Afropop Worldwide

Raymond Lema A'nsi Nzinga was born in a train on March 30th 1946 in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). On her way to the neighbouring village of Kary (today Lufu Toto), his mother, who lived in Lukala, gave birth in the station - for a son of a station master, there was nothing out of the ordinary about this. During his childhood, he had no direct contact with music. In 1957, aged 11, he entered the small seminary of Mikondo in Kinshasa with the intention of becoming a priest. But very soon, music lessons revealed a gift for the piano. His music reading ability was remarkable: he could read the most complex pieces effortlessly. The young boy discovered music through Mozart, Bach and Gregorian chants, through Western culture and traditions very different from his own. For several years, he was designated official organist at mass. His teachers were so impressed with him one of them even gave him a piano…and religious vocation quickly became a musical one.

For more bio information, go to RFI Musique. Read more on Ray Lema...