Wabiro

From the Lomaxes right through to Awesome Tapes from Africa, ethnomusicologists have generally followed a particular pattern: intrepid white explorers uncovering untapped seams of black creativity in out of the way places, often with scant regard for the heritage and meaning of the music or the personal circumstances of the artists themselves.

Enter veteran guitarist/ producer Fiston Lusambo, a true Congolese sapeur and one of the most stylish men you are ever likely to meet. Born in Kinshasha in 1958, Fiston started playing professionally at the age of 15, cutting his teeth with Congolese legends like Papa Wemba and Kanda Bongo Man before moving to Kenya in 1991, where he joined Samba Mapangala’s Orchestra Virunga. Rapidly making himself indispensable, he travelled to Japan and Europe before eventually settling in London’s vibrant Ladbroke Grove (home of the Notting Hill Carnival), where he has lived since the late 90s. While continuing to represent his Congolese heritage as the leader of long-running Congolese group Zong Zing All Stars, his open ears and interest in music production have seen him collaborate with luminaries including Grace Jones, Hot Chip and pioneering UK afro-electronic group Afriquoi, of which he is a founding member.