By JOHN MAKENI jmakeni@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, August 12 2011 at 22:54
Posted Friday, August 12 2011 at 22:54
The Alliance Française garden in Nairobi is usually perceived as the home of contemporary artistes.
Many young and promising musicians have had a taste of the stage there.
But recently, the grounds broke from tradition as little-known groups from northern Kenya stole the show with riveting traditional beats accompanied by modern musical instruments.
On stage were a Gabbra and a Turkana music group, not the usual city musicians dressed in trendy jeans belting out afro-fusion beats.
Then veteran musician John Nzenze, he of the ‘twist’ dance fame, took to stage and brought the house down.
It was a rare performance at the venue for the 71-year-old Nzenze, who strummed his guitar accompanied by his Air Fiesta Matata band.
His hits, Angelika Twist, Maoni ya Twist and Msichana wa Sura Nzuri brought the largely youthful crowd to their feet.
Nzenze was happy to be on a stage that has hosted Kenyan artistes Dan ‘Chizi’ Aceda, Achieng’ Abura, Eric Wainaina and Suzanna Owiyo, among many others.
The pastoralist musicians on stage that day, however, are little known.
The event, dubbed ‘Spotlight on Kenyan Music 2011,’ aimed to weave the traditional and the modern beat.
The Liban Boran troupe from Isiolo and the Loiyangani Stars from the shores of Lake Turkana were joined by musician Adana Mohammed Tadiko from Marsabit.
Tadiko and the two dance groups had been identified during auditions by the French Embassy and the Permanent Presidential Music Commission a year ago.
Liban Boran troupe, made up of 12 singers in Gabbra traditional attire, were first on stage.
They belted out songs like Bore, in praise of livestock, Atume, sang by women in the evening, and Skita, a wedding song.
Tadiko, with his Borana beat, then took to stage accompanied by three Indian classical musicians. He belted out Sijalite, Hindhidhin and Moyale.
Loiyangalani Stars finished it off accompanied by Mwangaza band.
Lead vocalist Atitipin Ekoit’s powerful soprano led other singers who included Akolong Nyangayo, Longori Enoi, Francisco Nyangayo, Rosa Epezo and Lomukuny Lowate.
Ekoit, a member of a church choir, said it was her first time to sing with a band.
The group had arrived in the city a fortnight earlier and had practised with the band.
“This was my first time to come to Nairobi,” Ekoit told Saturday Nation.
Travelling through the thorny bushes and rough roads on his way to Loiyangalani a few months ago, Tabu Osusa could not imagine what music in Turkana would be like.
But the head of Ketebul Music in Nairobi, which specialises in recording traditional music, liked what he found.
“I was impressed that everybody is a musician. This is their way of life. After herding cattle in the evening, everybody sings,” Osusa said.
Not much has been written about the musical culture in this part of Kenya.
And as Saturday Nation also found out, a search among the Samburu and Turkana performers did not discover a single musical instrument. The voice is their instrument of choice.
“Their music is genuine,” said Osusa. “If it is packaged well, it is the best music.”
Osusa set up a mobile studio in a tent 448 kilometres from his studio in Nairobi’s GoDown Arts Centre. Ketebul Music then recorded Turkana, El Molo, Samburu, Rendille and Dassanech music.
“I didn’t know about these people very well initially. But the music we recorded is the best,” Osusa said.
Osusa is working on a CD that features the Loiyangalani Stars, a group that he is proud of.
“We are in the post-production stage. Some of the songs will be featured in the next Spotlight on Kenya Music album,” said Osusa.
“Ketebul intends to develop, archive, promote and keeping a proper catalogue of the music. The musicians will benefit from CD sales and also from invitations to international music festivals,” Osusa said.
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