Franco and Afro Musica
Encyclopedia
Franco and Afro Musica is a twelve piece Gabane
an kwasa kwasa
band founded by Frank "Franco" Lesokwane.As is the norm in the Rhumba circles for artists to go by more than one names, Lesokwane also goes by a plethora of names like Stango, Lepako and Chakala. After playing and providing vocals for other leading Kwasa kwasa bands in Botswana
, Franco, together with Tanzania
n born lead guitarist, Shabani Mwanasande Yohana, formed the band and started touring the country. They recruited other rhumba experts and recorded their first album, Ke lela le lona, which loosely translates to I am crying with you.Other members of Afro Musica are Joseph Masamba(bass guitar), Kumakili Kusere(bass and rhythm guitars), Samurai Ngingo(lead guitar)
After Ke lela le lona the band has produced relatively successful albums annually. The band released their most popular single Tshutshumakala (a tswana
proverb for a train), which won them their first Botswana Music Union (BOMU) Award.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2FTu4T6Zgk This is a song about how much they fear the train. The songs are usually about very controversial issues in the society like witchcraft, promiscuity and death. They tend to write material that is very personal and in each album, the band has at least one song that tells a story about a certain village in Botswana, which has earned them a good following. The band has won several awards, including the BOMU "best kwasa kwasa album of the year" two years in a row. ).However in his first ever music video for his new album "Mmamane Robala", Lesokwane, does not feature his back-up band or dancers, especially in interviews and behind the scene footage and he is unapologetic about it. "I gave them publicity on my cassette and CDs, what more do people want. I have written about those guys on my album sleeves. " I do not think it was so important to feature them in the video," said Franco, when asked why the band did not receive the same exposure he gave himself in the video. "We did not see it necessary to do so. People will talk as they always do, but it is up to the management to decide these things. Maybe Afro Musica will appear in the next video.
In April 2005, the band supported Koffi Olomide
in his African tour. Koffi was coated as saying
Gabane
Gabane is a village in Kweneng District of Botswana. It is located 15 km west of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. The population was 10,399 in 2001 census, making it the fourth largest settlement in Kweneng....
an kwasa kwasa
Kwassa kwassa
Kwassa kwassa is a dance rhythm from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that started in the 1970s where the hips move back and forth while the hands move to follow the hips. It was very popular in Africa in the late 1980s. The words kwassa kwassa may have come from the French quoi ça?...
band founded by Frank "Franco" Lesokwane.As is the norm in the Rhumba circles for artists to go by more than one names, Lesokwane also goes by a plethora of names like Stango, Lepako and Chakala. After playing and providing vocals for other leading Kwasa kwasa bands in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, Franco, together with Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n born lead guitarist, Shabani Mwanasande Yohana, formed the band and started touring the country. They recruited other rhumba experts and recorded their first album, Ke lela le lona, which loosely translates to I am crying with you.Other members of Afro Musica are Joseph Masamba(bass guitar), Kumakili Kusere(bass and rhythm guitars), Samurai Ngingo(lead guitar)
After Ke lela le lona the band has produced relatively successful albums annually. The band released their most popular single Tshutshumakala (a tswana
Tswana language
Tswana or Setswana is a language spoken in Southern Africa by about 4.5 million people. It is a Bantu language belonging to the Niger–Congo language family within the Sotho languages branch of Zone S , and is closely related to the Northern- and Southern Sotho languages, as well as the Kgalagadi...
proverb for a train), which won them their first Botswana Music Union (BOMU) Award.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2FTu4T6Zgk This is a song about how much they fear the train. The songs are usually about very controversial issues in the society like witchcraft, promiscuity and death. They tend to write material that is very personal and in each album, the band has at least one song that tells a story about a certain village in Botswana, which has earned them a good following. The band has won several awards, including the BOMU "best kwasa kwasa album of the year" two years in a row. ).However in his first ever music video for his new album "Mmamane Robala", Lesokwane, does not feature his back-up band or dancers, especially in interviews and behind the scene footage and he is unapologetic about it. "I gave them publicity on my cassette and CDs, what more do people want. I have written about those guys on my album sleeves. " I do not think it was so important to feature them in the video," said Franco, when asked why the band did not receive the same exposure he gave himself in the video. "We did not see it necessary to do so. People will talk as they always do, but it is up to the management to decide these things. Maybe Afro Musica will appear in the next video.
In April 2005, the band supported Koffi Olomide
Koffi Olomide
Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, also known as Koffi Olomide , is a DR Congolese soukous singer, dancer, producer, and composer. He is also known by a multitude of other names and aliases.-Background:...
in his African tour. Koffi was coated as saying
Discography
- Ke lela le lona
- Ba ntatola
- Robala Nnana
- O nyala leng
- Mmamane Robala
- Khutsanyana
- Spekere
- Koti Koti
- Baesekele
- sephiri se dule