Ray Phiri

Ray Chikapa Phiri is an African Jazz, fusion and mbaqanga musician born in Mpumalanga. He became founder member of the Cannibals in the 1970's. When the Cannibals disbanded Ray founded Stimela, with whom he conceived gold and platinum-winning albums like Fire, Passion and Ecstacy, Look, Listen and Decide as well as the controversial People Don’t Talk So Let’s Talk.

It was in the early 1990’s that Paul Simon asked Ray along with Ladysmith Black Mambazo to join his Graceland project, which was successful but also helped the South Africans to make names for themselves abroad. Ray was to collaborate with Paul Simon again on Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints album, which saw him perform on stages such as Central Park and Madison Square Garden as well as appearing on top television shows in the USA.