Diblo Dibala

by Craig HarrisA virtuosic approach to the guitar has made Diblo Dibala one of the top instrumentalists of modern African music. Dibalas 1980s recordings with soukous vocalist Kanda Bongo Man made him an internationally-recognized star. While his band, Loketo, featuring vocalist Aurul Mabele, failed to match the success of his collaboration with Bongo Man, Dibala has rebounded with a new group, Matchatcha. A native of Kisangani, Congo (now Zaire), Dibala moved at the age of six to Kinshasha. Beginning to play guitar, at the age of twelve, he quickly advanced on the instrument. Within three years, he was playing well enough to almost beat Zaires top guitarist, Franco, in a competition. Franco was so impressed by his playing that Dibala was invited to join his group, The TPOK Band. Dibala remained with the group for only a short period, going on to play with Vox Africa, Orchestra Bella Mambo and Bella Bella. Leaving Zaire in 1979, Dibala temporarily settled in Brussels. Two years later, he continued on to Paris, where he discovered a thriving soukous scene. Hooking up with Kanda Bongo Man, he played a major role in the success of the 1981 album, Iyole. Dibalas playing on the album soon made him a much in-demand session player. Although he assembled his own group, Loketo, Dibalas laid-back personality clashed with the bands lead vocalist, Aurlus Mabele. In the aftermath of Loketos disbanding, Dibala formed a new group, Matchatcha. Named after a flower that produces an itch, Matchatcha featured ex-Loketo members Freddy de Majunga on rhythm guitar, Miguel Yamba on bass and dancers Antoinette Yelessa and Joella Esso. The band was enlarged with the addition of drummer Komba Bello Mafwala and vocalists Fede Lawu and Otis Mbute. Matchatcha has undergone a series of personnel changes with only Yelessa and Esso remaining from the original band. Majunga and Lawu were replaced, in 1992, by French rhythm guitarist J.P. Kinzaki and vocalists Dely Mpeletu and David Mondo. Yamba was replaced, later the same year, by bass player Fellyko, who was subsequently replaced by Djo Mali in 1994. Conga player Serge Bimangou has been added.