Joseph 'Le Grand Kallé' Kabasele

Joseph Athanase Tshamala Kabasele (16 December 1930 in Matadi, Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) - 11 February 1983 in Paris, France), popularly known as Le Grand Kallé, was a Congolese singer and bandleader, considered the father of modern Congolese music. He is best known for his role as leader of the band, Le Grand Kallé et l'African Jazz, in which capacity he was involved in a number of noted songs, including the legendary pan-African anthem Indépendance Cha Cha. In 1960, he established his own label, Surboum African Jazz, which was home to Franco Luambo's TPOK Jazz. Grand Kallé was responsible for striking deals with European record labels to ensure high quality recordings of his band's music for the Francophone market. Grand Kallé and musicians Roger Izeidi, Vicky Longomba, Armand Brazzos, PIerre Elengesa, Nico Kasanda and Mwamba Dechaud, were the dream team Congolese musical delegation that accompanied the Congo's politicians at the "Round Table Conference" in Brussels in 1960, where the Congolese independence was negotiated. His band African Jazz recorded several songs on political themes, notably "Indépendance Cha Cha" and "Table Ronde".