Katuta, Alfredo Mos to spark Rhumba enthusiasm
In an effort to celebrate one of the most influential genres of African music and dance, locally based legendary Congolese guitarist, Kapenda Katuta, will perform alongside Ngwasuma Stars and legendary local Rhumba artist Alfredo Mos tomorrow at the Alliance Française Gaborone.
This music concert is part of a series of activities for the week hosted by the Alliance Française Gaborone in celebration of the international week of Francophone.
This Francophone week is celebrated every year and provides an opportunity for French speakers around the world to celebrate the French language in all its diversity.
“I have been associated with this celebration because of the amount of quality gigs I have done. I come on stage with more live performers usually 10 musicians at the maximum. This time the occasion demands a Rhumba live band. So I m bringing along three dancers on stage as well,” Katuta told Arts & Culture in an interview.
Katuta plays rhythm, lead and bass guitars but he specialises in lead guitar when he is on stage. “Im a versatile artist performing so many types of music. However on this show I am geared on Rhumba mode.
Celebrating Rhumba as UNESCO heritage is a testimony of how African beats are at the centre of the music in the world,” he further indicated.
Katuta who has an 11-song instrumental album recorded live at Protea Hotel in the CBD added that Rhumba has been played or performed consistently and Congolese musicians have associated the need to add fashion to that element of culture, which has become a culture in the music industry. “Rhumba performers just dress smartly on the stage,” he said. He confirmed that legendary local Rhumba king, Alfredo Mos will be his guest of honour.
“Why I picked Alfredo Mos as my guest of honor? It is because the genesis of Rhumba music in Botswana is incomplete without mentioning his name. He is a legend and a role model,” highlighted Katuta.
The guitarist, who came to Botswana at the invitation of another legendary Kwasa-Kwasa musician, Jeff Matheatau some years ago, is expected to thrill Rhumba fans and push for the deserved recognition of the musical genre and dance often referred to as the soundtrack of Congolese history used for both celebration and mourning. Late last year, UNESCO added Congolese Rhumba to its intangible heritage list sparking enthusiasm among music and dance fans in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of the Congo as well as across Africa.