Diblo Dibala

All Music Guide:

A virtuosic approach to the guitar has made Diblo Dibala one of the top instrumentalists of modern African music. Dibala's '80s recordings with soukous vocalist Kanda Bongo Man made him an internationally recognized star. While his band, Loketo, featuring vocalist Aurlus Mabele, failed to match the success of his collaboration with Bongo Man, Dibala rebounded with a new group, Matchatcha. A native of Kisangani, Congo (now Zaire), Dibala moved at the age of six to Kinshasa. Beginning to play guitar at the age of 12, he quickly advanced on the instrument. Within three years he was playing well enough to almost beat Zaire's top guitarist, Franco, in a competition. Franco was so impressed by his playing that Dibala was invited to join his group, the T.P.O.K. 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. Dibala's playing on the album soon made him a much in-demand session player. Although he assembled his own group, Loketo, Dibala's laid-back personality clashed with the band's lead vocalist, Aurlus Mabele.

In the aftermath of Loketo's 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 have subsequently undergone a series of personnel changes. 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, and conga player Serge Bimangou was added. Although continuing to experience personnel changes through the years, Matchatcha under the leadership of Diblo Dibala continued playing their infectious and energetic brand of soukous into the 21st century.

Wikipedia:

Diblo Dibala, often known simply as Diblo, is a Congolese soukous musician, known as "Machine Gun" for his speed and skill on the guitar. He was born in 1954 in Kisangani. He moved to Kinshasa as a child, and aged 15 won a talent competition which led to him playing guitar in Franco's 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, in which band he first played with Kanda Bongo Man.

In 1979, he moved to Brussels, and in 1981 he joined Kanda Bongo Man's band in Paris. Their first album, Iyole (1981), was a success. Diblo became a sought after session guitarist, working with Pepe Kalle and many other soukous musicians.

In the mid 1980s, he formed his own band, Loketo (meaning 'hips'), with singer Aurlus Mabele. A few years later, that band broke up, and in 1990 he formed a new group, Matchatcha, which is still active after a number of personnel changes.