ANYONE who is in need of a great music treat locally will be pleased to learn Niwel Tsumbu and his Song of the Nations band will perform live at The Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely on Saturday, February 6. The Co. Wicklow gig forms part of their much anticipated 11 date Irish tour with a familiar Irish face, Eamonn Cagney on percussion.

This year will be a significant year for Congolese native Tsumbu who has been based in Cork since 2004, with both a new studio album and a live album forthcoming later this year. Recently Niwel has been flexing his newly developed acting muscles with a role in the film Happy Ever Afters which is showing now in cinemas.

His Song of the Nations five piece band formed around the album of the same name, which was released to stellar reviews in spring '09.

The forthcoming Irish tour will offer fans around the country another chance to see Tsumbu and his band in action as they continue to promote the album, as well as unleashing new material.

His ability to vividly blend African rhythms, rumba, new jazz, classical flamenco and more has gained him ardent admirers all over Ireland.

Playing electric and acoustic guitars and singing mostly in his native 'Lingala', Tsumbu performs a range of music that stretches from contemporary versions of Congolese traditional music from the 1930s and 40s to modern Jazz.

The show kicks off at 8 p.m. and tickets are priced at €17.50/16 or €15 for Friends of the Courthouse. For bookings call 0402 38529 or log on to www.tinahelycourthouse.ie