The style of music called soukous — or, Congolese rumba — has been around since the mid-20th Century, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, some version of the band known as Orchestre Afrisa has been knocking around since that time. A cousin of high life or makossa and what would eventually morph into Afrobeat, soukous is both deeply, infectiously pleasing, but it’s also married to the modern history of the Congo basin. It’s powerful stuff, and rarely seen playing live in this part of the world. So it’s a massive treat that the current version of Afrisa — Orchestra Afrisa International featuring Mbilia Bel — will be playing their first US gig since the 1990s at Johnny Brenda’s.
Tickets here.