“We lived in the same neighborhood in Poto-Poto, he at rue Batékés at number 89, me at rue Makoua at number 98. Both were students at the Catholic high school called Joseph-Chaminade. Both were lovers of music, so good music. » It is with these words that Jean-Pierre Ngombé begins his evocation.
Indeed, it all began in 1956, when Charles Bala (little brother of Vital Bala, former president of the Congolese Association for Friendship Between Peoples), created an orchestra called “City Negro”, in which he and Pamelo Mounka were members. . Charles Bala plays the flute, Pamelo Mounka sings and Jean-Pierre Ngombé is a tumba drummer. In 1960, the independent Congo acquired a national radio channel. From then on, City Negro, their orchestra created in 1956, changed its name and is now called Jeunesse musicale congolaise (JMC). Abel Malanda alias Typson is the saxophonist of the group, Charles Bala keeps his flute. Pamelo Mounka and Jean-Pierre Ngombé (who now had the nickname Belafonte) were official singers supported by the voice of Jean-Bernard Foundoux alias Ressora who is none other than the one who will be known among the great Congolese footballers by the name of Foundoux Moulélé. The JMC is a success and is discovered everywhere thanks to the Congolese national radio, “Radio Congo”, which records its songs and broadcasts them throughout the world. The godfather of the JMC in this promotion is none other than the program director, Joachim Bitouloulou.
Jean-Pierre Ngombé and his brother and friend Pamelo Mounka did much more than that. In 1962, Jean-Pierre Ngombé created a Scout group at the official school of Poto-Poto and called it Groupe vent qui chante. He personally leads the pack, a group of twenty-four boys and girls, aged 7 to 12 years old. He is “Akela”, the leader of the pack, and Pamelo Mounka is the assistant leader of the pack with the totem of “Baghera” the black panther. « But music hugged us so strongly that we often crossed the Congo River to go to Kinshasa to meet Pascal Tabu alias Rochereau, with in our luggage songs to offer to our idol of whom we were great fanatics.emphasizes Jean-Pierre Ngombe.
However, these crossings between Brazzaville and Kinshasa led Pamelo Mounka to join Tabu Ley Rochereau’s Afrisa orchestra. “We will never end my musical adventures with Pamelo Mounka, of whom we commemorate today, January 14, 2025, the twenty-nine years of his death in Brazzaville, on January 14, 1996. May the Lord grant him His divine mercy . Eternal peace to his soul »concludes Jean-Pierre Ngombé muna Poto-Poto.
Remember that André Bemba-Bingui, known as Pamelo Mounka, is the son of Jules Bingui and Joséphine Loubélo, born on May 10, 1945 in Brazzaville, in the Poto-Poto district where he grew up.
