AGENCIES, France: The deadly coronavirus is chipping away gradually at the population of the world and the latest to join their ranks is African jazz legend Manu Dibango.
The 86-year-old multi-instrumentalist passed away in France, as confirmed by his management team on Tuesday. They took to his official Facebook page to confirm his death.
The post read, “Dear family, dear friends, dear fans, A voice raises from far away… It is with deep sadness that we announce you the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, who passed away on 24th of March 2020, at 86 years old, further to covid 19. His funeral service will be held in strict privacy, and a tribute to his memory will be organized when possible. (sic)”
Dibango was most comfortable playing the saxophone and was even more to be based out of his home country, Cameroon. A pioneer of blending African rhythms into jazz compositions which would result in a unique sound, Dibango gave Africa a much larger space on the world music map.
Best known for his 1972 single Soul Makossa, the legend fused the styles of jazz, funk and traditional Cameroonian music. He collaborated with the likes of giants like pianist Herbie Hancock and Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.
