02/11/2022
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ (๐ต๐๐ ๐ ๐บ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ก)
Another TPOK JAZZ Pillar is ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐.
Thi virtuoso ๐ต๐๐ ๐ ๐บ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ก whose full name is ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ข ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐, was born in Kinshasa on September 1, 1941.
Deca Mpudi is mostly known as the man who served as the primary bass guitarist for TPOK Jazz for almost 20 years. For ardent rumba fans, they also remember him as the man who played the woman's voice in the song ๐๐๐ข๐ค๐ช. But he was also a good composer of songs and occasionally displayed his vocal skills to the songs he composed.
His music career started in in 1960 with a band called ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ ๐
๐๐ฏ๐ฏ which was led by "๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฑ" ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐. With this group he toured Zimbabwe and South Africa for a long time, until 1970.
In 1970, he joined the ๐ง๐ฃ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ. He was recruited along with another bassist ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฒ๐จ. Decca took over the ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ role from ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ whom Franco had dismissed from OK Jazz for recording an album outside OK Jazz. From that point on he cemented his place as the bands pre-eminent bassist. Though there were other bassists in the band like ๐
๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ข.
He is credited with bringing new life and color to modern rumba; for having "revolutionized the Odemba style". This is how he was nicknamed ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
In 1974 he composed a song called ๐ฝ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐. A love song in which a man expresses love for a woman (Balenge) and promises to continue loving her despite all the problems in their relationship and despite the fact that many people are opposed to their relationship.
The refrain goes:
๐โ ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ก๐
๐โ ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐
Oh Balenge I will never leave you
Oh Balenge I will marry you
In 1976 he composed a song called ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ which remains one of the most memorable TPOK Jazz songs from that era. ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ features prominently on vocals. However amid superb interplay between the string section and the horn section. And as expected, Decca provides a virtuoso performace. The song was later released under a different name ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฎ ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ featuring the sound effects of a live crowd. The refrain goes:
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐โ,
๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ถโ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐,
๐ต๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐โ,
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐,
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐
I am losing weight due to my worries,
I don't know which bottle I should use to tie my husband,
Dear elder siblings, I would like to see,
The way people are gossiping about my marriage,
So I can hear well,
๐ฝ๐๐ก๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ฬ๐ง๐ was the first song that Decca's vocal skills were displayed on which he composed. Interestingly the song is sung mostly in French.
And it is not in the classic TPOK Jazz style of Rumba Odemba. The style is closer to a Latin American style. Belle Mere in this case refers to a mother in-law. It is a song in which a person implores the spouse to respect the mother in-law who happens to be the mother of the subject.
In 1983 Franco released the classic hit ๐๐ช ๐๐ค๐๐จ which later became popularly known as ๐๐๐ข๐ค๐ช. It was a song about a woman who lives in Europe while her husband is presumably in Kinshasa. The Husband calls twice a day to talk to his unfaithful wife. Decca sung the part of the woman, amazingly in woman's voice, showing another of his talents. The hilarity of the subject matter as well as Decca's comical voice offen left audiences in stitches.
"๐ด๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข,
๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐,
๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐โ,
๐ด๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐,
๐น๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ข ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐,
๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐,
๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
"Hello, father of my children, we are all fine
except your children are not easy to handle
especially the younger boy who looks like you He really surprises me
heh has broken the plate on which your photograph was printed This young boy is really turbulent
Exactly as you were in your childhood as your mother told me
The father of my children, I do not have more to tell you today except you should remember to send us money for food"
Still Decca's way of thundering electric bass is most prominent in the classic hit ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ composed by Franco makes him unforgettable. It is a song in which Franco tells his mother that the witchdoctors who killed her son (๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐) are also plotting to kill his other son (Franco). Decca's bass guitar drives the rhythm and lends an air of ominousness to the song. The song is sung in the Kintandu language which is the mother tongue of Franco's mother and also Decca's mother tongue. Kintandu is among the many languages in the Kikongo dialect continuum.
Decca then added his own composition to the next TPOK Jazz album. The name of the album was ๐'๐ผ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ๐ช๐ which featured the popular hit ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ค๐จ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ. Decca's song was on Face B and was called ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐. The opening verse which prominently features the voice of Ntesa Dalienst is sung in Lingala. While the second verse is sung in Kintandu. Decca was featured on the album cover along with other guitarists: ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ and ๐
๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐จ.
The refrain goes;
๐๐๐๐ ๐โ, ๐๐๐๐ ๐โ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐,
๐๐๐๐ ๐โ, ๐๐๐๐ ๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐,
(Oh dear I am losing weight because of love
Oh dear I gave my heart to someone who doesn't love me)
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ, ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐,
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
(I am becoming thin o. Look how I am losing weight
I am becoming thin o. My eyes are teary as I cry about the marriage)
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐๐, ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐,
๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
(I ask myself if I have a place in your heart
Ndaya you have removed my ability to love)
๐โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐โ,
๐โ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ถโ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐)
(I got married and the marriage was riven with problems
I am waiting for my love and aging rapidly)
In 1989, after the death of Franco, TPOK Jazz lived on for five more years under the leadership of ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐. Decca was still the primary bass guitarist of the band. During this period he composed a song called "๐๐ค๐ก๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ช - ๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ ๐". The song was released as part of the album "๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ค". Decca himself provided vocals.
In 1994, TPOK Jazz folded following a disagreement between band members and the members of Franco's family. As a result, a new band called ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ was formed. The band was led by ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐จ with the help of ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ค๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ค๐ฎ๐ญ๐ and ๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ. Decca also joined Bana OK in his customary role as bass guitarist. He remained in Bana OK until 1998.
Then it was 1998 during the European tour when some musicians revolted against the leaders of Bana OK. They formed a new group based in Belgium under the leadership of Decca. The new group was called ๐ข.๐. ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐ผ ๐ฌ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ป. The musicians who joined this new band included ๐๐จ๐ค๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ, ๐๐ฎ๐ค๐จ๐ค๐ข ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ, ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ ๐๐๐ฑ, ๐
๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ฅ๐ and ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐. They were joined by some former musicians of TPOK JAZZ who were living in Brussels including ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐, ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ, and other artists from elsewhere such as ๐.๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ, ๐๐จ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐๐๐จ and ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข.
๐ข๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น had two albums to their credit: "๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ" and " 20 ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ค". The band played in all kinds of events, including festivals, and private events: weddings, baptisms and more.
On July the 4th of 2006 ๐๐๐๐๐ kicked off the bucket in Brussels. Following Decca's death, OK International orchestra was now led by a board of directors with Lokombe Ntal as leader of the board, Diatho Lukoki, production manager, Iblo Sax for public relations and coordination, Thierry for programs and Fayila for Social.
๐ด๐จ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐บ ๐บ๐ถ๐ผ๐ณ ๐น๐ฌ๐บ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ท๐ฌ๐จ๐ช๐ฌ
๐เผ๏ธ๐เผ๏ธ๐
เผ๏ธโ๏ธเผ๏ธโ๏ธเผ๏ธโ๏ธเผ๏ธโ๏ธ
Rumba lingala hot hit zone
