b. 3 September 1957, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Growing up in Kinshasa, he heard and loved both the local music of, what was then, Zaire and also Cuban music, which was popular with Zairians at the time. Whilst still at school he sang in a local band. Performing cover versions of current rhythm and blues hits (by James Brown, Otis Redding, etc), which he learnt phonetically. In 1972 Lemvo moved to Los Angeles, California joining his father who had been living there since 1961. He attended high school and subsequently university where he studied Political Science. In the late 80s he started to sing backing vocals with various local salsa, Mexican and African bands. Lemvo had always dreamed of forming a band which mixed Zairian and Cuban influences. In 1990 he met multi-instrumentalist/arranger Nino Jesus Alejandro with whom he formed Makina Loca. In 1993 Lemvo (who had been seriously considering giving up music entirely and going to law school) decided to concentrate full-time on the band, which, by then, was becoming a popular live attraction in California. A year later they recorded Tata Masamba, that featured Lemvo on lead vocals with backing from Alejandro, other local musicians and guest African musicians including vocalists Sam Mangwana and Nyboma, plus guitarists Syran M'Benza and Bopol. The album was released in 1996 on the local independent Mopiato Music label. Its seamless mixture of salsa and Zairian soukous, with the multi-lingual Lemvo singing in Spanish, Lingala and Portuguese (he also speaks French, English and Kikombo), won international acclaim and dancefloor popularity. In 1998 Lemvo and Makina Loca, which by now comprised Alejandro plus a new line-up of musicians, signed to Putumayo Records for whom they recorded Mambo Yo Yo. A more straight-ahead salsa set than its predecessor, it nevertheless again featured guest African musicians, including M'Benza, Bopol and vocalist Wuta Mayi. In the same year Lemvo and the band embarked on their first European tour. Which included a well-received performance at the WOMAD Festival in England.

Listen to Ricardo Lemvo at Finetune.

• (1998)  Mambo YoYo
• (1996)  Tata Masamba

• Africa, Havana, Paris
• Minha Querida
• El De La Rumba Soy Yo (Afrika Mokili Mobimba)
• Mambo Yo Yo
• Tata Masamba

• Afro Cuban All Stars
• Buena Vista Social Club
• Sierra Maestra
• Afro-Cuban Jazz Project
• Ibrahim Ferrer
• Benny More
• Jesus Alemany
• Los Van Van
• Pedro Luis Ferrer
• Tito Puente
• Lucho Gatica
• Eliades Ochoa y el Cuarto Patria
• Los Guaracheros de Oriente
• Chucho Valdes
• Vieja Trova Santiaguera
• Afro-Cuban All Stars
• Irakere
• Celia Cruz
• Perez Prado Y Su Orquesta
• Septeto Habanero

• eddielin11
• tabascodenho