Music from DR Congo – Nico Kasanda

Nico Kasanda, born in 1939 in Belgian Congo, was a pioneer of soukous music. He’s also known as Docteur Nico. In the young age of 14, he started playing in the group ‘Le Grand Kallé et l’African Jazz’ and became an influential guitarist, as a  meeting with Jimi Hendrix shows. He already died in 1985 in Belgium. Listen to his piece “Zadio”:

Music from DR Congo – Le Grand Kalle

Joseph Kabasele Tshamala (1930 – 1983), popularly known as Le Grand Kalle, was a Congolese singer and bandleader, considered the father of modern Congolese music. He began his career by founding the seminal African Rumba band Grand Kalle & l’African Jazz, the most popular early band on the scene, whose personnel at various times included guitarist Dr Nico Kasanda, saxophonist Manu Dibango and singers Tabu Ley Rochereau, Sam Mangwana and Pepe Kalle. Here is the song “Independance Cha Cha “

Music from DR Congo – Rochereau

Tabu Ley Rochereau (born 1940) is a musician from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is the leader of Orchestre Afrisa International and one of Africa’s most influential vocalists and prolific songwriters. Along with guitarist Dr Nico Kasanda, Tabu Ley pioneered soukous; he internationalised his music by fusing elements of Congolese folk music with Cuban, Caribbean, and Latin American rumba. Here is the song “Mokolo Nakokufa”