Jordi Urpi

THE DAY KINSHASA STOPPED SINGING On October 12, 1989, Kinshasa was hit by heartbreaking news: Franco Luambo Makiadi, the legendary voice and guitar genius of OK Jazz, had died at just 51. For four days, Zaire mourned. Radios fell silent from their usual rhythms and filled the air with Franco’s slower, emotional songs. Millions took to the streets to bid farewell to the man they called “Le Sorcier de la Guitare”, The Sorcerer of the Guitar. Franco was more than a musician. From 1956, he became the backbone of OK Jazz, using music to speak about love, family, money, society and even politics. His songs were advice, stories, warnings and comfort, making him, in many ways, the unofficial voice of the nation. More than three decades later, his music still lives on across Africa and beyond. The Sorcerer’s guitar may have gone quiet, but the spell never broke. As we mark 37 years since his passing, let’s remember the Grand Master through his music. ❤️🎸