The Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango died at 86 from a coronavirus infection, his family announced Tuesday.
« Dear parents, dear friends, dear fans… It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, on March 24 2020 at the age of 86 from COVID-19,” reads the message from his family.
The contamination of this Afro-jazz legend had been announced on his Facebook page on March 18. The news was initially intended to be reassuring.
The 86-year-old Cameroonian artist, who arrived in France (in Marseilles) as a teenager in 1949, was still on tour last year to mark the 60th anniversary of his career, with his “Symphonic Safari,” a mix of jazz and classical music.
“The funeral will take place in strict family intimacy and a tribute will be paid to him later on as soon as possible,” the family said in a statement.
FCEB/cgd/lb/Dng/APA