© 2025 KUNR
Illustration of rolling hills with occasional trees and a radio tower.
Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The threat of catastrophic funding cuts for public media looms, and while we don’t know what the U.S. Senate will do, we do know this: We need your help protecting this vital service.
Learn what you can do to support KUNR and public media today ➡️

'Voice of Lightness' Revives African Pop in U.S.

In the 1970s and '80s, pop music fans in Africa were dancing to a Congo-based music known as Soukous.

One of the music's pioneers, Tabu Ley Rochereau, infused elements of American soul into the music — taking it to a new level. A major collection of his music — The Voice of Lightness: Congo Classics 1961-1977 — was just released in the United States.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau contributes regular music reviews to All Things Considered.