The pioneering Afrisa International was founded in 1959 by a talented Zairean musician. Tabu Ley Rochereau, born Tabu Ley, is one of Africa’s most prominent vocalists and prolific songwriters. Rochereau, who made his professional debut in 1954 as a member Joseph “Grand Kalle” Kabasele’s band African Jazz, has written over two thousand songs. Rochereau and his Orchestre Afrisa International band, which he founded in 1970, have played a significant role in the transition from Congolese, Cuban and Caribbean rumba towards faster-paced soukous. Describing the musical approach of Rochereau and Orchestre Afrisa International, Wired World.3: The Global Netcast (http://www.hotwired.lycos.com) wrote, the group’s “high-octane soukous continues to move audiences all over the world by weaving together elements of Zairean folk music such as the lokole (log drum), the soul and drive of R
