Franco Luambo

Franco Luambo Makiadi
Born	1938-07-06 Sona-Bata, Belgian Congo
Died	1989-10-12
Instruments	Guitar, Vocals
Roles	Bandleader, Guitarist, Singer, Composer
Groups	OK Jazz

Franco Luambo Makiadi (6 July 1938 – 12 October 1989), known simply as Franco or "Le Grand Maître", was a Congolese guitarist, singer and bandleader, and the towering figure of Congolese rumba. He co-founded OK Jazz in 1956 and led it — as TPOK Jazz — until his death, composing hundreds of songs ranging from dance numbers to sharp social and political commentary. His late hit "Attention na SIDA" (1987) was one of the first African records to confront the AIDS epidemic.