LEARN MORE ABOUT CONGOLESE MUSIC

The music of the Congo has its roots in the African Rain forest. As the Congolese culture developed, forest peoples took the music from the jungles to the savanna.

The contemporary Congolese music of today is a fusion of these traditional ritual musical styles and the social music of the village. As time passed, the music was transformed within the cities. Contemporary instruments such as guitar, base and saxophone were incorporated along with modern musical traditions into the Congolese sound. Modern Congolese music (called Sekous) is the base upon which all popular music of Africa draws. Congolese music came to the United States via the slave trade. Later Congolese Americans were also very influential on western music, such as Jazz legend Louis "Satchamo" Armstrong.