Papa ‘Nono’ Noël is probably the most influential guitarist from the heyday of Congolese rumba. His real name is Antoine Nedule Monstwet and he was born in the former Belgian Congo (the former Zaire and now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Papa Noel made his first record in 1957 . In a career that's now well into its fifth decade, Papa Noel has played guitar with Congo's best and brightest, including Orchestre Bantou, Grand Kalle's African Jazz, Franco's legendary T.P.O.K. Jazz and Sam Mangwana. He has also made records of his own that are rightly regarded as classics of Congolese rumba.  Though he was never really a star, he had many admirers, particularly other guitarists, who regarded him as the equal of Nico and Franco. But when Franco died in 1989, Noel found himself out of work for the first time in his long career. Seeking engagements, he moved between Kinshasa, Brussels and Paris, but there weren't many jobs anywhere for an artist like him. His classic style was out of fashion.

Things started to turn around for Noel three years ago when fellow Congolese singer Sam Mangwana recorded Galo Negro with him and made him his concert band leader. In 2000 he performed to high acclaim at the WOMAD Festival in England. That same year he formed a duo and recorded an album with Adán Pedroso, a young Cuban guitarist and singer. Together they formed an acoustic guitar-duo combining Cuban son (the foundation of Congolese rumba) and rumba in a truly magical fashion. Noel made his first visit to Cuba, where he recorded with Papi Oviedo.  

Papa Noel turned 60 years old on Christmas Day 2000. To celebrate his career, Stern's African Classics released Bel Ami, Noel's own selection of his best work in decades past. Noel finally received some of the international recognition he had deserved for so long. The year 2001 began beautifully when Noel accepted an invitation to join Kékélé, a new group of Congolese music veterans who proudly acknowledged him as their chief. With Kékélé he recorded Rumba Congo for Stern's in the classic style he had helped to define in the 1950s and '60s. Then he embarked on a tour of Europe with Adán Pedroso. But by that time his health was failing, and he barely got through three shows before his manager insisted on taking him to a hospital. In May of 2001 he was rushed to a hospital in France and put under intensive care. He survived the emergency, but the doctors diagnosed acute tuberculosis. He is now recovering.

Bon Samaritain (1984)

Haute Tension (1994)

Bel Ami, a compilation featuring tracks from Bon Samaritain and (Stern's Africa STCD3016, 2000)