Burundi Black is the pseudonym of French pianist, arranger, and producer Michel Bernholc (born 1941), who also used the name Mike Steïphenson for this project. The project was launched in France in 1971. The recording was based on a field recording of traditional drummers from Burundi, which ethnomusicologists Michel Vuylsteke and Charles Duvelle had recorded in 1967 and released in 1968 on the album Musique du Burundi. Bernholc added piano, guitar, and rock arrangements to the recording and released it as “Burundi Black”. The single became an international hit, reaching No. 31 on the UK singles chart and No. 74 on the Australian charts. The distinctive drum motif influenced numerous musicians. Among other works, it influenced “The Jungle Line” by Joni Mitchell and was later used by the Beastie Boys and Def Leppard. In 1981, a new recording by Rusty Egan and Jean-Philippe Iliesco was released, bringing the track back into the clubs. Among his most important releases are the singles “Burundi Black” (1971), “Marabunta” (1973), and “Burundi Black 2010” (2010). Michael Bernholc died on June 5, 2002.