Faà di Bruno, Giovanni Matteo [Horatio, Orazio] 83

Franco [Makiadi, Franco Luambo]

(b Sona Bata, Bas-Zaïre region, Belgian Congo [now the Democratic Republic of the Congo], 6 June 1938; d Belgium, 12 Oct 1989). Congolese guitarist, singer and composer. Known as the ‘Sorcerer of the Guitar’, Franco made his first professional recording at the age of 14. When only 18 he formed the studio band Orchestre Kinois Jazz, a group which would later became known as the OK Jazz. Franco and the OK Jazz were fortunate to land European recording contracts in the 1960s, and their efforts introduced a more indigenized version of the African-Cuban rumba that was overwhelmingly popular at that time, drawing on Congolese musical materials. These efforts were in part a response to President Mobutu’s authenticité movement. Franco recorded approximately 150 albums and composed roughly 1000 songs. The OK Jazz recording and performing ensemble was large, with up to 40 performers at any one time on the band’s payroll. OK Jazz became one of the most important and most frequently recording bands in Africa.

The music of the OK Jazz is primarily social dance music, although Franco often used his songs to project commentary and criticism of contemporary Zaïrean society. This tradition continued in one of his last recordings, with Sam Mangwana, the song Attention na Sida (‘Beware of AIDS’), released in 1987, that used traditional Central African rhythms to communicate AIDS awareness. Franco was presented with his country’s Grand Order of the Leopard, and later was awarded the title Grand Maître.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

and other resources

L.L. Kelaka: ‘A batons rompus avec Luambo Makiadi’, Lokole, xxix (1987), 33

L.L. Kelaka: ‘Luambo et le Tout Puissant OK Jazz: trente ans de rythmes trépidants’, Lokole, xxix (1987), 27–31

G. Ewens: ‘Passing of the Sorcerer’, West Africa, no.3766 (1989), 1760

G. Ewens: ‘Heart of Danceness’, World Music: the Rough Guide (London, 1992), 313–23

G. Stewart: ‘Toujours O.K.: Franco and l’Orchestre O.K. Jazz’, Breakout: Profiles in African Rhythm (Chicago, 1992), 26–33

G. Ewens: Congo Colossus: the Life and Legacy of Franco and OK Jazz (North Walsham, 1994)

recordings

Franco et le Tout Puissant O.K. Jazz, Sonodisc CD 8461 (1989)

Somo! Heritage de Franco Luambo, Tamaris CD 91006 (1991)

Franco et l’OK Jazz (Mujos, Simaro et Kwamy): 1960, 1961, 1962, Sonodisc CD 36511 (1992)

Franco et l’OK Jazz: 1970, 1971, 1972, Sonodisc CD 36514 (1992)

Franco et TP OK Jazz: 1967, 1968, Sonodisc CD 36518 (1992)

Franco, Vicky et l’OK Jazz: 1963, 1965, 1966, Sonodisc CD 36521 (1992)

Franco et l’OK Jazz, Sonodisc CD 36522 (1992)

Humanité, Sonodisc CD 61404 (1992)

Franco, Sam Mangwana et le T.P. OK Jazz, Sonodisc CDS 6860 (1994)

African Cavalcade: the Glory Days of African Music, RetroAfric RETRO11CD (1996)

GREGORY F. BARZ

Franco, Enrique

(b Madrid, 2 March 1920). Spanish critic, pianist and composer. At the Madrid Conservatory he studied the piano with Luis Galve and composition with Rogelio del Villar and Conrado del Campo. In 1952 he took over the music section of the Madrid daily Arriba and was appointed head of music programmes of the Spanish National Radio, where he has been particularly successful. He founded the National RO (1953–5), the precursor of the present Spanish Radio and Television SO, which he was instrumental in founding in 1965; he also established the National Radio Choir (later the Spanish Radio and Television Choir), the Cuarteto Clásico of Spanish Broadcasting (1952) and the Barcelona City Orchestra (1967). In 1976 he became director of the music section of the Madrid daily El pais.

Although he began his career as a composer, writing many songs and some film music, Franco has achieved most recognition as a highly sensitive piano accompanist, and is considered the leading critic of his generation in Spain. He is noted for his support of new Spanish composers: in 1957 he was one of the promoters of the New Music Group of Madrid. His radio series such as ‘Spanish Music Weeks’ have had considerable influence, and he initiated a system of musical commissions from outstanding composers in various styles. In 1971 he became vice-president of the Albéniz Foundation.

WRITINGS

Música y músicos en la Radio Española (Madrid, 1954)

La música en los Estados Unidos (Madrid, 1955)

La gran aventura de Atlántida (Milan, 1961)

Verdi y el Don Alvaro del Duque de Rivas (Parma, 1963)

Manuel de Falla (Madrid, 1965)

Diez años de intérpretes catalanes (Barcelona, 1971)

‘La suite Iberia de Albéniz’, NRMI, vii (1973), 51–74

Xavier Montsalvatge (Madrid, 1975)

Cartas de Falla (Madrid, 1976)

Manuel de Falla y su obra (Madrid, 1976)

with M. Orozco: Casa Museo de Manuel de Falla (Granada, 1980)

Falla y su mundo (Madrid, 1986)

Historia musical de ‘El amor brujo’ (Madrid, 1986)

‘Oscar Esplá’, Cuadernos de música y teatro, i (1987), 21–43

‘El Rey Arturo en la corte de Madrid’, Rubinstein y Espana, ed. P. O’Shea (Madrid, 1987), 23–39

ed.: Imagenes de Isaac Albéniz (Mardrid, 1988) [incl. reprs. of articles and excerpts from Albéniz’s 1880 travel diary]

‘Rogelio del Villar, íntimo y lejano (notas en su centenario)’, Cuadernos de música y teatro, ii (1988), 23–48

‘Manuela Penella, entre España y América’, Cuadernos de música y teatro, iii (1989), 73–89

ed.: Imagenes de la música iberioamericana: edicion especial quinto centenario (Santander, 1992)

Memoria de la Orquesta Nacional de España: 50 aniversario (Madrid, 1992)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

M. Valls: La música española después de Manuel de Falla (Madrid, 1962)

T. Marco: Música española de vanguardia (Madrid, 1970)

A. Fernández-Cid: La música española en el siglo XX (Madrid, 1973)

TOMÁS MARCO