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Kadima TSHIBANGU, the founder and leader of Rumbafrica, is the pioneer of soukous music in the New England area. Kadima has stunning stage presence and has been singing , playing guitar and writing songs since he was a youngster in Kinshasa, Zaïre. He is dedicated to promoting soukous music to an ever wider audience.

Soukous is a propulsive, guitar-driven style of dance music, the most popular in Africa. RUMBAFRICA is composed of a mix of African, American and Caribbean musicians, under the able direction of songwriter and lead vocalist, Kadima, and, as Elijah Wald of the Globe put it, "they put on a fine, jumping show..."

Musicians in the group include bass-player Issa SALL from Senegal, guitarists Roderic CAMELIA and Mark TORGERSON, drummer Andreas BRADE from Germany, keyboardist and singer Ignance RYANGOMA from Rwanda, master percussionist and African drummer Ricardo GUITY, guitarist Devon HENNIS from the Virgin Islands, keyboardist Andrew DORSET from Antigua, saxophonist Carolyne HASS, and dancer-singer Wendy BEVINS. Their self-titled debut album has received excellent reviews and good airplay.

In a Boston Phoenix article, Banning Eyre describes a RUMBAFRICA show as incorporating "the sweet vocal harmonies and lilting dance rhythms of classic Zairian rumba&endash;an adaptation of Cuban son&endash;as well as the cranking. non-stop beat of Modern Soukous. Guitar theatrics, percussion breakdowns and traditional dancing are all a part of RUMBAFRICA's stage show. You don't have to know anything about African music to love RUMBAFRICA. When something is hot, you just surrender, and dance SOUKOUS the night away."

RUMBAFRICA has won increasing recognition and an ever-greater following in the Greater Boston area. After successive nominations in the BOSTON PHOENIX/WFNX BEST MUSIC POLL in the World Beat and International Act categories, RUMBAFRICA was awarded first place in the BOSTON MUSIC AWARDS as the Outstanding Ethnic/International Act. They are set to tour in the near future.

Kadima describes the lyrics of his songs as an evocation of family values, honesty, love of one another and the joy of sharing. Whether you understand Lingala and French or not, the music conveys the group's obvious joie de vivre. Enjoy!

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