WINDHOEK
The Kalabar went African last night with Tulonga Wahengo, the second eldest of three musical of the Wahengo with Jacques Mushaandja following next Thursday in this regular Thursday night musical slot at the Hilton Hotel.
Tulonga, a guitarist and singer, shared the stage Gaspar Makasi Mule on guitar, ‘Mutshopa Rocket’ on drums and José Monteiro on bass delivering soothing shambo, touches of reggae combined with mesmerising Congolese rhythms and guitar riffs. Born in Zambia, Tulonga spend his early youth in the Angolan refugee camps. Together with his elder brother, Setson, he returned to Namibia in the early 1990s. Setson and Tulonga formed the Mighty Dreads. By 2000 and following their CD release, Kula Humone, the Mighty Dreads became the most popular reggae group of the period and toured country wide in Namibia. Later the brothers went different ways, musically. Tulonga formed the Formula Band and produced two CD’s – Shambo Rock in 2006 and now Meloafrica. Meloafrica later was recorded in 2014 and is to be launched in August this year.
Jacques is a rare multi-talent. He writes and produces theatre plays, composes and performs music, writes regular newspaper articles on the status of arts in Namibia and is currently in the process of studying for a master’s degree in performance studies and theatre history. His music centres on stiles from all corners of Namibia. He breathes new life into ancient and not so ancient traditional songs, including the chants of cattle herders and warriors. Jacques is currently hard at work producing his second CD, following the release of his first CD, Black Bantu Child, two years ago. He too will offer patrons some insight into what is to be expected from that new release.