Vincent Kenis


Vincent Kenis is a Belgian musician and record producer. He was a member of the avant-garde group Aksak Maboul and of The Honeymoon Killers, an experimental rock band. As a musician, he also collaborated with Congolese artists such as OK Jazz's Franco Luambo Makiadi and Papa Wemba.
Closely associated with Belgian label Crammed Discs since its inception, both as an in-house producer and an A&R, he co-produced the seminal album by Zazou Bikaye, one of the first albums which blended electronic and African music. He produced the first album by a cappella band Zap Mama, and several albums by Balkan Gypsy bands Taraf de Haïdouks and Kocani Orkestar, while also being involved in the sonic design of many Crammed releases, including albums by Tuxedomoon, Cibelle, Zuco 103, as well as the label's purely electronic output during the 1990s.
He has compiled an anthology of early Congolese rumba.
Since 2004, Vincent Kenis has developed the Congotronics series, which popularized electro-traditional music from the suburbs of Kinshasa. He "re-discovered" Konono N°1, whom he encouraged to reform and record again. The resulting albums have earned the band worldwide recognition, as well as a BBC World Music Award and a nomination for a Grammy Award.
Vincent Kenis' recent productions include an album by Malian Tuareg band Tartit, the multi-artist Congotronics 2 CD/DVD, featuring other Congotronics-style bands such as Kisanzi Kongo, Masanka Sankayi, Basokin, Konono N°1 and Kasai Allstars, the debut album by Kasai Allstars, Très Très Fort and Bouger le monde, the two albums by Kinshasa band Staff Benda Bilili, The Karindula Sessions, the latest albums by Kasai Allstars, Beware The Fetish and Around Félicité, by Taraf de Haidouks, Of Lovers, Gamblers and Parachute Skirts, and by Konono N°1, Konono N°1 Meets Batida.