By George Orido
Ivorian reggae icon Alpha Blondy is set to rock the Kenyatta International Conference Centre grounds with high-octane reggae jig after arriving in the country yesterday morning.
Alpha, whose musical prowess is in the leagues of Bunny Jamaican Burny Wailer and South African Lucky Dube, will render his numbers Masada, Jerusalem and Sankara, among others. Security at the KICC was already tight from yesterday as preparations were underway to host one of the biggest reggae legends from the continent.
The 60-year old father of Dioula Reggae will perform along another Jamaican great Tarrus Riley who had arrived a day earlier.
Musical journey
Born Seydou Koné, Alpha Blondy started his musical journey by writing and playing Christian songs until he went to New York where he met his icon Burny Wailer. He was inspired to change course and ventured into secular Reggae endeavour on returning to Abidjan.
This early engagement with Gospel music explains the solemn tone of his hit songs. In Jerusalem for instance, he envisages a world where all races, black, white and Arabs could live in harmony praying together in one voice.
“I will give it all and endeavour to satisfy the audience and the beautiful fan base,” said a jubilant Tarrus during a meet the fan promotion at Carnivore Thursday Night. He told his adoring fans made of the popular Churchill Show audience that his songs are from the soul and that is why he sings with passion and emotions.
“He is real and he is good at appreciating music elements outside Reggae,” says celebrated saxophonist Dean Fraser who performed with the World Reggae legend Bob Marley in his Wailers Band.
Tarrus is expected to build on a success tour of last year where over 10,000 fans turned up for his monumental.
New song
The award-winning Bronx-born will thrill with his hits Good Girl Gone Bad, Start Anew and Contagious. According to his road manager Nyann News Lodge, Tarrus will also be promoting his new song One Dro. Promoter Otieno Mak’Ochieng of Big Tunes Live is promising a great show and matching message with music full of entertainment .
“Alpha has always wanted to come to Kenya and his have aver wanted him here, well today is the day,” said Otieno, who handled some of the most successful international shows in town.
It will be seen how organisers and security agencies manage open smoking of illegal ‘weed’ as has been seen with past Reggae events.
