Niwel Tsumbu with Loah, Feather, Manden Express and Ensemble Ériu are RiZA

Niwel Tsumbu is a Congolese guitarist who is frequently heard and seen beside and behind others. For his new project, RiZA, the artist draws on his strong musical family for a debut album due in October with songs written in a Congolese tongue Lingala based on his personal revelation that his 14 year-old son isn’t biologically his relation.

Rather than fall into darkness, Tsumbu created music with joy, the first bit which you can hear in the above video by Ivan Cummins, a sparkling acoustic folk song ‘Kabembe’ with an almost tropical disco feel to it. He is joined by Feather, Loah, Paddy Groenland (Ensemble Ériu, Manden Express), Feather and Eamonn Cagney (of Treelan) on his own music.

RiZA play Africa Day on Sunday.

Niall Byrne

Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.

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