Papa Wemba

Congolese world music star Papa Wemba admitted in a French court this week that he had taken part in a scam to smuggle hundreds of Africans into France using his band as a cover. But Papa Wemba, dubbed the King of Rhumba Rock, argued he played only a small role in the smuggling ring that secured visas for Africans claiming to be part of his band Viva La Musica and was unaware of all that was happening. "Lots of people profited from my name.

Robert HILBURN'S "Are You Ready to Rock?!" [May 22] brought back a flood of wonderful memories of the 12 years I lived and worked as a singer and recording artist in London. Noel Gallagher was right: England's rain, cold and island isolation have long fostered a culture of introspection and guitarists laboring away at their often-lonely craft. I would add that Britain's welfare system plays an enormous role in supporting artists while they learn, work and grow. Artists can live, with their rent or even mortgage paid plus a small biweekly stipend that barely covers the bills.

Robert HILBURN'S "Are You Ready to Rock?!" [May 22] brought back a flood of wonderful memories of the 12 years I lived and worked as a singer and recording artist in London. Noel Gallagher was right: England's rain, cold and island isolation have long fostered a culture of introspection and guitarists laboring away at their often-lonely craft. I would add that Britain's welfare system plays an enormous role in supporting artists while they learn, work and grow. Artists can live, with their rent or even mortgage paid plus a small biweekly stipend that barely covers the bills.

Congolese world music star Papa Wemba admitted in a French court this week that he had taken part in a scam to smuggle hundreds of Africans into France using his band as a cover. But Papa Wemba, dubbed the King of Rhumba Rock, argued he played only a small role in the smuggling ring that secured visas for Africans claiming to be part of his band Viva La Musica and was unaware of all that was happening. "Lots of people profited from my name.

HE struts down the muddy, trash-strewn alley like a model on a catwalk, relishing the stares and double-takes from passersby. In a country where many survive on 30 cents a day, Papy Mosengo is flashing $1,000 worth of designer clothing on his back, from the Dolce & Gabbana cap and Versace stretch shirt to his spotless white Gucci loafers.

When you follow world music, you can often hear mature artists and have no idea of the traditions that influenced them or the groups in which they developed their music. Take Salif Keita from Mali. The albino vocalist's two Mango records melded African roots with complex arrangements and a slick, Euro-pop veneer. But what did Keita's music sound like when he was expanding on the Malian tradition to become one of African pop's premier singers? Or take soukous .

Nigerian-born deejay Nnamdi spins lush African, Brazilian, Latin and Indian Sufi rhythms on his program, "Afro-Dicia," Saturday afternoons from 3 to 5 on KPFK (90.7 FM). Founder of the Green Card Music label, Nnamdi is playing host at the World Music Festival Series at USC through Saturday--a free event showcasing live bands from such spots as Japan, Ireland and Morocco in two daily shows. Herewith, his latest mix. (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC) Playlist 1.

We might talk about: "Finding Amanda." It all depends on Matthew Broderick, who stars as a TV producer and former compulsive gambler trying to win back his estranged wife by searching for her 20-year-old niece (Brittany Snow), who the family thinks is working as a prostitute in guess where? Vegas! Story's by Peter Tolan of "Rescue Me" fame, so odds are 70-to-30 we'll like it. (Friday) Those in need of a chaser for the "Sex and the City" movie could talk about: "Definitely, Maybe."

One of the most beloved and respected bands ever to come out of Cuba, Orquesta Aragon, is still going strong after 61 years. The group will perform a rare Los Angeles concert Thursday at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City. Aragon is the kind of traditional Cuban ensemble known as a charanga, which explores the European side of Afro-Caribbean music, structuring their elegant but pungent sound on delicate layers of flute and violins.

Africa Fe^te, a celebration of the rich diversity of African music, kicks off a four-week national tour tonight at the Watercourt at California Plaza. The program features a brilliant array of major African artists, including Mali's Salif Keita, Zaire's Papa Wemba, Senegal's Cheikh Lo^ and Somalia's Maryam Mursal. And the price is right: It's free. This year's installment of Africa Fe^te is the extension of a series of events that began in Paris in 1978.

The Watercourt at California Plaza is one of Los Angeles' loveliest places to hear music. The airy, open setting, with its surrounding backdrop of tall buildings, the elegant reflecting pool, the multiplicity of spots from which to listen, all contribute to an environment beautifully suited for the summer-long series of free concerts scheduled in the plaza by Grand Performances.

"Africa Oye!" arrived at El Camino College on Thursday far less tarnished by the politics of presentation that it had been at the Pantages Theatre in 1989. As conceived and staged by Michel Boudon and Mel Howard, "Africa Oye!" presents traditional forms of music and dance from Zaire, Niger, Guinea and Mali. The emphasis on small performing groups gives the audience a more intimate perspective on tribal art than African touring companies commonly provide, and the level of mastery remains awesome.