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"Essengo"

Ray Lema

“To pass on joy and respect for other people to our children, is giving a future to the Humanity “. Ray Lema

When the children mix their voices with Ray Lema, the result is of course beautiful ! Ray Lema composed, wrote and arranged 10 poetic and inspired songs, with a tribute to Nelson Mandela. The songs are in French, English, Portuguese or Lingala. They are a universal ode to harmony – and not only musical – to peace and life. “Essengo” means joy in Lingala!

The project was initiated by the the Festival “Temps Chauds de Bourg en Bresse” in France. Every year the Festival invites an artist to creae a project with the children of the region. Ray Lema was the guest of the 2014 edition. The project was built throughout the year with music teachers from primary schools and 350 children. The result gave birth to the recording of an album and a concert during the Festival.

“I didn’t want to compose children’s songs. I wanted to give the children the opportunity to participate a real concert, get them on stage with the musicians of my band and myself, like backing vocals . The experience was fantastic, for them as for me.”(Ray Lema)

In 2017, the project was prepared and played again with the children of Vesoul in France.

In 2020, Ray Lema will go to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo to present “Essengo” with the children of the National Institute of Arts in Kinshasa.