia Musica, Orchestre Kiam, and others. where his saxophone solos were central to sebene-driven hits like "Bolingo ya Bougie", "Polo le Chipeur", and "Mokoloya Mitano Na Monaki Yo". He also composed some of OK Jazz's breakout songs, including "Chérie O Changer", "Oh Madame de la Maison", "Mobali Na Ngai", and "Gina Simba Ngai". He left OK Jazz in February 1969 and founded Orchestre Vévé by April of that year. The band quickly emerged as one of Zaire's most commercially successful recording and live acts.

In 1972, Kiamuangana established Kinshasa's most modern recording studio, Vévé Studio, and in 1978, he inaugurated the entertainment complex known as Vévé Centre. He also served as the president of UMUZA (Union des Musiciens Zaïrois), succeeding Franco Luambo at the end of 1978.

Early life and career

1944–1962: Childhood, education and music debut Georges Kiamuangana Mateta was born on 19 May 1944 in Kisantu, Bas-Congo Province (now Kongo Central), in what was then the Belgian Congo (later the Republic of the Congo, then Zaire, and currently the Democratic Republic of the Congo). He hailed from a wealthy family; his father was a prominent businessman in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa). He began his primary education at Athénée de Ngiri-Ngiri and later completed it at Athénée de Kalina, where he pursued modern humanities. He then polished his skills with help from Isaac Musekiwa, who taught him the saxophone. Taking to the saxophone, he adopted the pseudonym "Verckys", inspired by the American saxophonist King Curtis, after mishearing "Curtis" as "Verckys".

While still a student, Verckys became increasingly enamored with music and devoted himself entirely to it. Verckys clandestinely transported the tapes there, where he also recorded for Decca Records France (a subsidiary of Decca Records) with Franco, who assured him that compensation would follow. Determined not to return empty-handed, Verckys absconded on the day of departure and, having purloined Franco's contacts, entrusted his tapes to a publisher, receiving a generous advance with which he acquired two cars. The lineup included vocalist Sinatra Bonga Tsekabu (Saak Saakul) and bassist Jim. That year, Pépé Kallé was contracted by Éditions Vévé and lent his lead vocals, alongside José Bébé, to Verckys' polemic hit "Nakomitunaka", which was a scathing response to the Catholic Church's staunch opposition to President Mobutu Sese Seko's Authenticité campaign. The lyrics, which questioned why saints depicted in religious iconography were exclusively white, sparked outrage in the Catholic Church and the Congolese Christian community, and ultimately led to Verckys' excommunication. Orchestre Vévé embarked on a two-month tour in Kenya. That year, Éditions Vévé commenced the issuance of 45 rpm vinyl records and extended support to various prominent bands such as Zaïko Langa Langa, Grands Maquisards, and others. They also raised concerns about post-concert insecurity and armed robberies. President Joseph Kabila endorsed the effort and donated $15,000 for transportation, but disputes over fund distribution caused Verckys, King Kester Emeneya, Werrason, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and others to withdraw. That same month, Verckys launched the Union des Musiciens Africains (Union of African Musicians) to encourage solidarity among African musicians and promote intra-continental collaboration.

In February 2006, he participated in a cultural industries forum held in Brazzaville, which was organized by UNESCO and supported by a Danish cultural development agency. The forum sought to build Pan-African cultural networks and encourage South-South cooperation for sustainable development through culture. He resigned from the presidency in October 2006, citing government favoritism toward the Association des Musiciens Congolais (AMC) and expressing frustration that President Kabila had repeatedly engaged AMC representatives while overlooking UMUCO, which he viewed as the legitimate national body representing Congolese musicians. He also criticized the government's neglect of UMUCO, which had received no public funding for nine consecutive years, unlike the state-subsidized AMC. His resignation plunged UMUCO into a period of uncertainty due to the lack of leadership. By 2011, the Kinshasa-based French-language daily La Prospérité reported that Verckys was still regarded by some as president, although he was residing in Europe. During this period, Congolese musician Blaise Bula served as vice president. On 16 July, he was elected president of SOCODA (Société Congolaise des Droits d'Auteurs et des Droits Voisins). However, on 13 November 2019, he resigned after several months of internal crisis. The organization faced significant issues, including financial mismanagement, a failure to distribute royalties for two years, and delayed reforms due to inadequate funding. Although two special commissions were appointed, one to revise the organization's statutes and another to conduct a financial audit, neither commission accomplished meaningful progress.

Personal life and death

Family and relationships Verckys was the father of seventeen children from several relationships. With his childhood beloved and legal wife, Lucie Caroline Bola, whom he married in 1971, he had four children: Solange (born 1965), Rolly (1967), Jean-Yves (1971), and Annie (1973). He also fathered four children with Christine Mireille Simone Ngoie Juster: Nicole (1975), Sylvie (1977), David (1978), and Ancy (1990), the latter of whom was regarded as having inherited her father's musical talent. With Stéphanie Feza, who died in 1998, he had two children: Christian (1981) and Deborah (1996). This decision was met with strong opposition from his children. On 21 April, his thirteen children jointly signed a procuration spéciale (special power of attorney) objecting to the planned marriage, scheduled for 23 April. In the document, they raised concerns about the legality and morality of the union, citing that their father remained married to Lucie Bola and had suffered a stroke that impaired his cognitive capacity to make informed decisions.

In November 2022, Congolese news outlet Dépêche.cd reported that Verckys had four additional children with Séraphine, two sons and two daughters, which brings the total number of his children to seventeen.

Death In November 2007, Le Potentiel reported that Verckys was in poor health and noted his reliance on a walking cane. After the death of fellow musician Madilu System in August 2007, Tabu Ley Rochereau publicly appealed for government assistance on Kiamuangana's behalf, citing his declining condition. Footage from his April 2022 marriage ceremony, which widely circulated on social media, showed him in a visibly weakened state, struggling to walk, avoiding eye contact, and appearing incoherent and unresponsive throughout the nuptial rites. He died on 13 October in Kinshasa at the age of 78, and the funeral was held on 19 December. Before burial, his remains were displayed at the National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the esplanade of the Palais du Peuple. He was laid to rest at the Entre Terre et Ciel cemetery in Kinshasa.

During the official funeral ceremony, President Félix Tshisekedi posthumously awarded him the Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba, and the ceremony was marked by military honors and a gathering of dignitaries, including government ministers, parliamentarians, cultural figures, artists, and members of the general public.

Discography Compilations Verckys & L'Orchestre Veve, Congolese Funk, Afrobeat and Psychedelic Rumba 1969 - 1978 (2014, Analog Africa) Verckys, Edition Veve 1969-1972 (2015, Sterns) Verckys, Edition Veve 1972-1978 (2015, Sterns) Verckys, Edition Veve 1969-1978 (2015, Sterns) Verckys, Edition Veve 1972-1975 (2015, Sterns)

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