04 Jul 2021

Having been a back guitarist for over thirty established artistes locally, legendary Congolese lead guitarist Katuta Kapenda has come out of cocoon to release a captivating 11-tracked Afro fused Jazz offering dubbed Live at Masa Square Hotel.  

His fine-tuned album shows  the experience Kapenda acquired over the years.

In the aftermath of the fading popularity of Kwasa Kwasa music genre, the sensational guitarist developed a keen interest in Jazz music.

As a lead guitarist to a number of top groups in Kwasa-Kwasa music Kapenda is recognised as one of the central shaping factors of this type of rhumba music which became popular in the late 90s but faded into oblivion.

Some of the songs that moved him up the list of lead guitarists are Odirile ‘Vee’ Sento’s popular kwaito-kwasa hit, Letlhale lea tsamaya. Kapenda was also instrumental in arranging Eskimos’ Mpulele hit amongst others.

He has worked with Wizards of the Desert’s  of Tla o je phokoje fame and Chris Manto7 of Zwaka pressa.

Kapenda crossed lines and tried other genres and worked with Afro disco artistes such as Unik Attractions, Dvyne, Lilly, Mr Tagg, Ashley Gops, and Suggie Fisher amongst others.

He has also been in studio with some reputable names in the afro jazz scene amongst them Ndingo Johwa, Punah Gabasiane, the late Malombo Mmereki and with Lister Boleseng in the popular album, Life’s a journey.

“I wanted something really cool and that could appeal to everyone.

I discovered that jazz was at the center of everything. Batswana are a jazz nation. Jazz is the root of all music and every country has its own form of jazz interpretation,” he said in an interview Friday.

All the songs in his new offering were played live during his live jazz sessions at the then Masa Square Hotel in the plush CBD precinct in Gaborone.

Perhaps worth noting is track four titled A12 road.

The A12 road is the road that links the capital city Gaborone with the country’s biggest traditional village Molepolole.

Molepolole has now become Kapenda’s second home after his native Congo.

“When I first arrived in Botswana from Zambia my first stop over was Molepolole on my way to Thebephatshwa to meet Jeff Matheatau who was in the army then and based in Mapharangwane. When he left the army Molepolole became our base.

We played and rehearsed at the Village Gate, a popular night spot then and we also held some gigs at Mafenyatlala hotel,” he added.

Kapenda said he found Molepolole peaceful and welcoming.

He finally decided to reside there and almost two decades later, he is regarded as part of a family at Goo Rrankane ward.

“Where I’m renting the old woman there welcomed me as a tenant and later accepted me as a child.

Even on her death bed she told her biological children to accept me as their brother. I’m now part of the family,” he said.

It was this association Kapenda had with Molepolole that resulted  in the penning of the traditional instrument infused A12 road.

He added nice nylon chords to give the song a perfect Spanish tint.

Other notable songs are Chovwe, an afro jazz mpaqanga beat, there is also Tuku flavor, a dedication to the late Zimbabwean afro jazz legend Oliver Mtukudzi.

Tuku as Mtukudzi was fondly known visited Botswana and his last performance here he shared the stage with Kapenda.

“We talked a lot about what we can work on in future. Sadly he passed on and in this song I wanted to immortalise him,” he said.

Other songs worth listening to are Moyawe, God is Good, Lumanga, Bosanova Katanga and Sandoa.

Kapenda went into the studio and with the assistance of another veteran guitarist and music producer Alfred Mosimanegape of Les Afrika Sounds fame put together this jazz infusion.

He applauded Mosimanegape for his mastery in editing and reprogramming some of the songs from his earlier performances.  ENDS