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Staff Benda Bilili

June 2015

  • Mbongwana Star (l to r) Farrell, Randy Makana Kalambayi, Theo, R9, Coco and Sage.

    Mbongwana Star: breaking out of Kinshasa

    On their brilliant debut album From Kinshasa, two former members of Staff Benda Bilili have teamed up with Irish producer Liam Farrell to create a heady mix of frantic rhythms, psychedelia and weaving soukous guitar lines that rip up any preconceptions of Congolese music

May 2015

  • Mbongwana Star

    Alexis Petridis's album of the week
    Mbongwana Star: From Kinshasa review – thrillingly wrong-footing Congolese music

    The western producer of this bustling new project from former members of Staff Benda Bilili eschews the respectful approach to African music – and it’s all the better for it

July 2014

  • Staff Benda Bilili

    Staff Benda Bilili review – slicker and more attacking than ever

    Back with a new lineup, this extraordinary Kinshasa band were on impressive form, writes Robin Denselow

February 2013

  • 63rd Annual Cannes Film Festival - 'Benda Bilili' Photo Call

    Staff Benda Bilili: where did it all go so wrong?

    The Congolese band went from sleeping rough on the streets of Kinshasa to global fame – then imploded. Andy Morgan tells a story of cultural misunderstanding that ended in bitter financial acrimony

July 2012

  • BT River Of Music 2012: Africa Stage - Day 1

    BT River of Music, Africa and Americas stages – review

  • Staff Benda Bilili who headline the Africa Stage of the BT River of Music festival

    Staff Benda Bilili top the bill at pre-Olympics free festival

May 2012

  • He is #1: Malawi Mouse Boys – review

    Gentle charm oozes from this African vocal troupe, writes Neil Spencer

March 2011

  • Benda Bilili film still

    The Guardian Film Show
    Film Weekly podcast: Benda Bilili! and Adam Deacon

    We meet the producers of a documentary about a band of Congolese buskers and the star and director of Anuvahood

February 2011

  • Staff Benda Bilili

    From street to screen: the story of Staff Benda Bilili

    Staff Benda Bilili's remarkable story is coming to UK cinemas. Robin Denselow talks to the men who made it all happen.

September 2010

  • P-Square

    African music the actual African diaspora likes

    What is Britain's African disapora listening to? Surprise: it's not what we call world music. Jane Cornwell finds out what gets the expats jumping

23 July 2010

  • Paul Morley's showing off ...
    ... Staff Benda Bilili

  • Ricki Likabu and fellow members of Staff Benda Bilili in Kinshasa

    Paul Morley's showing off ...
    World music

  • Paul Morley's showing off ...
    Paul Morley's Showing Off: Staff Benda Bilili

  • Paul Morley's showing off ...
    Paul Morley's Showing Off: Staff Benda Bilili perform Moziki

June 2010

  • Staff Benda Bilili at Glastonbury

    Staff Benda Bilili at Glastonbury 2010

    This band of disabled musicians and former street children from the Congo serve up sizzling soukous and frenetic funk

November 2009

  • Staff Benda Bilili

    Staff Benda Bilili

  • Staff Benda Bilili

    From Kinshasa to your town: the incredible rise of Staff Benda Bilili

April 2009

  • Staff Benda Bilili

    New band of the week
    Staff Benda Bilili (No 530)

    If you're only going to buy one album by a gang of paraplegic Congolese funk veterans this year, this should be it

March 2009

  • Staff Benda Bilili: Tres Tres Fort

  • World review: Staff Benda Bilili, Très Très Fort

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