Nguashi N'timbo

"Nguashi N'Timbo's name may not be a household name but if you happen to come across his music you may be left wondering why you never discovered it earlier.

Nguashi made his debut in Lubumbashi in the Baba Gaston Band and was playing with them for many years. Arriving in Kinshasa he started Orchestre Sentima and sang alongside Sam Mangwana, notably on "Tangua." By 1977 he was releasing songs in Nairobi with his Orchestre Festival du Zaire, which also featured Kadima, Zele Kabamba and Starzo ya Estha." [1] His Nairobi releases, credited also to Orchestre Sentima and Orchestre Top Forum, were released on his own label Ntimbo.

For three years, from 1979 to 1981, he was a singer with OK Jazz. He recorded more singles, released in Kinshasa as well as in Nairobi, e.g. "Zala Serieuse", Lembi", "Manguta", "Nzanzi" and "Bolingo ya sens unique", some of whom later appeared on his Musicanova LP. "Shauri Yako" became his biggest hit in East Africa, recorded by himself as well as by Orchestra Super Mazembe and by Mbilia Bel. An LP with the same title Shauri Yako, released in Kenya, was a compilation of his new hit with some of his early Nairobi recordings. In 1982 he recorded again in Kinshasa with members of OK Jazz, among them Ntesa Dalienst and Madilu System the songs "Mboya" and "Osala Ngai Nini".