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Adrian Buono

Afro Fiesta

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Biography

Afro Fiesta members Mermans Mosengo and Jason Tamba both left the Democratic Republic of the Congo more than fifteen years ago in search of a better life. Mosengo moved to South Africa in 1998, spending a year as a drummer and bassist with the Young Bakuba Band before going solo and eventually meeting Jason Tamba. A self-taught musician who later earned a degree in classical guitar, Tamba also traveled to South Africa in search of greater opportunity, where he soon met Mosengo and formed Afro Fiesta.

From the beginning, Afro Fiesta has embraced a powerful vision: using music to educate and inspire audiences to find solutions both for their native Congo and for all of humanity. Its first album, the self-titled Afro Fiesta, released in 2005, is full of songs that are a fusion of eclectic styles including Afro-jazz, kwasa-kwasa, makossa, and hints of Latin music.

With Afro Fiesta’s latest album Music is My Ammunition, its first recorded with Playing For Change, they have crafted a reggae rumba roots album with music and messages from deep in the heart of Africa. Music is My Ammunition features Detroit bass legend Reggie McBride as well as Jamaican brothers Courtney “Bam” Diedrick on drums and Sean “Pow” Diedrick on keyboards (both perform in Damian Marley’s band). The result is an album that crisscrosses Africa to blend diverse influences of roots reggae, makossa, and Congolese rumba.

Music is My Ammunition is produced by Playing For Change, a movement created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. As members of the Playing For Change Band since its inception, Afro Fiesta has performed more than 400 concerts in over 25 countries, including being one of the first to perform in Argentina’s DirectTV Arena, a tour in Brazil headlining for an audience of 35,000, and a tour in Australia as the opening act for Robert Plant. The can also be seen in many Playing For Change videos including “The Weight” along with Robbie Robertson and Ringo Starr, “Biko” along with Peter Gabriel, “War/No More Trouble” along with Bono and “One Love” along with Manu Chao. Earning a reputation as innovators, Afro Fiesta has performed at numerous music festivals including Jazz on the Rocks, SXSW Music Festival, OBZ Festival, Light Festival and Africa Day Celebrations.

Learn more about Afro Fiesta in their cover feature with Irie Magazine.

Buy Music is My Ammunition

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PFC Videos Featuring Afro Fiesta
Bring It On Home To Me | Shemekia Copeland & Afro Fiesta | Mark’s Park

Jul 07, 2021

Mark’s Park EP3: Blues Night featuring Shemekia Copeland

Stop That Train | Afro Fiesta feat. Twanguero & I-Taweh | Mark’s Park

May 24, 2021

Mado | Afro Fiesta | Mark’s Park

May 06, 2021

Mark’s Park EP1: Rumba Night featuring Afro Fiesta

Iko Iko | Song Around The World

Apr 30, 2021

Iko Iko | Song Around The World (members only version)

Apr 06, 2021

Biko | Song Around The World

Feb 13, 2021

Biko | Song Around The World (members only version)

Feb 09, 2021

Redemption Song | Ziggy Marley| PFC Band Live

Oct 13, 2020

Me Pierdo | PFC Band Live in Brazil

Oct 09, 2020

Three Little Birds | Afro Fiesta & Twanguero

Sep 22, 2020

PFC Band Live in Brazil | Full Concert

Apr 10, 2020

The Weight | Song Around The World

Sep 05, 2019

Congo to the Mississippi | Song Around The World

Sep 05, 2018

Natural Mystic/Just a Little Bit | Song Around The World

May 31, 2018

Biko | PFC Band Live in New York

Aug 16, 2017

Stuck On You | Live Outside

Jun 15, 2017

Duppy Conqueror | Afro Fiesta

Jan 12, 2017

Young People (Live) | Afro Fiesta

Dec 28, 2016

With Afro Fiesta in Cape Town, South Africa | Documentary

Apr 18, 2016

Ona | Afro Fiesta

Apr 06, 2016

Prisoner (Live) | Afro Fiesta

Sep 01, 2015

Back to Your Roots | PFC Band Live in Vancouver

Jun 10, 2010

Nda | Jason Tamba

Mar 03, 2010

Equal Rights | Afro Fiesta | Live Outside

Jan 18, 2010

War/No More Trouble | Song Around The World

Apr 23, 2009

One Love | Song Around The World

Feb 05, 2009

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