Vibes of unity in Kisumu

CLINTON FEARON will, for the first time, be performing in Kenya. He tells KIUNDU WAWERU how the Unite the People concert will be the highlight of his 40-year music career

The lakeside city of Kisumu will this weekend reverberate with acoustic rhythm, strummed by the masterful fingers of a celebrated roots reggae artist, Clinton Fearon.

In his first visit to Kenya, the Jamaican born Seattle-based artiste will be headlining the Unite the People Concert. The concert, organised by One Vibe Entertainment will go down at the Central Square, Oginga Odinga Street tomorrow, from 6pm.

Kenyan musicians, D.N.A, Sol Afrique among others, will perform alongside him. The weekend starts of tonight with a gala dinner at the Sunset Hotel, Kisumu.

In his official biography, Fearon is described as among Jamaica’s most talented musicians whose “infectious bass riffs, guitar licks, percussion accents and powerful vocals make him a living legend amongst reggae musicians and fans”.

Sixty-one year old Fearon has been in the music industry for 40 years within which he has released over ten best selling albums including the latest, Heart and Soul. Others are Me and Mi Guitar, Faculty of Dub and Disturb the Devil.

A GLADIATOR

 For 18 years, Fearon was a member of the celebrated group, The Gladiators that he joined at the age of 18, playing bass and singing harmonies. Alongside Albert Griffiths, he wrote and sung well-known songs like the Chatty Mouth, Richman Poorman and On the Other Side among others.

 “I am inspired by people and social injustices...” Fearon says, “I look around, see what is happening, I want to combat these things.” 

Fearon says he is happy to headline the “cool event” in Kisumu. “I have been doing this all my life, using music to send a message of peace. I think what One Vibe is doing is a cool thing.”

One Vibe, through partnering with artists and musicians promotes peace, love and unity besides nurturing upcoming talents.  Founded in 2007 in the Manyatta Slums, Kisumu, One Vibe was initially a DJ and MCs stable.

Thing s took a different turn during the post-election violence in 2008.

“We looked at what was going around and we said ‘no, we are not going down that road,”’ says Simon Javan Okelo the Executive Director.

One Vibe organized the first public, peaceful gathering after the post election violence. Dubbed ‘Unite the People Concert’, the gig became an annual occurrence.

“This year, it’s even more special for us, seeing as we are going to the general elections, we need to sensitize the youths about peace,” says Simon.

And what a better symbol to headline the concert than Clinton Fearon who has sung and attended similar events for four decades.

“I like this...One Vibe...it’s good for people living under one vibe, unity,” says Fearon.

He jetted in Monday, and he has been sharing his personal story and journey with the youths in the Manyatta Slums. “Youths are not listened to enough; they feel they are not heard enough; they feel they are not ‘enough’”.

SOLO ACOUSTIC

The concerts are geared to raise money for an Arts and Music centre at the heart of the Manyatta Slum. This will require a lot of money and they plan to host such events for the next five years or until the goal is realised. This, Fearon says, is the highlight of his career; using his talent for the eventual achievement of the same by the underprivileged youths of Manyatta.

Although he usually plays and tours with his seven-member band, Fearon is alone this time. He will be performing an acoustic solo. He tells me he likes going acoustic, strumming his guitar unplugged from all electrical assistance.

“Though I like going acoustic, I also do electrical.”

Having started music at a young age, including making an own guitar, Fearon says in his bio, a message he paraphrases with us in this interview, “I write from my heart.

The world is full of inspirations…nature, people, politics, and love. I write about them all. My music is good for the soul; always with a message of hope and betterment for tomorrow. It’s good for dancing, good to listen to and appeals to the young and old.”