If you were to introduce someone to the highlights of African music, your best bet would be to begin with Orchestra Baobab. Fusing African and Cuban jazz with strong elements of Congolese rhumba, Orchestra Baobab quickly rose to fame in the 70s and continued the spell-binding grip on their fans,...
Tag Archives: Soukous
Congolese music has a storied history and, over the past 40 years or so, Kanda Bongo Man has been right at the centre of it all, developing his sparkling brand of soukous initially with Orchestre Bella-Mambo and then, following a move to Paris at the end of the 70s, his...
If there’s a musician with the essence of soukous, that’s Kanda Bongo Man. Since the early ‘70s, the Congolese artist has helped to revolutionise the Central African style, bringing its popularity out of the African continent and letting people dance to it all over the world. So, it’s always exciting...
Come December, we are all in that greetings mood. So, join us on the 15th of December to say “Happy Birthday” to one of our favourite and liveliest new music spots in London. It was May 2017 when Balabam first opened its doors, but it was late in the year...
For the 16th year running, Joyful Noise will breathe African music deep into London. We don’t usually like to generalize or put different music in the same basket, but one of the best traits of the London African Music Festival is its all-embracing character, highlighting the richness and diversity of...
We know that Notting Hill Carnival is upon us and you only have thoughts about that. But, there’s another exciting community-driven event happening on the same long weekend. On Saturday 25th August, Rich Mix will go fully Congolese with the London Soukous Festival. Organised by ACASN Ent, a non-profit organisation...
The sun is shining as people from all corners of the globe – including artists from six continents and fifty countries – come together for this year’s eclectic celebration of world music and dance culture. Families, friends and couples of all ages erect tents, blow up mattresses and boil water...
Ever wondered what to do in London and when and where to go to listen to some good music? Don’t ask twice, we’re here for you… SOAS Radio opened its doors to us for a brand new episode of Rhythm Passport on Air. “Tune in” by clicking on the player below and...
Eastern African music wouldn’t be the same without Les Mangelepa. The ‘Orchestre’, which originated in East-Congo in the mid-1970s and moved to Nairobi afterwards, helped to shape and give a decisive boost to the Golden Age of Kenyan music, becoming a protagonist of the lingala scene. Their captivating and easily...
Kinshasa’s calling! On Thursday, Haile Music and Rich Mix will host a quintessential Congolese music night, presenting Kongo Dia Ntotila on the Shoreditch venue’s stage. The London-based band, formed by Kinshasa-born Mulele Matondo (vocals and bass) and David Lessie (drums), plus British John Kelly (guitar), Will Scott and Mike Soper (trumpets),...
