Kongo Riche EP (2019)

This project began as part of a university assignment to produce a short film on the concept of ‘transformation of a space’. Esteban and I filmed a Congolese street musician in Germany who goes by the stage name - Patcho Star. At the end of the assignment, we realised the exploitative nature of this methodology. We aspired to create a collaborative project that created a body of work for Patcho and ourselves. As a result, Patcho Star’s first German EP was released in mid-2019.

The project was realised with Esteban Calderón.

The project was supported by Akademie der Kunste der Welt.

Music is my life!

As a child, I started playing music on the streets until an old musician heard me and brought me into his band, where I could play the drums. In Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, I have worked mainly as a drummer and songwriter for well-known artists and bands like Pepe Kalle, Viva la Musica, Zaiko Langa Langa and Papa Wemba; during my long musical career, I have had the opportunity of recording more than 40 albums. After my escape in 1995, I incorporated several instruments like marimba, congas, djembe, guitar, likembe, lokole, singing, and dance in my musical performances.

In Germany, I have formed four bands; Africadelic, To Ningana Jazz, Brakka Mu Jazz, and Munganga. The most important musicians have remained in the last three bands.