# Vincent Kenis

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Belgian musician and record producer

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**Vincent Kenis** is a Belgian musician and record producer. He was a member of the [avant-garde](/source/Avant-garde) group [Aksak Maboul](/source/Aksak_Maboul) ([Onze Danses Pour Combattre la Migraine](/source/Onze_Danses_Pour_Combattre_la_Migraine), 1977) and of [The Honeymoon Killers](/source/The_Honeymoon_Killers_(Belgian_band)), an experimental rock band (Les Tueurs de la Lune de Miel, 1982). As a musician, he also collaborated with Congolese artists such as [OK Jazz](/source/OK_Jazz)'s [Franco Luambo Makiadi](/source/Franco_Luambo_Makiadi) (La Réponse de Mario, 1988) and [Papa Wemba](/source/Papa_Wemba) (La Vie est belle, 1989).

Closely associated with Belgian label [Crammed Discs](/source/Crammed_Discs) since its inception, both as an in-house producer and an A&R, he co-produced the seminal [*Noir et Blanc*](http://www.crammed.be/index.php?id=37&rel_id=300) album by [Zazou Bikaye](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zazou_Bikaye&action=edit&redlink=1) (with [Hector Zazou](/source/Hector_Zazou) and [Bony Bikaye](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bony_Bikaye&action=edit&redlink=1), 1983), one of the first albums which blended electronic and African music. He produced the first album by a cappella band [Zap Mama](/source/Zap_Mama), and several albums by Balkan Gypsy bands [Taraf de Haïdouks](/source/Taraf_de_Ha%C3%AFdouks) and [Kocani Orkestar](/source/Kocani_Orkestar), while also being involved in the sonic design of many Crammed releases, including albums by [Tuxedomoon](/source/Tuxedomoon), [Cibelle](/source/Cibelle), [Zuco 103](/source/Zuco_103), as well as the label's purely electronic output during the 1990s (such as the Freezone compilations). He has compiled an anthology of early Congolese rumba ([Roots of Rumba-Rock](http://www.crammed.be/craworld/crw33/index.htm), 1991, re-issued in 2006).

Since 2004, Vincent Kenis has developed the [Congotronics series](/source/Congotronics_series) (on [Crammed Discs](/source/Crammed_Discs)), which popularized electro-traditional music from the suburbs of [Kinshasa](/source/Kinshasa) ([Democratic Republic of Congo](/source/Democratic_Republic_of_Congo)). He "re-discovered" [Konono N°1](/source/Konono_N%C2%B01), whom he encouraged to reform and record again. The resulting albums (*Congotronics*, 2005, *Live at Couleur Café*, 2007 and *Assume Crash Position*, 2010) have earned the band worldwide recognition, as well as a BBC World Music Award (2006) and a nomination for a Grammy Award (2008).

Vincent Kenis' recent productions include an album by Malian Tuareg band [Tartit](/source/Tartit) (*Abacabok*, 2006), the multi-artist *Congotronics 2* CD/DVD, featuring other [Congotronics](/source/Congotronics)-style bands such as Kisanzi Kongo, Masanka Sankayi, Basokin, [Konono N°1](/source/Konono_N%C2%B01) and [Kasai Allstars](/source/Kasai_Allstars) ([Congotronics 2](http://www.crammed.be/craworld/crw29/index.htm), 2006), the debut album by [Kasai Allstars](/source/Kasai_Allstars) (*In The 7th Moon, The Chief Turned into A Swimming Fish And Ate The Head of His Enemy By Magic*, 2008), *Très Très Fort* (2009) and *Bouger le monde* (2012), the two albums by Kinshasa band [Staff Benda Bilili](/source/Staff_Benda_Bilili), *The Karindula Sessions* (a DVD+CD documenting the music of 4 bands from south-eastern Congo), the latest albums by [Kasai Allstars](/source/Kasai_Allstars), *Beware The Fetish* (2014) and *Around Félicité* (2017), by [Taraf de Haidouks](/source/Taraf_de_Haidouks), *Of Lovers, Gamblers and Parachute Skirts* (2015), and by [Konono N°1](/source/Konono_N%C2%B01), *Konono N°1 Meets Batida* (2016).

## References

## External links

- [Discography on Discogs](http://www.discogs.com/artist/Vincent+Kenis)

- [Vincent Kenis](http://crammed.be.dd5126.kasserver.com/index.php?id=34&art_id=134) on the [Crammed Discs](/source/Crammed_Discs) site

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF Artists MusicBrainz

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