Papa Noel (whose stage name comes from the fact he was born Antoine Nedule Monswet on Christmas day 1940) is a veteran of the golden age of Congolese music. In the 1940s and 50s Congolese rumba, until then performed traditionally on lokole log drum and sanza thumb piano was modernised by a group of pioneers. They transformed it by playing it on electric guitar, Latin congas and brass instruments. There was certain influence from commercial Cuban music - including rumba