Biography of Ricardo Lemvo

Ricardo Lemvo a Los Angeles-based salsa, rumba and soukous is a DR Congo-born singer of Angolan descent. His family is from M'banza-Kongo, in northern Angola. A long-time fan of Cuban music and traditional salsa as embodied by Johnny Pacheco, Lemvo moved to the USA at age 15 to pursue his studies. His mixture of languages (Spanish, Lingala, Kikongo, French, Portuguese and English) and his keen sense of rhythm made him a favorite of dancers throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Lemvo has recorded a total of five albums. One of his songs, the Portuguese language ballad São Salvador (from the album of the same name), refers to a prosperous fifteenth-century kingdom that existed in what is now Congo and Angola Lemvo regularly performs songs by Sam Mangwana, another Congolese musician whose family comes from Angola. Lemvo is very animated on stage and enjoys dancing. He is also known as a very friendly performer who regularly signs autographs for his fans after the show. As of July 2007, Lemvo and Makina Loca is a ten-piece act touring worldwide. Mambo Yo Yo and São Salvador were released by Putumayo World Music.