There are these moments in life you just wish to be in London (UK) for one evening.
@Mbuzimoja: let’s rock on Furahiday 24th and chill somewhere with a crate of Tusker, a beautiful horizon & a 80 GB hdd loaded with our favourite tunes. Sawa?
Category: ngoma
Spotlight on Kenyan Music Vol. 2
When I woke up this morning, it was still dark outside. The bed is just next to the window and when I opened my eyes, I first of all mistook the darkness for a missing view only to realize a few moments later on that some things are actually better than what they look like at first moment.
Last night saw us going to an event called “Spotlight on Kenyan Music 2006” – a “finalist’s concert and cd launch” organized by the Alliance Française (sponsored by Total & the embassy) which presented the “best of the 2006 Spotlight on Kenyan music harvest representing Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley, Eastern and Nairobi Provinces”.
I once worked for Total (in Germany) and my parents had been working for the German Cultural Centre before, so it’s this mixture of interests that always hunts me down and reminds me what kind of “Kulturpolitik” the French have (compared to the Germans). Now that’s a completely different approach, and speaking from the European perspective, I am delighted that at least the French(men) have found some sponsoring that helps to organize such wonderful events:
Spotlight on Kenyan Music Vol. 1 has already been a success – my friend Mbuzimoja had sent me a compilation last year, so this time I didn’t want to miss it and catch the spirit for myself. The spirit of “new” music that is being performed by local artists, something that makes you feel proud of the country and lets you forget about imported styles. No HipHop (pole Msanii_XL), but instead a focus on local tunes being reinterpreted by local artists. Something that wasn’t possible 10 years ago – all these fine networks and developments weren’t possible back then as we didn’t have a wide choice of tv channels, radio channels (that would air new tunes to far away places), a strong middle-class with lots of transport (= activity downtown even after 8 pm), efficient telecommunication networks and this overall Uhuru spirit (as I like to call it) people felt right after independance. In other words: the framework is there and it’s about time that we wake up to local music being played on the radio – not only Dolly Parton, JayLo and other imported tunes & styles. And beware – as my guitar teacher Maurice always liked to stress out: the tunes found in many Soukous songs actually come from Western Kenya and have only been interpreted by Congolese artists. So even when you hear Soukous tunes on the new Spotlight Sampler – that’s the Kenyan heritage!
The event took place at Alliance Française Gardens in Nairobi, entrance was free and it sure attracked lots of young people. Good!
This years artists included Ronald Ontiri, Naitiri Sounds, Anthony Mutuku, Bosco Mulwa, Imbako International, Shanta, Zingamoto Afrika, Sauti, Zippy Okoth, Teto Tutuma and Valentine Khakasa. The lineup was similar to the one on CD, every artist perfomed his/her song and the crowd started dancing despite of the intermittent rains. Good music needs to be enjoyed and shared – and I wonder where this event will be hosted next year. Maybe Uhuru Park? Would be great!
As a bonus, ZANNAZIKI came as “guest appearance” but they sounded way too professional compared to the other artists and somehow disappointed but that’s just my impression. The Spotlight sampler sold for 600/= Kshs. and was available as CD and on tape. The guy from the record company pointed out that it had been licenced to oversee markets as well – so maybe we’ll soon find it in the US and Europe?
For those who like good and new local music, and who really appreciate this much awaited approach on the local music scene (while ignoring all recent developments in the HipHop world), the purchase of the Spotlight Samplers is a must just like all three Kwani? books :-)
Some snapshots from the event:
Teto Tutuma with “Iyie Ake” (“Only You”), delivering a very authentic performance
Zingamoto Afrika “Nindirona Njira”. I am 100% sure this song will be a) played on the radio soon and b) used for a commercial. Great potential & remake of classic Kiuk tunes with Swa lyrics. These guys are from Mathare (Nbo), btw. (their song reminds me a bit of these Afro Rock tunes from the 1970s…nice one!).
Shanta “Ndolo”. Does she have a record out yet? This could really sell big times on the European market. Hot!
Bosco Mulwa “Kwitu Makueni”. I call him the “Papa Wemba styler”, Soukous elements in his song and a confident performance. This guy has the potential to entertain masses.
Sauti “Nakuja” Kenya’s new boygroup? Their song sounded a bit strange due to complicated harmonics but they seem to bear a great potential for much more and had a very pleasant appearance. Good voices!
Imbako International “Halala”. Look at this man in blue jeans :-)
Anthony Mutuku “Chowa” – Joe Cocker has a brother?
“Speed Governor” [Speediii Gaaveeehhnaaa] by Ronald Ontiri. Ok, this was my first choice. I have never been more impressed by someone performing with such eloquence and self-assurance. This song ROCKS!
Zannaziki’s performance…
Due to restricted internet access here, I couldn’t manage to upload the videos I shot to give you an impression or at least some tunes to actually hear it (maybe later). Lots of ppl caught this on video – so it might be interesting to see if it will be available online somewhere (kenyamoto?).
Sooooo……the bottom line for me is that I shall check out more Kisii tunes in future. Anyone remember otongolo times by Poxy Presha? What a potential….and remember: this compilation has just been a selection of bands. There’s much more out there. Ngoma ni maisha! :-)
(@Mental: did you come?)
Evan…
E V E N T U A L L Y! :-)
too fast?
I was just listening to Antonín Dvo?ák‘s New World Symphony (Symphony No.9, opus 95, “From the New World”) and realized one thing that had been irritating me all these years – only, I could never identify it.
Just listen to the 4th movement: Allegro (con fuoco)
(delicious mp3 playtagger enabled!)
Now, just as much as I would love to hear more and more classical music being played on historical instruments to catch the dynamics of the original compositions, I would like to hear this piece on modern, electronical instruments instead.
Why? Because I think this composition is way too fast – similar to Keith Jarrett‘s interpretation of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. To my mind, this Symphony has such a vivid speed that it equals a shame to sort of “waste” the vibrating sounds of wooden instruments. It doesn’t give them a chance to develop a proper, a full sound. Instead, I think, electronical instruments take less time to develop a clean and stable sound. Delivering the tone pitch the moment it’s required. This assumption especially applies to the strings in the beggining of this movement.
Or in other words: playing such a fast composition with traditional instruments is like breaking a butterfly on a wheel / taking a Mercedes-Benz S600 to the next duka only to buy chewing gums.
Isn’t it that you sometimes hear interesting music and instantly think: naaaa, I would have played this in a different way…?
weekend rules
1. relax
2. open a bottle of beer
3. enjoy this:
(My Vitriol, Islington, 2005)
Baobab Family Project
Ich muss das jetzt einfach mal posten hier…. ein Videomitschnitt der ARTE Tracks Sendung vom 06. April 2006 über das Baobab Family Project in Mombasa, Kenia, welches im April bei YouTube.com hochgeladen wurde.
This video is about the Baobab Family Project in Mombasa, Kenya, someone recorded from the french/german tv channel ARTE and uploaded to YouTube. Andreas Triebel, the founder of this NGO at the coast, came to Kenya the other day, fell in love with the country and its people and saw a need to actually do someting about these many orphans and homeless young mothers. He consequently invested all his money and built a children’s home that aims to give the children a perspective, shelter and lots of love. Kudos and respect to him for this great task!
The reasons I posted this here is because a) Jahcoustix, one of the musicians in the video who contributed his earnings of a concert in Bremen earlier this year to the Baobab Family Project, is an old friend with whom we have been schooling back in the days, b) I would like to see even MORE of these projects being pulled up by ordinary wanainchii who could equally create something like this (just think of Wangari – a lonesome fighter during all those years) and c) I would still like to see the GoK ease up their daily bureaucratic hassle of NGOs and their work.
While I agree that some NGOs are heavily overfunded and wasting a lot of mbeca on overhead expenses (which has spoilt the general opinion on their work), others are struggling hard to be acknowleged for their work and are doing this purely on humanitarian grounds without asking for any allowances or the typical “what’s in it for me?” questions (and you know I could endlessly elaborate rant on this inherited cultural phenomenon where people put “money first, work later” and wealth-accumulating-schemes in the foreground which is SO counterproductive for the mutual growth of a nation… just like those Agwambos talking politics on Mashada & Co. – what a waste of intellectual capacity!).
Bembeya, Rochereau et al
Ebay trouvaille – you won’t regret buying any of these plates!
Ive just come across this seller on Ebay Germany who apparently sells a lot of nice, old plates/records from the 1970s & Co musical Africa. So what’s so special about them?
1. collectors items!
2. try to get those ones in Nairobi or even Kinshasa today – impossiboooool!
3. some auctions include a preview link with an mp3 file (!)
There is this one Bembeya Jazz National record with current bids already as high as US-$ 102,50 and still 18hrs to go…
(@samsoum71: could u pls share your other mp3s of “analogue Africa” with the rest of the world? – the blogosphere will be delighted to enjoy these trouvailles from your collector’s shelves… THX!)
