Interview: Jupiter & Okwess

Born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, but also having spent a portion of his youth in East Berlin during the ’70s, Jupiter Bokondji grew up in two incredibly distinct cultural landscapes with diverse music scenes. He soaked it all in like a sponge, embracing everything from the intergalactic disco funk of Boney M and French vocal pop, to the vast expanse of traditional music from his homeland, setting the foundation for an artist with one of the most otherworldly sounds in modern recorded music.

Teaming up with his band Okwess (meaning “nourishment”), Jupiter’s vibrant afro-funk rock is a revolutionary force, infused with an infectious resolve to overcome adversity. Within the electrifying jams of recent album Na Kozonga, the lanky frontman sings (in a multitude of languages and dialects) of the many traumas he’s witnessed, never once sounding like a defeated soul. 

Adventurous music lovers in Asheville would be wise to take advantage of the rare opportunity to catch Jupiter & Okwess at The Grey Eagle on Wednesday, June 28. There’s a good reason why the group has attracted such collaborators as Damon Albarn, Ana Tijoux, and Robert del Naja (3D of Massive Attack). 

Conversing through an interpreter via email, Jupiter spoke with Asheville Stages about what it means to share his musical vision with the world. 

Jonny Leather: I know you’ve performed in Asheville at least one other time. Do you have any specific memories from your previous visit?

Jupiter Bokondji: Yes, we remember playing Black Mountain at the LEAF Festival in 2018. On that day we had a storm. There was a lot of wind and the tent was moving a lot. We also remember visiting the family of the guitarist of the band. 

JL: In the U.S., what little news we hear about Kinshasa — and DRC in general — is usually very tragic and sad. But the vitality and vibrancy of music by yourself, and others like Kasai All Stars, helps to provide a more complex human perspective. Does it feel like you’re representing The Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially when touring in North America? 

JB: We are conscious that we represent the country in a different way from the news about problems due to extraction of minerals of the country, and we are proud to show in America that not only minerals, but also rich cultures and music, don’t bring tragedy but cure spirits. 

JL: As someone who’s toured all over the world, it must be interesting to witness how different cultures respond to and engage with your music. When performing, do you adjust your sets based on what songs you expect will appeal the most to a specific audience?

JB: Because we have the same ancestors and we are working from the sounds of our human roots, everybody, in all the countries, dances and reacts positively to this sound because it’s ours we have all in common. 

JL: As someone who spent part of your youth in Germany, did Berlin’s experimental music scene of the ’70s and ’80s impact your own creative impulses?

JB: I was too young in Germany to go out and listen to the experimental scene, but I was listening to the radio, and in my home we got music on vinyl disc. So it was not the specific experimental scene of Berlin, but more the music played in the occidental world.

JL: I really enjoy your new song, “Mobulu Te.” It appears to have some Latin American influences. Are there any particular Latin artists who you cite as an influence?

JB: I don’t see an exact Latin influence in our music, but now after a few years traveling around Latin America, we understand that a lot of rhythm and roots in Latin America come from Africa. And we are close. I didn’t listen to Latin music before, but now we are discovering some artists from there. 

JL: On each recording, you push your musical boundaries further. How will your next album expand upon what you did on Na Kozonga?

JB: We continue our work based on rhythms of all ethnicities from RDC, but we love to share with all people we meet over the world and the next is more in the direction of Latin America.

IF YOU GO

Who: Jupiter & Okwess
When: Wednesday, June 28, 8 p.m.
Where: The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., thegreyeagle.com
Tickets: $22

(Photo by Marcelo Quiñones)