Konono Nº1 is a musical group from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly known as Zaire). They combine three electric likembé (a traditional lamellaphone similar to the mbira) with voices, dancers, and percussion instruments that are made out of items salvaged from a junkyard. The group's amplification equipment is equally rudimentary, including a microphone carved out of wood fitted with a magnet from an automobile alternator. Read Full BioKonono Nº1 is a musical group from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly known as Zaire). They combine three electric likembé (a traditional lamellaphone similar to the mbira) with voices, dancers, and percussion instruments that are made out of items salvaged from a junkyard. The group's amplification equipment is equally rudimentary, including a microphone carved out of wood fitted with a magnet from an automobile alternator.
The group was formed by Mingiedi Mawangu, a likembé player and truck driver who passed away in April 2015 at the age of 85. Dates for the group's formation vary: Crammed Discs, who released Konono Nº1's Congotronics album in 2005, places the group's formation around 1980. However, in November 1978, an ensemble called Orchestre Tout Puissant Likembe Konono Nº1 (All-Powerful Likembe Konono Nº1 Orchestra) recorded one track, "Mungua-Muanga", for the compilation album Zaire: Musiques Urbaines a Kinshasa, and according to the group itself Mingiedi Mawangu formed the band in the 1960s.
Their typically Congolese repetitive beats, together with their DIY approach resulting in an (initially unintentional) distorted sound called Congotronics, has brought the group some renown in North America and Europe. They have toured both continents, documented by the 2007 album Live at Couleur Cafe.
Konono Nº1 collaborated with Björk on her 2007 album, Volta and the Dutch rock band The Ex has covered one of their songs.
Band leader Augustin Mawangu Mingiedi passed away in October 2017. His role of lead likembe player has now been passed to the 3rd generation, to Augustin's son Makonda, who is fronting the band with original singer Menga Waku.
The group was formed by Mingiedi Mawangu, a likembé player and truck driver who passed away in April 2015 at the age of 85. Dates for the group's formation vary: Crammed Discs, who released Konono Nº1's Congotronics album in 2005, places the group's formation around 1980. However, in November 1978, an ensemble called Orchestre Tout Puissant Likembe Konono Nº1 (All-Powerful Likembe Konono Nº1 Orchestra) recorded one track, "Mungua-Muanga", for the compilation album Zaire: Musiques Urbaines a Kinshasa, and according to the group itself Mingiedi Mawangu formed the band in the 1960s.
Their typically Congolese repetitive beats, together with their DIY approach resulting in an (initially unintentional) distorted sound called Congotronics, has brought the group some renown in North America and Europe. They have toured both continents, documented by the 2007 album Live at Couleur Cafe.
Konono Nº1 collaborated with Björk on her 2007 album, Volta and the Dutch rock band The Ex has covered one of their songs.
Band leader Augustin Mawangu Mingiedi passed away in October 2017. His role of lead likembe player has now been passed to the 3rd generation, to Augustin's son Makonda, who is fronting the band with original singer Menga Waku.
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Lufuala Ndonga
Konono Nº1 Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics can frequently be found in the comments below, by filtering for lyric videos or browsing the comments in the different videos below.
Lisi bigmama
I was very young when the band came in my family house to play when I lost my grand mother... 20 years after, here I am far from home, but the moment my aunt sent me a video, I jumped out my bed I started dancing... I asked my husband to film me so that I can send tmy dancing video to my family members...... I. Must said, it bought us together again... They laughed a lot. One cannot change the histoire.. Its in the blood.... Thank you KONONO N:1 FOR THE LOVELY SOUVENIR.... KU NDAMBA TUKUANDA... EHHH KINSATU.... 👏🏿🙏🏿🥂🍾🤣💃🏿💃🏿💃🏿💃🏿🍷🥂🥂😭
M W
What an incredible story,,wow!!! To me it sounds that you was given a big big treasur at early agee!!!Not one of gold and diamonds...no a much bigger one....namely a treasure of eternal happiness!!! I like to imagine and it makes me smile... imagining all newborns in this world are raised with this music!!!
Iger Kamińska
Fantastic stuff, cheers from Poland guys :)
Joao Baptista
I live in Poland 😒😒 in Łódź
AFRO KONGO NEWS TV Officiel
This is amazing music i just moved all over my body.
Christina McGrath
Love the versatility of the instruments, the upbeatness of it, congotronic up my life
Nick Ralph
Love it! Nice editing and style!! Awesome music!!
Tom Murray
Incredible music, Congotronics blew my mind
Deb
Me too, still listening after 17 years. Love it!
tricklessmagic
oh yes! this hits the spot!!! WOOOOOW