Staff Benda Bilili

The Congolese super-band, Staff Benda Bilili come to Town Hall following their electrifying UK debut in 2009.

One of the hottest African acts on the scene right now, their name translates to ‘look beyond appearances’. The mesmerising rumba-rooted grooves, overlaid with vibrant vocals, are sometimes reminiscent of Cuban swing, at other times of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

The band’s core members are street-musicians, who live in the grounds of Kinshasa Zoo in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are backed by a younger rhythm section pounding out tight beats. Over the top of this are infectious guitar-like solos, performed by a 17 year-old prodigy on a one-string electric lute, which he designed and built himself – out of a tin can.

The band triumphed at Cannes Film Festival with a full-length documentary film about themselves, Benda Bilili! The film shows their journey from the sidewalks of Kinshasa to the stages of large European concert halls and festivals, and features performances of many songs from their popular album Très Très Fort. Watch the trailer here.

Benda Bilili rocks Union Chapel!

‘In the crowd, jaws drop, as well they should in the presence of such an extraordinary band.’ ***** The Guardian

‘Pure adrenaline from start to finish.’ Rock ‘N’ Reel

‘Staff Benda Bilili say they are ‘the best handicapped band in Africa’. Scratch out the word ‘handicapped’ and you’re not far from the truth.’ The Guardian

Tall, superbly poised and elegant, with an iridescent smile, Fatoumata Diawara draws elements of jazz and funk into an exquisitely sparse contemporary folk sound – refracting the rocking rhythms and plaintive melodies of her ancestral Wassoulou tradition through an instinctive pop sensibility. At the centre of the music is Fatou’s warm, affecting voice, spare, rhythmical guitar playing and gorgeously melodic songs that draw powerfully on her own often troubled experience.

‘The new Malian star’ The Guardian