Kanda Bongo Man
Sat 11th Oct
African music legend and ‘The King of Soukous’, Kanda Bongo Man returns to The Hawth following last year’s fantastic performance.
Kanda Bongo Man (born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) became the singer for Orchestra Belle Mambo in 1973.His solo career only started to take off after moving to Paris in 1979, where his music started to incorporate elements of then-vibrant zouk music (originating in the French West Indies). His first solo albums, Iyole in 1981 and Djessy in 1982 were massive hits.
He is known for the structural changes he implemented to soukous music. The previous approach was to sing several verses and have one guitar solo at the end of the song. Kanda Bongo Man revolutionised Soukous by encouraging guitar solos after every verse and even sometimes at the beginning of the song. His form of Soukous gave birth to the Kwassa Kwassa dance rhythm where the hips move back and forth while the hands move to follow the hips.
The concert will also feature local artists and groups in a sensational night of entertainment.
Tickets priced at £15 (4 tickets £50) are available from the Box Office where there’s a special offer of four tickets for £32. Call 01293 553636 or go online at www.hawth.co.uk
The concert is part of Black History Month.
Hawthl Website : www.hawth.co.uk
