Born in the Prison District of Kinshasa, trained in the Kongo tradition and by veterans of the Bakolo Music International, disciples of the great Wendo Kolosoy, father of Congolese rumba, Jocelyn Balu created Balu & Borumba and is now emerging as his heir. His melodies, his realistic and surreal songs, and his explosive style are a reflection of the many facets of the vibrant city of Congo, where music is both an urgent need and a way of life.
While remaining faithful to the pioneers of the 1940s and 1970s, he enthusiastically revisits the golden age of Rumba Kongo by playing with musical genres, from traditional Rumba to Afrobeat, Afro Jazz and Rumba Rock.
Rumba becomes a UNESCO intanglible heritage in 2021.
Frank Tenaille, Author of « Le Swing du caméléon, musiques africaines 1950-2000″ Ed Actes Sud
“Rumba flows in his veins like Primus in the maquis of Kinshasa. His melodies, his realistic and surrealistic songs, his high-spirited style, all reflect the facets of a vibrant city on the shores of the Congo, where music is both an emergency and a way of life. The spiritual son of the great Papa Bikunda Nzoku Moko Buélé, the ‘last baobab’ of the Bakolo Music group. Heir of the great Wendo Kolosoy, who etched his first hit, ‘Marie Louise’, in wax in 1948, Jocelyn Balu is surprisingly faithful to this sensual, seductive ‘cavacha’ rumba, which, after being the soundtrack of independence, has continued to set the world grooving.”
ALBUM 2025 TBA
EUROPE TOUR // Available all year
WORLWIDE BOOKING
Workshop - Singing Masterclass
JOCELYN BALU - Lead vocals, Guitar
DAMIEN HILAIRE - Drums, Choir
BENJAMIN ETUR - Bass, Choir
DAMIEN BIANCIOTTO - Guitar, Choir
PAULO MAYINDU - Percussions, Choir
ORPHÉE BROULARD - Front sound engineer
