Teber, the leader of this band, was born/raised in Brazzaville, the Congo (Central Africa), early becoming a professional musician, formally initiated as Master Percussionist in a lengthy ceremony surrounded by the most illustrious of his peers and superiors. He started to play in neighborhood ballets until being recruited into the National Ballet (for 4 yrs). Touring throughout his country, Teber learned traditional rhythms from throughout all the 10 regions. Finally, his talent and vision pushed him and two close friends to form their own band, TAMBOURS SANS FRONTIERES, and break away from the toxic environment of civil war. They escaped to Benin and never looked back.
From 2002 until 2008, Teber trekked through West Africa- Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali (for 5 years), and Senegal, playing in clubs, stadia, festivals, honing his abilities as a leader, gaining accolades and building a reputation.
The two co-founders left, other Congolese came and left also, West Africans were added, they found an American manager. TAMBOURS SANS FRONTIERES played many gigs in Mali (see Calendar) before Teber made the jump to Chicago. Since his arrival in 2008 he has taught Congolese drumming and dance throughout the U.S, and the band played at the Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival, IL, and the Chicago World Music Festival in September 2009 (in Milennium Park, Washington Park, and the Chicago Cultural Center where they were a smash hit in the final evening of the fest).
Authentic Congolese traditional music is vastly under-represented in the U.S. (it's not soukous!), but Teber is eager to correct that! His band is unique, but true to its roots. The rhythms, ancient and complex, radiate positive energy to promote healing and harmony- and excitement! These are rhythms which were played in Congo Square, New Orleans, by slaves from the Congo, and spread throughout the New World, morphing into rhumba, son, bomba, samba.... These traditional Congolese rhythms are at the base of TSF's playing, but they have infused and superimposed West and other African elements into the mix based on their experiences, breaking down boundaries, fracturing frontiers.