Papa Noel is one of the greats of African music and a guitarist of exceptional talent. His collaboration with the Cuban masters gave birth to the Bana Congo cross-border project, which was nominated for both the MOBO and the BBC Radio 3 Planet Awards.
Papa Noel’s Bana Congo, was launched at Womad in 2002, and was followed by a highly successful tour in Europe.
Papa Noel returned in 2007 with another cross border collaboration in which he brought African and Cuban rumba into the 21st Century, reuniting their creative energies and celebrating their common heritage in a set of songs spiced by the Cuban tres of Coto and the saxophone of Cameroonian maestro Manu Dibango.
His 2007 album, Café Noir, was recorded in Havana, Paris, London and the Congo. The rhythms of Café Noir are an eclectic mix of rumba, son, merengue zoukous and soukous son.
Dance, dance, dance to the gloriously rich music of “Café Noir”, performed by this extraordinary 11 piece band, featuring 3 female vocalists/dancers, 3 guitarists, 2 trumpet players, Latin percussion and bass!
“A profoundly moving experience”.- The Times
“Spell-binding performance”. – Songlines
“A Stunner” - Folk Roots.
* African 
