Bango (music)
Bango is a music style created and made popular at the East African Coast by Joseph Ngala. It fuses traditional Portuguese music genres, Arabic influenced taarab music, jazz and music genres of local coastal Bantu languages. It resembles easy listening music styles of Latin america such as bossa nova and music styles of many Indian Ocean Islands such as Seychelles and Mauritius. Joseph Ngala (also known by stage name "Mzee Ngala") is a renowned Kenyan Bango musician who comes from Freretown, Mombasa,[1] and also the founder of the genre. He performed in the past with famous groups such as the Hodi Boys and was also founder and band leader of the 60s and 70s group Bahari Boys. In the band, he was their main composer and inspiration. In fact, Mzee Ngala's song "Bango" is the originator of the name Bango. The resilience of the name, Bango, is testament to the genre created by Mzee Ngala.
Other notable Bango artists who have copied his style include Uyoga Band (formerly "Them Mushrooms"), Teusi 5, Bango Sounds etc. Mzee Ngala still actively performs his music during events like the bi-annual Coast Night held in Nairobi and also in events all over the Coast province like Jamboree Club. Many, though not all, Bango songs are written and performed for and during weddings. Such hits include "Jimmy na Anne" (written for Ngala's wedding to Anna), "Billy na Susan", "Kombe na Dogo" and the "David na Vera".