Serge Landry Mbiaba, composer, singer and guitarist, was born in Douala, Cameroon, in 1980. As a child he made his first guitar using strands of bowden cable from bicycle brakes as strings, and he developed a very early interest in the traditional instruments of his country. His musical style is an original fusion of bosa nova, jazz and classical, blended with his homeland’s traditional rhythms: Bikutsi and Mangambeu.

His meetings with musicians such as Lokua Kanza, Fémi Kuti, Rodolphe Burger and Richard Bona were equally inspiring for him and he is supported in his musical research by Etienne Blin, animator, as well as Nadia Derrar, director of the French Cultural Centre in Douala.

Despite his lack of formal training, in the years following 2000 Serge was acknowledged as one of the best musicians in Cameroon’s capital. In 2006 he was accepted in the National Conservatoire of Strasbourg in jazz to complete his formation.

Serge’s musical accomplishments to date are numerous, as is shown in both his solo performances and in work with ensembles. He takes us beyond any cultural or geographical borders and invites us to explore his rich and complex musical world.

Serge Landry has organised many workshops with musicians from classical and jazz formations, which have led to performances in major venues. One such was “Grassfield” in June 2009, and coming June 2010 at Strasbourg Conservatoire’s concert hall.

His group is composed of six musicians:

• Maxime RONCART – guitar,
• Lionel GALONNIER – “batterie” and percussion
• Samine SAHBAI – piano and “rhodes”
• Lionel EHRHART -bass guitar
• Claire TROUILLOUD vocals
• Serge Landry composition, vocals and guitar.