Year when local music scene sizzled with action

By Emmanuel Mwendwa

The just ended year will go down in the annals of local music history as having been momentous — in terms of live concerts, new CD releases and perfomances.

South African diva Yvonne Chaka Chaka proved she is yet to lose an iota of her trademark agility, and stage presence during a concert in mid January.

She was the headlining act at a free concert held in Kakamega town’s Masinde Muliro Gardens.

First on stage was late Jacob Luseno’s Phonetix Success Band fronted by rhythm guitarist Julius Itenya. The eight-piece band’s omutibo songs Khutsi Khungo, Mukangala, Khaseveve and Cecilia thrilled an estimated 20,000 capacity crowd.

Chaka Chaka’s grand entry amidst deafening cheers from the audience was almost derailed for the artiste not used to play back performances. But she still wooed crowds with anthem hits I’m Burning Up and Thank You Mr DJ among other songs.

In March, consummate composer, performer and solo-guitarist George Mutinda proved his mettle, stepping out from the shadows into his own mould.

His experimentation, merging African traditional instrumentation riffs with global elements like deft guitarwork paid off with release of his debut 10-track CD titled Matopeni.

Half way through 2009, annual Sawa Sawa Festival offered a musical panorama dominated by female artistes.

These were led by US star actress/singer Renee Wilson, songbirds Iddi Achieng, Atemi Oyungu, Muthoni Ndong’a, Nina Ogot and Benta Ageng’a .

Heavy Weights

There are no big names such as Hugh Masekela, Burning Spear, Baaba Maal or Black Uhuru who headlined previous Sawa Sawa concerts.

This year’s line up included Mexican artiste Omar Arreola, Americans Damien Horne, Big Kenny, ohangla guitarist Makadem, Swahili poet artsite Alai-K, Bilenge Musica and jazzman Aaron Ribui.

Nairobi’s fast rising, youthful rising stars Stan Ng’ang’a, Sauti Sol and Koko bands, also performed at the festival.

But even as Sawa Sawa hosted foreign acts, Kenya’s leading artiste/guitarist Suzanna Owiyo was strutting on a different podium.

She was showcasing indigenous-driven songs at prestigious Territorios Sevilla International World Music festival, in Spain.

Owiyo had been invited to perform at the three-week-long multi-cultural festival’s African segment. She performed several songs playing the Nyatiti, a fresh direction the artiste has been working hard to adopt.

The festival provided an opportunity to share her skilful, emergent brand of authentic Kenyan music on the fast burgeoning World music circuit.

Closer home, the singing granny sensation Anastasia Oluoch aka Ogoya Nengo thrilled city audiences with a rare brand of Luo traditional dodo music.

The Standard’s Friday Entertaiment stumbled into Ogoya during her debut concert in Nairobi in May. She was the main act Ngoma Club – Muziki wa Kenya concert at the Goethe-Institut’s auditorium.

Ogoya’s raw, authentic, passionate and intense vocals range, endeared the artiste to audiences, cutting across language, age barrier or social status.

At 70, a time when her peers are enjoying their sunset years, the seasoned singer has been working on her debut 13-song CD simply titled Matatu.

Ogoya’s music is enriched by a haunting and captivating vocals.

Little-known traditional Kikuyu mwoboko music accordion artiste Wachira Waweru, also broke into the limelight last year.

Mwomboko comeback

The musician ranks in same league as celebrated but deceased traditional Kikuyu mwomboko maestros Shinda Gikombe and H.M Kariuki.

Among his peers, Wachira is referred to as one of the handful 21st century’s remnant and surviving mwomboko music proponents.

Wachira’s album Njohi ya Arume was released in July on the Times Square Entertainment label. Some of these compositions paid tribute to the unsung Mau Mau liberation struggle heroes.

Earlier in the same month, Owiyo was at it again as for the second consecutive year — she earned a coveted performance slot at the prestigious 46664 Mandela Day 2009 concert in New York.

Star cast

She sang alongside a star-studded line up inclusive of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Will Smith, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Wyclef Jean and Angelique Kidjo.

Later in August, lovers and enthusiastes of heady bango sounds, brass rhythms and taarab songs enjoyed an engaging treat during the Coast Night event.

On the cards were perfomances by Msenangu Brass band, Nairobi Melody, Them Mushrooms, Freshley Mwamburi and the Everest Kings band.

But undoubtedly the night-long concert’s stand out act was veteran artiste Joseph Ngala — the skilful saxophonist who fronts Bango Sounds band.

Youthful band Sauti Sol struck gold in September as they edged closer to international fame, landing performances gigs across key European cities.

The year’s showbiz icing was undoutedly Nairobi’s hosting of the prestigious 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) at the Moi International Sports Centre gymnasium, Kasarani.

Event host Wyclef set the capacity-packed venue ablaze with his electrifying live set of big seller cut Sweetest Girl, defunct Fugees trio group hit Ready or Not and Nesta Bob Marley’s timeless classic No Woman No Cry.

The last quarter of 2009 saw a flurry of gigs by international artistes such as Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, who appeared at two charity events in October.

Contemporary Christian music (CCM) frontrunner and multiple Grammy award-winning star Kirk Franklin was headliner act at Spread the Love East African gospel event.

Kenge Kenge Orutu Systems band notably also carried Kenya’s flag high at last year’s edition of the World Music Expo (WOMEX) festival.