On Friday, September 22nd, 1989, Franco gave his final performance in De Melkweg (The Milky Way) in Amsterdam. As soon as he had entered the building, which was well before the audience was allowed in, it was clear that he was much sicker and weaker than the previous time he had performed there (
B.S.K. (Franco) - Franco & le T.P. O.K. Jazz 19-1-1989, Amsterdam - YouTube ) and our hopes of his recovery were smashed to smithereens.
Later that evening, the concert had been going on for what seemed like ages, an hour, maybe an hour and a half, before Franco even entered the stage.
Master of ceremonies: Saxophone player Isaac Musekiwa (who had been with Franco since 1957 and would die only three months or so after Franco), can be seen in the first two pictures on the far left.
Franco had to be helped walking across the stage. Then, he was helped onto a chair on the stage.
The song to be performed was Chacun Pour Soi, composed by Josky Kiambukuta (who was not present).
As soon as he started touching the strings of his guitar, the hairs in my neck stood right up. He was too sick to play, really.
During the first part of the song and during his vocal solo, Franco was still on his chair. Then, when he started what was supposed to become his guitar solo, he tried to stand up, between
6:26 and
6:41 into the clip. Two band members had to hold him up, keep him from collapsing. In the interview he refers to this, he had felt obliged to stand up, but he just couldn't do it anymore.
After this, he was escorted off the stage, leaving the orchestra and the audience in total disorientation. I can hardly imagine there was a dry eye in the house by then.
A short interview was done by Boune Zouboye, right after this, which can be heard at the end of the clip.
A little while later, "manager" Manzenza (on the left in the picture here:
Fuala Nbombu Ngulu Kadia (Fuala) - Franco & L'O.K. Jazz 1963 - YouTube ) escorted Franco out of the building, to the Mercedez waiting there, to be driven back to Belgium. At this time, the orchestra was still on the stage.
20 Days after this gig, on Thursday, October 12th, 1989, L'Okanga Lwa Ndjo Pene Luambo Makiadi died, aged 51, in a hospital in Namur, Belgium.
Ton Verhees was the one who had the strength to take these historic pictures. However, Ton took more pictures before the actual (very short performance), than during it. So some of the pictures you see after the song, were actually taken before it, including the one during the interview.
The recording was made by WorldSrv
(
WorldSrv's Channel - YouTube )
worldservice: Twenty years ago
...