Manu Dibango the 86-year-old saxophonist who is considered to be one of the foremost pioneers of Afro-jazz is dead.
On Tuesday, 24, March, the family of the singer announced his death from the deadly coronavirus.
“Dear parents, dear friends, dear fans, a voice rises in the distance … It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Manu Dibango, our ‘Papy Groove’, which occurred on March 24, 2020, at the age 86-year-old Covid-19 ”, it read in part.
Also according to his music publisher Thierry Durepair, he died early this morning in a hospital in the Paris region.
The Cameroonian musician was admitted to hospital in France for a different disease and that’s where he contracted the virus, his close friends confirmed.
The fuse jazz artiste called on his fans to respect his privacy, saying he can't wait to meet his fans again soon.
"He kindly asks to respect his privacy. He can't wait to meet you again soon, and in these troubled times we all go through, wants you to take very good care of yourselves, “a statement on his Facebook page said.
Dibango is Cameroon's, and perhaps Africa's, best-known jazz saxophonist who is best known for his 1972 single "Soul Makossa".
Starting in the 1950s, he became a globe-trotting musician, living and performing in France, Belgium, Jamaica, Zaire, and Cote d'Ivoire, as well as in Cameroon.
He was also best known for his musical style fusing jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian sounds.
"His funeral service will be held in strict privacy, and a tribute to his memory will be organized when possible," the message said.
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