Ndombe Opetum

Career

Ndombe Opetum was the lead vocalist for Afrisa International, prior to joining TPOK Jazz, in the mid 1970s, after Sam Mangwana had left the band. Contemporary band members at the time included vocalists: Wuta Mayi, Michel Boyibanda, Josky Kiambukuta and Youlou Mabiala, and rhythm guitarist Simaro Lutumba and solo guitarist Franco himself. Ndombe Opetum is credited with composing the following songs for the band, among others:

Voyage na Bandundu

Mawe

Mabe Yo Mabe – in 1977

Coupe du Monde – in 1979

Youyou – in 1980

Nayebi Ndenge Bakolela Ngai – in 1982

Angela – in 1989

Tawaba – in 1989

Following the death of Franco in 1989, TPOK Jazz continued to play together for four years.

Simarro would take care of the musicians and the family would take care of the lawyers, record labels and other technical stakeholders.

The musicians would share 70% of receipts, while the Franco family would keep 30% of all receipts. However, differences developed between the musicians and the Franco family and the band split up in December 1993.

Ndombe Opetum, together with Simaro Lutumba, Josky Kiambukuta and about thirty former Oklahoma Jazz members. Pepe Ndombe Opetum died of cardiac arrest on May 24, 2012, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the time of his death, his age was reported as 68 years old.

Achievements

• He came over to OKJazz with horn player Empopo Loway, and he stayed with the band until it split up in December 1993, four years after the death of founder François Luambo Makiadi.

Membership

He was once a member of the seminal soukous band TPOK Jazz which dominated the Congolese music scene from the 1960s through the 1980s. He was also a founding member of the band Bana Oklahoma in January 1994 and was a member of the band up until his death in May 2012.