by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Oliver Mtukudzi & Black Spirits: In the arena of politically charged Zimbabwean pop, Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi is second only to the nation’s leading rebel rocker, Thomas Mapfumo. It’s a close second, too—the pair both cut their teeth in the band Wagon Wheels in the mid-’70s. But while the firebrand Mapfumo further honed the specific chimurenga sound, the somewhat sunnier Mtukudzi tapped into South African mbaqanga, Zimbabwe’s energetic pop style jit, and kateke, the traditional drum music of his clan, the Korekore. For the last quarter century, Mtukudzi has been polishing his sound to a pop-rock sheen while keeping his finger on the social and political pulse of his region, and winning fans worldwide in the process. His show marks the official opening of the festival. With Mandinka at le Spectrum on Thursday, July 14, 8 p.m., $30

Papa Wemba & Viva la Musica: The fatherly moniker applies not only to the man’s venerable status as the King of Rhumba Rock, a cousin of the soukous sound, and his position of patron saint of the Sapeurs (a play on the acronym for Society of Ambianceurs and Persons of Elegance, an informal league of impeccable dressers—paging Mr. Blackwell!). It’s also a lot easier than saying his full name, Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba. He made his mark at the turn of the ’70s with the seminal Zairian youth group Zaiko Langa Langa, often compared to the Rolling Stones—rebellious rich kids who sparked youthful upheaval with their blend of dandy style and rootsy irreverence. Wemba split for Paris in 1976 and formed his Viva la Musica ensemble, drawing in a far wider range of influences and balancing the tribal traditions he still holds dear with an upscale cosmopolitan flair, and has sat prominently on the pages of African pop-music history ever since. At Kola Note on Saturday, July 16, 9:30 p.m., $21

Razia Said: Born in Madagascar to an Afro-Arabic mother and Indian father, Said grew up on a sonic diet of everything from traditional Malagasy music to the Beatles and James Brown. But warm, smooth, jazzy R&B accentuated by percolating percussion is the basis of what she does today, the canvas for the lush tone paintings she summons up with her comfortable, nuanced vocals. Her debut album Magical is due out towards the end of this year, so here’s your chance to get a taste ahead of the crowd. At Club Balattou on Tuesday, July 19, 9:30 p.m., $18

Syncop: Rap and raï may go hand in hand in France, but over here, even in francophone Quebec, the Arabic voice is underrepresented in hip hop. Montreal’s Syncop are out to even that imbalance, although the show they’ve got planned for Nuits d’Afrique takes a different angle. It’s a guided tour through the highlights of Middle Eastern pop, particularly the club-friendly raï sound and the rougher chaabi style, via various hits of the genres, as well as a taste of Syncop’s hybrid hip hop. Word is, special secret surprise guests are lined up, and shimmying baladi dancers to boot. At Lion d’Or on Wednesday, July 20, 8 p.m., $18

Kaïssa: Hailing from Cameroon (but currently based in New York City), and moreover having sung backup for the great Manu Dibango, you can be sure that makossa makes up a part of Kaïssa’s music. But just part of it—you’ll find strains of reggae, jazz, R&B and Brazilian music woven into the fabric as well. As such, it’s not so surprising that she’s lent her velvet pipes not only to African figures like Dibango, Salif Keita and the aforementioned Papa Wemba, but to soul divas Diana Ross and Martha Wash, and French synth maestro Jean Michel Jarre as well. At Club Balattou on Thursday, July 21, 9:30 p.m., $18

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