Safari Ya Eriko Mukoyama! Anyango Tours Nairobi
Japanese nyatiti diva, Anyango arrived in Kenya on the 19th of August 2016 on a mission to promote her new album, Anyango: The Safari of Eriko Mukoyama. The visit entailed a number of shows in Nairobi aimed at promoting her brand new album.
Anyango's arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International airport in Nairobi
Rehearsals Day 1… A group of multi-talented musicians converged at Ketebul Music Studios to join Anyango in the first step of the journey.
With Kasiva Mutua on percussions, Ricky Nanjero on bass guitar, Michael Okinyo on the keyboard, Gervais Katumba on drums, Boaz Jagingo playing the orutu; a single-stringed traditional instrument and background vocalist Lydia Ogoti on board… Anyango’s new band was complete!
Rehearsals day 1
Keyboardist Michael Okinyo
On the 25th of August Anyango had her first show at Thursday Nite Live @ Choices where she wowed the crowd with her brilliant live act.
The four-hour live performance, filled with beautiful nyatiti sounds and the angelic harmonies of Anyango and her band doubled up as the official launch of Anyango’s album, Anyango: The Safari of Eriko Mukoyama.
The album consists of 15 songs in total including a collaboration with Kenge Kenge Orutu System, a traditional band from Kenya.
The song entitled ‘Anyango Nyar Japan Meets Kenge Kenge’ is a song Anyango wrote right after the Fukushima earthquake tragedy in Japan. It is meant to encourage the human spirit of resilience. Kenge Kenge infuse a strong traditional musical element to this song, expressing the same sentiment in Dholuo; a local language from Nyanza, Kenya.
Anyango Nyar Siaya at Thursday Nite Live @ Choices
Anyango live on stage at Choices
On the 26th of August Anyango performed at the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Reception at The Hilton Hotel in Nairobi.
The Prize is awarded to individuals with outstanding achievements in combating various infectious diseases in Africa or in establishing innovative medical service systems. It is awarded after every five years.
Anyango at The Hideyo Noguchi Africa Price Reception
Left-Right: Kasiva Mutua, Ricky Nanjero, Anyango, Gervais Katumba and Lydia Ogoti at The Hideyo Noguchi Peace Prize reception
27th of August 2016, Anyango performed at a symposium held for the First Ladies of Africa at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi during the Tokyo International Conference of African Development (TICAD IV)
The event was hosted by H.E. Margaret Kenyatta, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya and H.E Akie Abe, First Lady of Japan.
Anyango at TICAD
H.E Margaret Kenyatta, First Lady of Kenya enjoying performance by Anyango at TICAD IV
Anyango Nyar Siaya playing her Nyatiti at TICAD IV
On 2nd September 2016 Anyango appeared on The Trend Live with Larry Madowo, a live entertainment television show aired every Friday on NTV Kenya. She was interviewed and did a short performance with an all-girl 3-piece band consisting of Kasiva Mutua, Lydia Ogoti and herself.
Anyango and her band performing Weche Ng'eny at The Trend Live
Anyango during an interview at The Trend Live with Larry Madowo
During the interview Anyango did an impromptu collaboration with Jua Cali, a renowned Kenyan hip-hop artist. Jua Cali rapped impressively over Anyango’s nyatiti sound.
Jua Cali rapping to Anyango's Nyatiti sound
Larry Madowo host of The Trend with Anyango Nyar Siaya
To wrap it all up Anyango,s final show was at The Alchemist, Muthurukishion 3: Strings of The East. This went down on the 3rd of September 2016.
This 3rd edition of Muthurikishion featured Anyango who plays the nyatiti as well as DBass Ganun from Tanzania who plays the ganun, both string instruments from East Africa and the Middle East respectively, hence the name ‘Strings of The East’.
Anyango on stage at The Alchemist
And if the music is good… You dance!!!
Anyango had everyone on their feet at The Alchemist
Female percussionist Kasiva Mutua doing what she knows best
Patrick Ondiek from Ketebul Music
Gervais Katumba on drums
Boaz Jagingo with Ricky Nanjero
Felix Buxton Of The Basement Jaxx @ Ketebul Music Studios
By Stefano
Last week, Ketebul Music was honoured to host Felix Buxton, one half of the UK dance and electronic music duo, Basement Jaxx.
Felix Buxton with Olith Ratego
With seven studio albums to their credit, Basement Jaxx are one of the most successful and popular UK bands and deejays to date. The duo are also highly in demand internationaly as remixers. Some of their most notable remixes include ‘4 My People‘ by Missy ‘Misdemenour’ Elliot ‘Like I love You’ by Justin Timberlake and ‘She Wants To Move’ by N.E.R.D to mention but a few.
Felix who had performed at the Rift Valley Festival 2012 on the 2nd of September, spent a couple of days at Ketebul Music Studio A recording and working with some of Ketebul Music signed and affiliated artists. He recorded vocal and musical performances by Olith Ratego, Judy Bwire, Kenge Kenge Orutu System, Onyango Jagwasi (Extra Golden), The Safari Voices International Choir, Evany (Mangelepa) and the duo of Francis and Irungu. He also recorded vocal performances of our very own Priscah Wairimu and Willie ‘Bembe’ Gachuche. Felix plans to use some of the material he recorded for future projects by the Basement Jaxx. Felix’s visit and sessions were organised by longtime Ketebul Music collaborator and partner DJ Yam Yam of No Nation.
Felix Buxton with Kenge Kenge
Felix with nyatiti player and singer Judy Bwire
Felix who is also an accomplished sound engineer and producer, also got a chance to interact with Ketebul Music personnel and engineers who assisted him in recording his sessions.
Felix Buxton of the Basement Jaxx hard at work at Ketebul Music Studio A
Felix with Ketebul Music engineers
With Felix’s visit closely following our just concluded workshop on the accordion that brought together musicians from France, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, Ketebul Music remains at the for front of creating forums and enabling environments for musicians from all over the world to interact with musicans from Kenya. In so doing, we hope to create an awarness to authentic Kenyan music that has so far been lacking from the international limelight.
Pictures by Ketebul Music
For more pictures of Felix’s visit CLICK HERE
For more information on Basement Jaxx CLICK HERE
