14/06/2026
Kassim Mponda, known to fans as "De la Chance," was one of those rare musicians who could pick up almost any instrument and change a band's sound. Born in Tabora in 1945, he was a master of both the heavy bass lines and the intricate solo guitar work that ran Tanzanian Muziki wa Dansi. He first learned the ropes with Tabora Jazz before being hired away by Dar es Salaam's Western Jazz in the early 60s, quickly making a name for himself in the city’s live music scene. Over the next few decades, Mponda anchored the country's biggest bands, keeping time for top orchestras like Juwata Jazz and Mlimani Park. In the 1990s, he joined Shikamoo Jazz, a group made up of veteran players. While touring Europe with them, he even switched over to the keyboards on stage to make room for guest Congolese guitarist Mose Fan Fan. By the time he passed away in June 2002, Mponda had spent forty years playing a direct role in creating the sound of East African rhumba.
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