Konono Nº 1

Konono Nº1
Konono Nº1 performing in May 2007
Background information
Origin	Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Genres	Afro-pop, bazombo
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Crammed Discs, Ache Records
Website	konono.net
Members	Augustin Makuntima Mawangu Menga Waku Makonda Mbuta Pauline Mbuka Nsiala Vincent Visi Ndofusu Mbiyavanga
Past members	Mingiedi Mawangu
Notable instruments
Electric likembé, Lance-voix

Konono Nº1 is a musical group from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. They combine three electric likembé (a traditional instrument similar to the mbira) with voices, dancers, and percussion instruments that are made out of items salvaged from a junkyard. The group's amplification equipment is equally rudimentary, including a microphone carved out of wood fitted with a magnet from an automobile alternator and a gigantic horn-shaped amplifier. The group achieved international renown beginning in 2005, with its DIY aesthetic appealing to many fans of rock and electronic music. They played this same year at the Eurockéennes festival in France.

The group's full name, as seen on the banner in its music video, is L'orchestre folklorique T.P. Konono Nº1 de Mingiedi; "T.P." (short for tout puissant, or "all powerful") is an homage to the band of the legendary Congolese musician Franco, which was called TP OK Jazz.

The group was formed in 1966 by Mingiedi Mawangu, a likembé player and truck driver. Mawangu was a member of the Zombo (or Bazombo) ethnic group, whose homeland is in Maquela Ma Zombo, located in Uíge Province of Angola, near the border with DR Congo. For his likembé ensemble, he adapted Zombo ritual music that was originally played by an ensemble of horns made from elephant tusks.

In November 1978, the ensemble called Orchestre Tout Puissant Likembe Konono Nº1 (All-Powerful Likembe Orchestra Konono Nº1) recorded one track, "Mungua-Muanga," for the compilation album Zaire: Musiques Urbaines a Kinshasa. The group has exerted an influence on many other Congolese popular musicians and groups.

The first time Konono Nº1 played outside of Africa was in 2003, when they toured the Netherlands with Dutch band The Ex. Since 2003 The Ex has regularly performed one of their songs live.