{"id":146459,"date":"2024-12-01T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/?p=146459"},"modified":"2024-11-25T14:07:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T22:07:19","slug":"nylon-string-virtuoso-niwel-tsumbu-blends-congolese-roots-with-global-sounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/nylon-string-virtuoso-niwel-tsumbu-blends-congolese-roots-with-global-sounds\/","title":{"rendered":"Nylon-String Virtuoso Niwel Tsumbu Blends Congolese Roots with Global Sounds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Niwel Tsumbu\u2019s latest release, Milimo<\/em>, is several things: a feast of fascinating flavors, a passionate mission statement, a showcase for deftly executed polyrhythms, and a snapshot of ancient and modern approaches to acoustic guitar. At its heart, however, it\u2019s a solo album by a Congolese virtuoso who lives in Ireland and plays like someone who doesn\u2019t think in genres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tsumbu grew up in the capital city of Kinshasa, where he played for a year and a half (\u201cjust long enough to not develop bad habits,\u201d he says) before meeting his mentor Crispin Ngoy, who imparted the importance of inclusive listening and proper technique. Classical music on the radio, imported Western records, and the sounds of Congolese pop\u2019s golden age\u2014six-string heroes like Rigo Star and Maika Munan, as well as legendary bands like OK Jazz and L\u2019Orchestre Afrisa International with iconic guitarists Franco Luambo Makiadi and Tabu Ley Rochereau\u2014all left deep impressions. Tsumbu says music school was \u201ctoo slow\u201d for him, but local musicians steeped in older, indigenous traditions gave him plenty to digest. (Tsumbu, an articulate and enthusiastic teacher, shares these lessons through courses in fingerstyle, African ensemble, and Congolese guitar at worldmusicmethod.com.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a 2004 trip to Ireland to visit a friend, he met his wife and stayed, setting down roots that have led to his most consistent collaboration, with percussionist \u00c9amonn Cagney, and a varied discography that includes Uh! \u00c9 Za Nzela Molayi<\/em> (2006), Song of the Nations<\/a><\/em> (2009), S\u2019All Vibration<\/em> (2011), and Art of the Duo<\/em> (2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milimo<\/a><\/em>, recorded at Peter Gabriel\u2019s Real World Studios, manages to be both barebones and full bodied, featuring 13 brief pieces. The album opens with \u201cRubato,\u201d which brings to mind a devilishly bouncing ball before Tsumbu evokes flamenco on his Taylor 312ce-N with D\u2019Addario normal-tension Pro-Art\u00e9 nylons. Paper under the strings brings a joyfully African harp flavor to the title track. Three etudes pack lots of information into their short span, conjuring influences that include Bach and Steve Reich, whose \u201cElectric Counterpoint\u201d Tsumbu once performed in front of the composer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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