Docteur Nico, AKA Nicolas Kasanda wa Mikalay, was one of the greatest trailblazers of music from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and an avid musical performer since the age of 14. The Soukous movement of dance and musical style is owed largely to him, and his guitar skills are legendary. Soukous combines European influences with traditional Congolese styles, introducing jazzy and brassy sounds that ultimately produces an exotic and classy fusion of cultures. Docteur Nico’s career was forced in the crucible of this artistic renaissance, so much so that he earned his nickname: some say that it’s for the way that he taught his students, and others say that it was the precise movements of his fingers when he plucked the guitar strings. Either way, he turned enough heads that the one and only Jimi Hendrix visited him during one of his Paris tours, and his 32 years of music produced by his storied career have earned a permanent place in the annals of Congolese music legends, especially ones associated with France.

Docteur Nico passed away in Brussels, in 1985. He was 46.

For more info on Docteur Nico, check out his Spotify and Wikipedia pages!

• Wikipedia
• Spotify