Caroline Nyanga and Mike Owuor
Like a besotted lover, Syran Mbenza appears entranced by his guitar, holding it gingerly. He occasionally purses his lips, bobs his head and stares into space, but the passion is palpable as he lets his fingers speak on his behalf. The audience at Nairobi’s Club Afrique, privileged to listen to one of Africa’s finest guitarists, is thrilled. It is a name they have heard acknowledged in various songs, but few have watched him live in his element.