Bens Belinga

Cameroonian saxophonist Ben's Belinga, a self-taught musician, draws his inspiration from the various rhythms and music styles of Africa yet also from Jazz and the music from the West-Indies.Hired by the "Club Mediterranée" to host its evening galas, he leaves Cameroon in 1975. But he quickly realizes that this job does not meet his ambition. So he moves to Paris where he meets one of the guiding bands of African music, Touré Kunda. Hence he begins a collaboration which will last 7 years during which Ben's will arrange and direct the brass section.It is to create the group "Kaoma" that Ben's leaves the Toure Kunda Brothers. The Lambada will tour the globe and represent not less than 15 million records sold.But once more his desire to go further urges him to go to the United States, Jazz country of preference. He settles in Washington D.C. for two years and comes to a realization: the heritage passed down by Africa is not only vast but essential. He finds his continent everywhere: whether it be in Black American music (Jazz, Soul...) or even Afro Caribbean or Afro Brazilian music (Salsa, Calypso, Samba).As soon as he returns to Europe, the message to be spread is clear: "African music must rid itself of the cliches that hold back (the Tam Tam, erathy stereotypes...). It must expand it's horizons. The goal is to play a music solidly anchored in the cultural heritage, traditional and contemporary, of Black people everywhere.In 1992 he invitates 4 white musicans to African rhythm and founds the group "Blanc d'Afrique", a musical structure which claims and orients itself around 3 poles: love, humor and brotherhood.1994 will be highlighted by 3 important events for Ben's: 1. the production by MCM of a television program dedicated to the history of Groove, filmed in concert at "La Chapelle des Lombards" in Paris 2. the production by TV5 of a report on his group "Blanc d'Afrique" 3. the request by Arte for the music to the film "La tête dans les nuages" by Jean Marie TenoIn 1995 Ben's tours Europe with the Black American singer Billy Paul.In 1996 he composes the music to the film "Clando" by the renown Cameroonian film-maker Jean Marie Teno. The sound-track to this movie is Ben's first own CD.Ben's has been touring Europe extensively, among others Germany, Slovakia, Greece and Italy