Souzy Kasseya

b. July 1949, Kasseya, Shaba Province, Zaire. A leading light of the mid-80s, Paris-based soukous scene, guitarist and songwriter Kasseya began his career in the Zairean capital, Kinshasa, in the early 70s, as a session musician for vocalists like Sam Mangwana and M'Pongo Love. He also produced releases by Bebe Manga and François Lougha. After moving to Paris in the late 70s, he released his first album, Princesse Gyonne, in 1979. This included the track ‘Le Telephone Sonne', which as a single went on to become a massive hit in France and throughout central Africa. It was also...