crave [music] magazine

[music]

SHAA l WENDY KIMANI l LIRA l DADDY OWEN

Maia von LekowAcutely Acoustic

PLAN BHip Hop Rejuvenation

The Man Behind

Homeboyz empireMIKE RABAR

cravemusicmag.com

KShs 250 l TShs 5,000 l UShs 7,000

Rhythm is Life NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2009 x NO 001

Playlist

Features

Highlights

September - October 2009 p Issue No. 001

Maia von LekowWhile Maia’s music career may have hatched in Ireland,

perhaps it was in Australia where it really took shape.

Jazz: That Mystery MusicOne great CD to introduce your ears to is the Best of

Diana Krall. Her smooth melodies are a fantastic accom-

paniment to a dinner party or a relaxing night in.

Fred PessaThere’s no such thing as an easy instrument but it only

took Fred Pessa two years what would normally take a

person eight to master the violin.

JUST JAZZ

CLASSICAL

COVER PICTUREPlan B taken by Jimmy at Classics Models StudioClothes: Factory 55

Hip Hop Rejuvenation In our society, where the survival of hip hop is threatened by the birth of unconventional styles,

a few ardent hip hop fans are bent on keeping the dream alive. 24 year-old Barack “Plan B”

Othieno, is the upcoming artist doing just that.

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03 Playlist CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

ShaaLike any career driven woman I see myself success-

fully running my own business.

BONGO FLAVA

TRADITIONAL

Highlights

The GrandmasterDennis Masiere, also known as Grandmaster Masese,

is a self taught obokano player who hails from Kisii in

Kenya’s south Nyanza province.

6 NewsRound up of music and entertain-ment news.

8 Power PlayaThe Business of Music and Enter-tainment in East Africa

14 StylePhileHot Sizzling Celebrity Fashion

21 Back 2 BasicsLittle Black Dress

26 SkratchDeeJay Selekta

28 Gadgets GaloreMiJam Pro Air Drummer

40 Club ScenePsys, Simba Saloon and K1

42 CD ReviewsSauti Sol, Aaron Rimbui

46 Fashion Hit ListPunk in da Hood

52 Event PictorialSawa Sawa, Thelma Mbodze

Regulars

Playlist

34 l

36 l

September - October 2009 p Issue No. 001

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Playlist 04

Kenya7th Floor, Eden Square Business CentreWaiyaki Way, WestlandsP O Box 856 00606 Nairobi020 2025977 .tel0716 483449 / 0737 249727 [email protected] .email

Publisher: Music Gallery Limited

Editor: Mufu [email protected]

Art Direction: Charbel [email protected]

Fashion Editor: Trish [email protected]

Sales and Advertising: Peter [email protected]

Contributors: Alenga Bouyo, Amy Poole, Ongori Nyariansa, James Kinyanjui

Photographers: Japheth Njagi, Paul Munene, Emmanuel Jambo, Chris King

Production Manager: Charbel [email protected]

Subscriptions:Music Gallery LimitedEden Square Business CentreWaiyaki Way, WestlandsP O Box 856 00606 Nairobi020 2025977 .tel0716 483449 / 0737 249727 [email protected] .emailwww.CraveMusicMag.com

Do you crave [music]?

About a year ago, a handful of music

enthusiasts and practitioners came

up with the idea of starting a music

magazine that will cater for East Africans. They

believed that even though local newspaper

stands are swamped with numerous publica-

tions, nothing really captured our exploding

music industry with the respect and exclusivity

it deserved. Today, thirteen months later, that

dream comes true. We celebrate the launch of

CRAVE [music]; a platform for musicians in all

genres to display their talent and a place that

allows the fan to actively interact with their idol,

comment on their music and videos.

Music is about entertainment as much as

it is about inspiration, hope and success. Our very own Suzanna Owiyo who shot to fame

with the Kisumu centenary celebrations hit Kisumu 100, was recently invited to perform

at Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebration concert [Nelson Mandela Day] in New

York, rubbing shoulders with the who’s-who in the international music scene. They didn’t

understand a word of her music, but it was inspiring enough to make it a memorable expe-

rience. Let’s not forget Eric Wainaina’s Daima Kenya, which gave us hope during the trying

times after the 2007 elections. The success stories are numerous; we’ve seen a number

of artistes signing multi-million-shilling endorsements with major corporate brands in the

region. It’s all about the power of music.

Through these pages you will meet people whose lives revolve around music, like

Fred Pessa the violinist, jazz singer Maia von Lekow, cover story Plan B and traditional

instrumentalist Grandmaster Masese. To add a touch of elegance, we’ve included a

fashion segment Back to Basics and it’s business as usual for our power playa Mike Rabar.

Everybody loves a piece of technology to make life easier, whether it’s to open a can or to

check your global positioning, so check out the Gadgets Galore. We encourage our readers

to purchase original CDs, reviews of which are found herein.

I passionately believe that, as you turn these pages, you will find this magazine

entertaining, inspiring and satisfying. It’s the dawn of a new era!

Do you crave music?

THE FIRST NOTE

05 The First Note CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

[music]

AY drops a new singleTanzanian Ambwene Allen Yessayah, better known as AY or mzee wa

commercial was in Nairobi last July at the Can You Dance season finale, to perform the remix to his hit single Leo featuring Avril. Crave [music] had a brief but candid interview with the Kora African Music Award nominee.

“The main reason I am in Nairobi is to introduce the song Leo, which is a remix featuring Avril from Ogopa.” Asked why he chose to work with Avril, AY says,” I strongly believe that she’s talented and that she’s destined to go far. She has shown great potential and her music has gone beyond the Kenyan boundaries; it’s East African. Kwa nini tusimsupport? Tunamsupport sana!”

The Leo video is doing considerably well. “We even got an exclusive on MTV Base and it’s enjoying good rotations!” says the down-to-earth Bongo Flava artist. The 28 year-old rapper, who has two albums to his name, Raha Kamili and Hisia Zangu, has done collabos with quite a number of East African artists including Lady Jay Dee, Ray C, CMB Prezzo, Tatuu, Maurice Kirya and many others.

New Mozartmusic discovered“The Department of Research at the International Mozarteum Founda-

tion Salzburg has identified two works, which have long been in the possession of the Foundation, as compositions of the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,” the foundation said in a statement, details of which were to be revealed on a later date.

The International Mozarteum Foundation was founded in Salzburg, Austria, as a non-profit organization in 1880 to focus on the life and work of Mozart by hold-ing concerts, running museums and promoting research regarding the composer.

Mozart, who died in 1791 at the age of 35, began playing piano at an early age and was composing from the age of five. He wrote over 600 works, becoming one of the most prolific classical composers.

It is not the first time in recent years that works by Mozart have resurfaced. Last year a library in Nantes, in western France, said it had discovered that a musi-cal score by Mozart that had been donated by a private collector at the end of the 19th century was an original rather than a copy as previously thought.

The video awardsare here again

The 2009 Channel O Music Video Awards, brought to you by Amarula Cream, take place on Thursday 29 Octo-

ber at Carnival City in Gauteng and DStv audiences can tune into channel 320 to see their favorite artists

and whether they win.As in previous years, winners are

chosen by the public. To vote, view-ers must SMS their category number to +27839208400 (International SMS rates apply) or vote on www.channelo.tv (web) or Oboma.net (mobile).

Voters can also win big as there is a thousand US dol-lars up for grabs weekly (spread over 12 weeks) and there is the grand prize of a trip for two lucky Channel O viewers to the awards from anywhere in Africa!

Conservatoire at The GoDownKenya’s oldest formal music training insti-

tution, The Kenya Conservatoire of Music has opened a satellite branch at the GoDown Arts Centre on Dunga Road. “We want more and more Kenyans to have access to music lessons,” says Atigala Luvai, the school’s Director and country representative of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

Kenyans living within that area - south B, South C, Nairobi West, Lang’ata - now have a much reduced traffic problem to deal with when coming for lessons. The Centre is entirely purpose built and has brand new facilities.

06 News CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

NEWS

Jay Z’s U.S.festival debutThe All Points West Music & Arts festival

marks Jay-Z’s first music festival performance in the United States. He replaced the Beastie Boys whose band member is diagnosed with cancer and is due for surgery. In 2008, the rapper was a headliner at the Live Nation-produced Pemberton Festival in British Columbia. The festival, which is on its second year, was held on July 31st to August 2nd in New Jersey.

Courtesy billboard.com

Ogopa steps upto the plateOgopa deejays, East Africa’s music and

video production power house, have spread their wings continentally, boasting 12 nominations in this year’s channel O music video awards; the most nominations from a single stable. BEST FEMALE VIDEO Amani – Tonite (Kenya)

BEST DUO /GROUPMwana FA/AY – Naongea Na Wewe (Tanzania)

BEST DANCE VIDEOLady May – Ndota (Namibia)

BEST RAGGA DANCEHALL VIDEOKalaharians – Work the middle (Namibia)Risasi/Collo – Watu wote (Kenya)

BEST AFRO POPGal Level – Touch Me (Namibia)

BEST KWAITODamara Dik Ding – Bakuten (Namibia)The Dogg – Hands Up (Namibia)

BEST AFRICAN EASTAmani – Tonite (Kenya)Mwana FA/AY – Naongea Na Wewe (Tanzania)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR Amani – Tonite (Kenya)

BEST RnB VIDEOAmani – Tonite (Kenya)

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM News 07

Power Playa

MIKE RABARBuilding the Homeboyz Empire

THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

Homeboyz Entertainmtent Limited is without a doubt East Africa’s most comprehensive provider of all things entertainment. What started off as a deejaying unit has evolved into a business empire that boasts of over 150

permanent and casual employees running eleven business units, including a water brand approximately estimated to be worth Ksh 100m. Mike Rabar, 36, CEO and co-founder of the company, talks to CRAVE [music] about the business of doing business.

MUSIC COLLECTOR“I had a big passion for music at a very early age and was in-trigued by the sound that came off the cassette player back then. I didn’t play an instrument, I still don’t, but I am one of those guys who just want to know how things work. I’m a ‘tech freak’; I’d open up a cassette player just to see how it worked. In high school, around 1992, I used to collect music dubbed from FM ra-dio stations in the UK. There were no FM stations here back then so I would go round looking for the latest songs, repackage and

sell to my friends. Then I went on to sell to matatus, especially route 23, who were big on music. So I started doing business at an early age. That’s how it began.”

DJ“In college, it was only natural that guys would borrow my tapes to play at parties. Sometimes, it wasn’t easy to lend out the tapes so I’d have to go myself to play at the par-ties. I had a huge, huge collection of music so I used to play from one party to another. Essentially it wasn’t deejaying, but it served the same purpose. As this got regular, I started compiling sets of about 50 songs per party. People would comment on the selection of music, and that’s how deejay-ing started; I was customizing my product for my clientele. This was complemented with a weekly gig to DJ for campus nite at a club called Visions. When I collected music, it was simply for the love of it; I ended up becoming a DJ. From the love of being a DJ, I pursued my second degree in Sound Engineering in the UK.”

BUSINESSMAN“Homeboyz was registered in 2000, first as a DJ agency.”…and the rest is history.

So how did you transition from being a DJ into becom

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So how did you transition from being a DJ into becom-ing an entrepreneur?I made a lot of money from deejaying just for fun. It was never about the money.

Ok. So at what point did you think now it’s about the money?Never. I’ve never looked at myself as a businessman. I just do what I do and make money in the process. For me, money is a bi-product.

You once said that you endured sweat and tears to build your brand. Have you ever felt like giving up?It has never crossed my mind in spite of the tribulations we face running this business…NSSF, KRA, City Council…the usual, we cannot work without these things, but it makes us spend too much time doing administrative work. That can be frustrating.

What, in your opinion, is the perfect business struc-ture?To me, it’s all about leadership. If your employees don’t share the same vision as you then there’s nothing you’re doing.

How do you get them to share the same vision, don’t guys simply look for work to earn some cash?It should not be about the money. If, during an interview, a person says he can work for free, then that’s the person you want to hire because he has passion in what you do. Money is crucial for survival but it’s not the fundamental thing here. So I wouldn’t scout someone from another firm and try to entice him/her to work for me by offer-ing more money. You need a person who is not driven by money but by passion. Some professionals have applied to work here, but I see that we don’t share the same vi-sion. And then there are those who come straight from high school, who do not understand corporate culture but are very good at what they do. They walk in here in baggy jeans, t-shirts and sneakers and just do what they love.

You get up at 5.30am. Do you believe in the early bird catches the worm?No, I’m not a believer of that. I get up that early coz I have to take my daughter to school; otherwise, I’d love to get up at ten! It’s not about how early you get up; it’s about how productive you are with your time. That’s coz we’re in an environment that’s driven by creativity. You can’t put a deadline on the creative process, like telling an employee, “I want this song ready by 1pm!” You may get up at eleven and do a lot of stuff or you may get inspired at 2 am. On the contrary, you may be in the office from eight to five and accomplish nothing.

Homeboyz has lately been involved in sports, especial-ly rugby. Are you in partnership with KRFU or simply sponsors?We’ve been supporting rugby for a really long time. We always provided entertainment for the after-party in all the tournaments like Bamburi Sevens and Tusker Safari

Sevens. Now we want to be involved in the actual sport. We’re trying to get young people to take up sports more se-riously. Guys need to get into physical activity. There’s too much ‘lack of fitness’ these days. We are trying to organize something in a good environment outdoors where you can find everything you need. All you’d need is quorum, your peers. Have fun getting fit.

H20. That’s huge. How long had you been planning for that?That was done in 3 months. Someone came to us saying he wanted us to manage his water brand. Eventually, he ended up selling it to us. We didn’t go looking for it.

Have you thought of venturing into TZ, UG or Rwan-da? There’s lots of business there.I do not think we’ve exhausted all possibilities here. There’s still so much that can be done here. I do business for the ‘wrong’ reasons coz I don’t think of the money first.

There’s talk of the global recession, the credit crunch and so on. Has that made a significant effect on the entertainment industry here?Yes, it has, especially from a radio point. Many of the big firms are not spending a lot on advertising. In sports, some of the tournaments may not kick-off due to lack of spon-sorship. Bringing in international artists will be difficult

again due insufficient funds. A lot of things in the entertainment industry are driven by corporate firms which are now being forced to weigh their options, whether to sign up an artist or develop their infrastructure. I think you’ll get to feel the effects later in the year, around September…October. At that point you won’t think twice

about whether or not you want to go watch a movie. You’ll start thinking about your priorities.

On a personal level, have you ever thought of going into politics?Never. I think I can make changes around me without go-ing into politics by using tools that are available to us like shows and events. Right here, we do advocate for positive behavior and responsible living, which in turn affects many people.

Do you help your community?Yeah, we do a lot of that. We support schools and stuff.

I was going to ask you about the future of Homeboyz and the legacy you’d like to have in 10 years, but you already told me that you don’t have a business plan…you don’t even know what you’ll be doing next week!That sounds like we’ve no direction. The thing is, we always think positively. We intend to grow the business and the people around us. It’s not about me, it’s about the company. We hope that our listeners and consumers will benefit from our growth. I don’t want to put yard-sticks that in five years we’re going to have this or that, or a thousand more employees. We know where we want to go but it’s not cast in stone.

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM PowerPlaya 09

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String Me AlongThere’s no such thing as an easy instrument, but it only took

Fred Pessa two years what would normally take a person eight to

master the violin. It’s no stroke of genius, just a ton of talent.

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM StringMeAlong 011

words l MUFU NDOSI

It ’s PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME

you heard of the name Fred Pessa,

hopefully after this article you won’t

be quick to forget it, because this

22-year-old is the most remarkable Kenyan violist

I have ever come across. Sure, he could sight read

those tough pieces in seconds and make it seem

all too easy, but any seasoned student may do that.

Fred’s power lies in his manipulation of tone – there’s

depth in each note, passion in every bow and so much

emotion in his vibrato.

“He deviates from normal techniques and uses his

own bowing to achieve different tonal effects,” says Cynthia

Mungai, a teacher and violinist at the Kenya Conservatoire

of Music.

Atigala Luvai, director of the Conservatoire says,

“Many people are amazed especially by the tone he pro-

duces on the violin and double bass - the result of a good

bowing hand.” In short, his playing is very convincing. I’m

completely taken by his devotion to his instrument – it’s a

passionate love affair and it’s hard to believe that this rela-

tionship started quite accidentally barely 5 years ago.

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Fred is born a bred in Nairobi, the last born of six siblings. His friends describe him as a guy with two personalities.

Sometimes he’s this serious person who may pay you no attention as he gets lost in his music. Cynthia says, “At any rehearsal

session his violin is among the first ones out of its case and when everyone else is packed up, Fred is still playing away.” Other

times he is just the goofy, silly guy next door and in my interactions with him I have discovered that he is cheeky, naughty and in

fact down right insane…I’m reminded of the night his craving for Kenchic kuku sent him cycling to town at 4 am!...

As he takes us through his musical journey we learn that it has not been smooth sailing for Fred. He admits that music

was one of the most difficult subjects in school, “It was very difficult to get 70% in any test,” says Fred. His attempts to sing

in the school choir also failed miserably. Despite this, Luvai comments that, “Fred is obviously a natural musician and very

fortunate to have found his place on the stringed instruments.” Personally, I think the stringed instruments are fortunate to have

found him.

When did you start playing the violin and double bass

and how difficult was the start?

Well…I never wanted to play the violin and the first time I

heard of the double bass was the day I got auditioned for

the St. Mary’s students’ orchestra. I was actually trying to

get away from the school choir! My music teacher, William

Obaga, who happens to be the most amazing musician I

know, had forced me to join the choir. But I couldn’t blend

in with those angelic voices. I then asked if I could join the

orchestra as a helping hand – carrying stands and heavy

instruments – but instead I was auditioned and told to pick

either the trombone or double bass. I chose the latter be-

cause it just sounded cool. It was as if the instrument chose

me, because it was dead easy!

As a double bassist, I didn’t get to play as much as I wanted

to in the orchestra. In addition to that there was hardly

any repertoire for it. Much of the music was for the violin.

Luckily, in January of 2004, the director of the Conservatoire

promised me a violin, I received it later that year, November!

But I was determined and got my grade 8 ABRSM (Associ-

ated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) certificate the

following year.

Does your instrument reflect anything about you? If

so, in what way?

Yes, it does but I can’t explain how. I’m yet to use it to my

advantage.

Why did you join the Conservatoire quartet? Do you

play in any other group?

I joined the quartet simply to widen my repertoire. I was

already a member of the Nairobi, Conservatoire and Quaver

orchestras.

What kind of music do you perform, how often do you

practise and how do you co-ordinate your practice ses-

sions together?

I usually perform purely classical music, but I’ve also played

some jazz and Indian music. It’s quite difficult to practice as

a group since we’re all so busy with other engagements, but

whenever there are at least two of us, we’ll practice.

Do you perform solo?

I’ve played for weddings but never done a solo part for a

violin concerto; I would be terribly nervous.

Besides classical music what else do you listen to?

All kinds of music: Rock, hiphop, heavy metal, Lingala,

Genge, Kapuka, Benga…liking classical music doesn’t mean

that you loose interest in the rest or that you become better

than the rest.

What plans do you have with your music studies?

My dream is to play for musicals and operas. I’m saving up

to go for workshops and master classes abroad.

Besides music, what are your interests?

I’ve written and directed a couple of plays in my free time. I

love capoeira but never get the time to do it. I also like bik-

ing; I’m a proud owner of a Honda VFR 400.

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM StringMeAlong 013

WendyKimani1st Runners-up of the

Tusker Project Fame 2 competition

Describe your style. I would say my style is street chic. I can go all girly and wear dresses and there are times I can change it up a little bit and even wear timberlands. I love colour and bold accessories but what you see me wearing mostly depends on my mood in the morning. I will wear anything that makes me feel comfortable in my body and that is of course glamorous! I am daring and like to try out new styles!

What is the most functional fashion item in your closet? Skinny jeans.

What fashion accessory can’t you go without? Earrings.

Ankle boots or knee length boots? Knee length boots ; because they compliment my legs.

Big bags or clutch bags? Big bags.

In terms of your dressing, what personality do you want the audience to identify you with when on stage? They know me as a strong person-ality hence I love to portray that in my dressing as well as my performance therefore bold colors and accessories bring out my persona best.

Chunky heels or stiletto heels? This season I am really feeling the chunky heels.

How would you dress your date? Linens any day! A linen shirt and pants spell out CLASS!!

What fashion rules do you live by? The golden rule is to always wear a good bra! Second, is to always pay attention to the colours you wear; they should compliment your body!

Fashion advice? Know your body first thendress it, not the other way round!

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STYLEPHILE

ShootingCover

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Behind The Scenes 015

The

BEHIND THE SCENES

Our premier cover shoot was perhaps the easiest

part in the development of our first issue. Se-

lecting the cover guy proved to be the toughest. Maybe

it’s because we set the bar to high; fresh face, fresh

sound, fresh attitude.

The number of upcoming artistes is shockingly

high while each one deserves a medal for passion, drive

and ambition, sadly only a few can pass for musicians.

Many thanks to Blackstar Entertainment for

granting our wish with their new project Plan B, Fac-

tory 55 for pimping him with clad and CMS for the

hottest cover shot ever.

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016 Acutely Acoustic CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

Its ALREADY BEEN TWO YEARS AND SOME

CHANGE SINCE MAIA KICKED OFF HER

MUSIC CAREER IN HER HOME COUNTRY.

After several years of busking and experimenting in Europe, she can now claim

to have carved her niche. But it’s not been easy sailing for the 26 year-old.

Every journey has its share of ups and downs.

“The last two years have been a huge learning curve. For the

first half year when I came I was like ‘Omigod, now where do I start’”

says Maia. “And then I found a guitar.” And the rest, as they say, is

history.

After teaming up with a more seasoned guitarist, a percus-

sionist and a double bassist, the singer was ready to take it to the

next level.

Maia von LekowACUTELY ACOUSTIC

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Acutely Acoustic 017

JUST JAZZ

Maia’s musical journey started way back when she was still a baby. “My father was a musician and my mom always listened to jazz,” says Maia, whose parents are both of mixed heritage. “In school I was part of the choir, although I never took any solos coz I was a nervous wreck. I would shake, forget the words…it was a really bad case of stage-fright.” But this girl was far from giving up. After high school, Maia left for Ireland. That’s where she finally decided to face her demons once and for all. “I just thought, this is it, I’m gonna go out to the street and sing.” And there was no turning back. With a friend in tow, Maia hit the streets singing acapella for anyone that cared to listen. “That seems like my breakthrough in the music industry. The money was for my dinner and accommodation pretty much,” says Maia of her busking activities. Counting the day’s harvest over a cup of coffee is something she recalls quite vividly. From there she traveled around Europe and produced some of the songs in her first self titled EP, Sunflower Avenue, Oyster and Joto, with Nico Berthold of 2nd Home Media in Germany. Her next stop – Down Under.

While Maia’s music career may have hatched in Ireland, perhaps it was in Australia where it really took shape. “Over there every second person is a musician!” She says of the hyper music atmosphere in former convict country. This provided her with opportunities to sing in rock and jazz bands such as Morph and Gooch Smugglers as well as to record some songs with a number of producers, such as Dave Higgins who produced La Luna, Cigarettes on Tuesday and Ants form her first collection. Another producer, Linden Leicester, worked on Altered Light, from the same collection.

After eight years of experimentation and recording, home was beckoning. “Initially, I thought I was going to be away for a really long time, but then a time came and I just felt like I wanted to come back home.” Still not sure of her style, Maia was simply going to start all over, from scratch.

Describe your soundThat’s one of the most difficult questions. I think since my mom always listened to jazz, I was brought up with that. Growing up, all I heard was western music. I didn’t have much exposure to Lingala, Benga or any of that. Now, vocally, I find myself quite jazzy although I’ve got a lot of influences from everywhere. I don’t really have a name to my style. Since I came I’ve added some folk to it. So it’s kind of jazzy-folk-acoustic. So my music is very diverse.

In your instrumentation you use the acoustic guitar a lot. While it may be rich, aren’t you afraid that all your music may sound the same?I’ve listened to a lot of songs with guitar accompani-ment and if you are really aware you can make the difference. I taught myself how to play the guitar and even now I’m not up to scratch. There are ways of doing it; you just have to be really clever.

So at this point the guitar is vital to your sound.For sure. I try to stay away from embellished sounds from the synth. I prefer to use acoustic instruments.

Do you compose your own music? That would be a lot of work; you would have to wait to be inspired to come up with a song.I do everything. It’s not so hard. I don’t have to wait to be in-spired. I found an amazing book called The Artist’s Way. It talks about ‘morning pages’; meaning in the morning when you wake

up, you have to write three pages of anything that’s in your head – be it your dreams, your anger, your stress, your happiness. And even if you have nothing to write, you should write ‘I have nothing to write’ until something comes to your head. You have to write constantly for three pages and you’re not allowed to look back in those three pages for about two months. When I go back with my highlighter I find some amazing stuff. So that’s one way of writing.

What do people say about your music? I thought your first collection was very western. But then again, I played it three times non-stop. I couldn’t get enough of it. Very easy to listen to.All the songs in that collection were produced in the west. I might have had [and still might be at the verge of] an identity crisis in the sense that my music shows the western side of me. There was a time I was thinking, ‘I am born in Kenya, I live in Kenya, have a Kenyan passport, but my music is western!’ But then I heard the Nigerian singer, Asa (read ASHA), who sang only two songs in her mother-tongue, and even those two were not very Africanized to a certain extent. Then I thought I’d continue doing what I like

018 AcutelyAcoustic CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

and what I feel is right for me. Through that I would be able to communicate with people all over the world.

So what’s next?I’m working on the next album “DRIFT” with my producer Uli Keurzinger from Arusha. It’s going to be really interesting. This time I have more instruments. In addition to the guitar, bass and percus-sion, we have a violin, cello, Indian flute, obokano and a harmonica. I’m producing it here.

Any collabos?No. I almost went into recording with Hip Hop Parliament but that didn’t go through. I wouldn’t do a collabo unless it’s to compliment my style. For example, I’d col-laborate with a rapper coz I don’t rap. That way we produce something different.

Live band versus backup track. Your preference?The only time I ever performed to a back-up track was when I was still in Europe. The gig was rather abrupt; I had no time to set up a band. I simply downloaded the track from the internet. It was easy money but it felt so cheap. They were only five songs but I felt completely empty. There was no interaction. I simply couldn’t feel the music. I’ve never done it again. I prefer a live band, definitely.

Any personal legends?They’re many. Miles Davis was there when I was growing up. Esmeralda Folding, Fiona Apple and other contemporaries like Emiliana Torini and Noah Johns, among others.

Using her music, Maia has helped raise funds with various organizations in awareness campaigns. Her song Uko Wapi featured in the documentary film From a Whisper. In a society where anybody holding a guitar can pass for a musician, Maia reminds us that it takes time and deliberate effort to become a creative art-ist. It’s all about originality and purpose.

Maia’s first collection CD is available upon request. To sample it go to www.cravemusicmag.com.

Maia von LekowACUTELY ACOUSTIC

PHO

TO: C

HR

IS K

ING

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Acutely Acoutic 019

JUST JAZZ

Honestly, Jazz in Kenya is like that elusive pair of heels that are actually comfortable. Hard to find but when you do you are in perpetual heaven! You can be serenaded with some super slick sax

licks right here in Nairobi! Don’t turn the page I’m serious!One spot to hit is Tamasha in Hurlingham on a Sunday nights from 7. I know you mad footy fans out there are think-

ing, “Oh but I’ll miss the game.“ I have two words for you: Big Screens! The band line-up is a tight collection of well-versed jazzers. Noah, the lead saxophonist has a big busty tone well

suited to make all his listeners float away. An assortment of bebop classics and new-age pop alterations is what you could expect on a sultry Sunday out. This is a great gig if you need to unwind after a crazy weekend! Check it out and write in your comments if your toes got waggling!

There are fantastic musicians here in Kenya always ready to croon for an audience. But not everyone gets a buzz sitting in a smoky bar trying to hear the piano man over the subtle “wanna go back to my place” pleads. Simple solu-tion, why don’t you head on down to your local music shop and invest in some soulful sounds. One great CD to introduce your ears to is the Best of Diana Krall. Her smooth melodies are a fantastic accompaniment to a dinner party or a relaxing night in. If you’re looking for something a bit heavier why not try Frank Sinatra: Sinatra at the Sands. This is a live record-ing of Sinatra and Count Bassie at their best. Count Bassie’s Orchestra is a true account of what a big band really can do. With a massive brass section, sax players that double on just about every reed instrument and a rhythm sector that grooves harder than anyone, it is undeniably one of the best Big Bands of all times. On this recording, you’ll hear exactly why Sinatra loved playing, composing and performing with this group. Full of humour and the possibility to turn every sobering get-together into a fun-filled event, this live performance will become one of your favourites.

Music is and always will be collaboration between those who dare to venture. It is a language that we can all feel and understand on an emotional level. Jazz is just another branch of the musical language. For those people who play jazz I think they can all agree that it is a thrill. Creating a musical line never heard before by you or your audience and enjoying the pure hilarity of not at all feeling like you are completely prepared has always been my delight. To me ‘fun’ is the name of the game when it comes to jazz. You become bonded with your fellow musicians not knowing exactly what is going to happen in the next chord. Spontaneity and a capacity to understand aurally what your bass player just threw at you in the last turn-around is a big challenge. Jazz musicians must be diligent with their practice. Must be.

It is a craft that takes years to perfect and when you’ve got it down, perfect, perfect some more! There are always new weird or wonderful sounds in jazz. Created by those who deem themselves brave enough to put their heart on the line. As with all musicians, Classical, Garage Band and Jazz, alike we have a love for what we do. Appreciation for our art will always be round the corner.

Some of you may not like the CDs I recommend or the musicians and gigs I suggest but many of you will. Music is very much like food. Not all of us have the same tastes. But please, even if you don’t like what you’re listening to appreci-ate it. The blood, sweat and tears that has gone into creating that music is what you should be applauding for. As I have said before music of all genres is communication to the masses. If we could all put back that same feeling we get when we hear our fave song towards each other....well you know the rest.

Music for me is life and love. Jazz for me is a passion. Find what you like and appreciate it.

Jazz: ThatMystery Music

words l AMY POOLE

020 Jazz: That Mystery Music CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

BACK BASICSII

LBDTyra Banks, Beyonce Knowles, Victoria Beckam are just

some of the celebrities wearing the little black

dress and rocking it! They are a favourite among the curvy girls because

they are forgiving; they hide the little bumps that we would rather people

not see! So instead of liposuction and all sorts of surgeries…give LBD a

try! There’s just something classy and seductive about them and the

best news is…they can be worn by anyone and everyone! Back 2 Basics

brings you some of the ways you can wear that little black dress gather-

ing dust in your closet!

Little Black Dress

021 Back 2 Basics CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

[music]

stylist l TRISH KIM images l EMMANUEL JAMBO hair & makeup l MILELE EXECUTIVE SALON

Night outA sheer dress with sequin detail at the bustier. Note that we

chose to tone down the look by opting not to use much neck

accessories as the dress is detailed (sequins).

Movie Premier orRed-Carpet Event

Elegance and class is what your black dress

should be all about for this look. This

timeless beautiful black dress will

bring out your inner grace and

you’ll notice your walking

style will change!

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BACK 2 BASICS

DinnerThis chic sheer dress can be worn on your dinner date with sexy bronze metallic heels to boot. Note that since the black dress is well…black and without much detail it’s important to go all out when it comes to accessorizing therefore go for loud but elegant colours to bring out the outfit.

Cocktail This gorgeous pleated satin dress is perfect for a cocktail party, its simplicity leaves room to play around with accessories. Red and black go together like bread and butter…this combination makes a statement without saying a word.

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CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Back 2 Basics 023

BACK 2 BASICS

OFFICE FASHIONThis look is playful yet sexy! Ankle boots are in and when matched with stockings and this casual black dress, well the overall look is fabulous!

Cherina: Black doll dress KShs. 2,500; Green Bolero Jacket KShs. 1,500; Aviator Sun Glasses KShs. 5,000Cherina: Black dress with Cupped Sleeves KShs. 2,500 under a Lime Satin Jacket KShs. 1,800; Stockings KShs. 350Steve’s Collection, Bishan Plaza, Upper Second floor, Shop 29, Mpaka Road, Westlands

Red Velvet Chunky Heels with a Bow KShs. 2,500Black Ankle Boots KShs. 2,500Backyard Shoe Shop, Woodvale Lane opposite Unga House

Cherina: White and Brown layered Pearl Necklace KShs. 2,500; White Pearl Studs KShs. 300Cherina: Pink-purple Hoops KShs. 700; Gold Star Chain KShs. 6,725 SUN GLASSES - OpticaJEWELLERY - Anzuri, Magharibi Plaza, Muthaite Avenue, Nairobi West

CASUALFor that extra edge in the office wear this black dress with a jacket over it. Color clashing is in, don’t be afraid of color!


www.CraveMusicMag.com

“Good Deejays are born NOT made.” Strong words from

an equally strong personality. Find out more about

this compelling disc jockey who doesn’t mince his

words when it comes to the love of his life…deejaying.

How did it all start?I remember when I was in high school, I sketched a turn-table on my locker with hopes of one day owning one and becoming a Dj, whichever came first! (laughs). My first gig was a wedding and first major gig was Mr/ Miss USIU 2003. I didn’t undergo any form of training; I learnt the art through observing and practicing.

There’s a misconception that anyone can become a DjThat’s exactly what that is…a misconception. There’s a difference between a Dj and a good Dj…That’s the ranking and various Djs fall in various categories. Good Djs are born not made.

In the international scene what are some of the names that come to your mind as having influ-enced your decision to become a Dj?Funk Master Flex…he’s a legend. His CD mixed tape volume 1 is what inspired me to become a Dj and a great one at that.

What has by far been the most embarrassing moment on stage?There was a certain concert where I was deejaying, the crowd was feeling the music, I was feeling the music... it was intense! I miscalculated my steps when I moved back and before I knew it I was on the ground!I dislocated my shoulder and I couldn’t continue playing.

What would you say is the best thing about your job?Without a doubt, getting to travel and experiencing different cultures. It’s always a learning experience and it challenges your creativity as a Dj, because different crowds will have different tastes and preferences and it’s your job as an entertainer to please the crowd and leave them yearning for more.

Do you ever get butterflies before a show?Definitely especially when it’s a huge crowd but I always pull myself together and give a terrific show!

Where can your fans catch you spinning?Rush Live every Saturday on NTV, I interchange with Dj Mobi. I am a Flava Unit Dj, which is the Dj outfit under Blackstar Entertainment, therefore you can also catch me at any Blackstar event.

Biggest challenge you’ve faced as a Kenyan Dj?Kenyans, sadly to say, don’t support their own talent. They would rather an international Dj perform than their local talent, we need support from Kenyans in order for the industry to grow.

What do you dislike about your job?I’d like to call them occupational hazards (laughs), the long working hours and sleep-less nights!

What legacy do you want to leave behind?I want to be remembered as one of the best Djs that ever lived!

SKRATCH

Like Nickel-

back said, “We all want to

be a big rock star”. Not all of us can afford the

expensive instruments or les-sons though, and we all don’t have

the talent and patience needed to play those complicated instruments. But, with the miJam Pro Air Drum Kit, anyone can play the drums and sound like a pro. The miJam Pro Air Drums are a truly impressive gadget, we’ve seen air drums before but these are in a league of their own. It allows you to play drums without wires. It simulates a full drum set with a pair of wire-less drumsticks, a bass drum foot pedal, and a speaker unit. You can jam along with any songs in your music player.

Elecom Compact 10Port USB Hub

Sound Asleep Pillow

Ever had a ton of USB items that needed plugging in? It can be extremely frustrating when you

run out of ports.Then you get an extra hub and

of course, that one fills up eventually. So although you may not really need 10 different USB ports, you’re just giving yourself the option to have a lot plugged in at once.

It’s always bet-ter to have too many USB ports rather than too few.

The Elecom Compact 10 Port USB Hub would definitely leave plenty of breathing room to grow, particularly

for those that have a family computer. You could leave more plugged

in and not have to worry about anyone fighting over who gets to use the spare port to charge their camera or iPod…for

those who didn’t know… USB devices are auto-matically charged when plugged in.

The USB Hub comes in three different colours, you can purchase it in either black, silver or white. You can find it for $101 which translates to about KSH 8,000 from Geek Stuff

4 U, which might be a little more than some are willing to spend just for a little extra convenience.

Air Drummer

Nokia is a world famous mobile phone manufacturing company. The Nokia 5800 Xpress Music is from this leading brand,

which is specifically designed for listening to music.

The MP3 player and stereo FM radio in-stalled in this gadget are the entertainment tools, the music listeners would love to listen to their favourite songs through these.

The TV out feature lets the users watch videos on their television sets. It offers a 3.2 mega pixels camera which enables one to click high quality pictures in an instant way. It has an operating system called Symbian OS. It is quite easy to use.

This widget comes in three popular colours, including Red and Blue. The dimensions of this mobile phone are 111x 51.7 x 15.5 mm and

its weight is 109 grams. Apart from these features, this wonderful gadget can keep call details for up to 30 days. It pro-vides a phonebook which lets the users keep unlimited contact entries.

Kingston’s DataTraveler 200 (DT200) is actually the world’s first 128GB USB flash drive -

that’s enough storage for around 182 music CDs (remember those?) or up to 27 DVD movies.

Do not worry if you don’t need the large capacity as the wholly-black DT200 128GB also comes in a blue-and-black 32GB model and yellow-and-black 64GB model capacities.

It should be pointed out

the 128GB model, unlike the 32GB and 64GB versions, is build to order only, so you’ll have to wait a lot longer after checkout before the drive is actually shipped to you.

Kingston is a little vague on de-livery times at the moment. Each model offers Windows-based password protec-tion to help safeguard data (allows you to create and access a password-protected secure area of the drive called a Privacy Zone) and requires no admin rights.

There are neither special features nor auto-backup software included in the bundle - just a simple drive with a huge capacity.

Nokia 5800Xpress Music

A 128GBFlash Disk?

GADGETS GALORE

Music at bedtime can aid sleep, but not everyone wants to listen to their part-ner’s choice.

This pillow has speakers hidden inside so when you’re lying on it, you can hear your tunes but the sound won’t carry to your bedfellow.www.soundasleeppillow.co.uk

028 Gadgets Galore CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

MUSIC REBORN AT BROOKHOUSE

Why wasn’t I told!

www.brookhouse.ac.ke/music

Brookhouse Academy of Performing Arts (BhAPA)

Is a Career in the Music Industry For You?For many people in East Africa the opportunity to become a well trained professional in the music in-dustry has remained out of reach. Some have received initial vocal or instrumental training in music skills, but for the most part have had to apply their own business acumen, technical savvy or perfor-mance skills as they navigate the professional music world.

As part of their commitment to the development of the Performing Arts across East Africa Brook-house International School in Nairobi has introduced a course that merges the elements of Business and Technology as they pertain to Music, in order to satisfy this niche. The course, called a BTEC in Music, is designed to develop and nurture anyone with a passion for music, creating the all-round professional individuals much needed by the music industry today, both within East Africa and abroad.

As the course is directly accredited by the Edexcel Board in the UK, graduates can go into profession-al employment, and still have a clear progression into tertiary institutions worldwide.

Music lovers over 16 years of age, those already in the music industry and even those in other pro-fessions with a burning ambition to nurture their musicality, are eligible to take the course, whether your key interest is performance, musicianship, technical skills or entrepreneurship related to the music industry.

For further information, please contact the admissions staff at the Brookhouse Academy of Perform-ing Arts (BhAPA) at [email protected] or visit their website – www.brookhouse.ac.ke/music.

Plan BHip hop rejuvenation

In our society, where the survival of hip hop

is threatened by the birth of unconventional

styles, a few ardent hip hop fans are bent on

keeping the dream alive…on keeping hip hop

alive. 24 year-old Barack “Plan B” Othieno, is

the upcoming artist doing just that

030 Cover Story CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

words l TRISH KIM

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Cover Story 031

and like his name suggests; he gives us the alternative to genge. He gives us rhythm and rhyme, the other option, hip hop.

Your interest in music began…Back in the day! I’ve grown up listening to my parents’ Soul, TPOK Jazz, Franco. I’ve been a huge Michael Jackson fan especially the Beat It era! When my family moved to the States, I joined a music club in school and first learnt how to drum after seeing this guy drumming…it looked like the coolest thing! I came back to Kenya in 2004 determined to record; Dj Loop and Mano gave me the op-portunity to do so, though none of the songs were ever released.

Since 2004 I’ve released a song Anguka featuring Collo of the Kleptomaniax, produced by Shazi last year; it received consider-able airplay and response. I am currently working with Blackstar Entertainment trying to re-launch and repackage my music as I believe it’s matured tremendously from when I started recording. I release my album soon; the songs are a blend of English and Kiswahili.

It’s a work in progress, I’ll complete the album and have a listening party soon after. The feeling I’ll get from the music in the album will determine its title. The theme of the album is 3rd World Urban scene. That’s the party scene, the hustle in life and generally how people interact.

I’m basically having fun with music and hip hop in general. I stand for good music and every time I go behind the mic, I ensure that I deliver to my fans what is expected of me. It’s a business and as much as I love to do music, I am also in it to earn a living.

You rank yourself…At the top! The competition is not in Kenya. I want to break the country barriers and be ranked among the biggest names in the hip hop industry. We are taking over and taking it to the next level. However, it’s important to mention that even the biggest names in the industry still have room for growth…I don’t think

a day will ever come when I’ll say that I’ve learnt enough; there isn’t such a thing! In the music industry every day is a learning process.

Who inspires you internationally?Without a doubt, Jay Z and the old Lil Wayne [not the auto-tune Lil Wayne]. There’s also Common and Black Thought of the Roots. These artists have remained true to hip hop. How they spit their rhymes is truly inspiring and makes me the rapper that I am today.

What’s your take on all the hating associated with Hip Hop?Hating is negative energy and I don’t associate myself with nega-tive energy. Haters will always be there and if someone were to hate on me, I would not retaliate…silence is golden. Besides, if no one is hating on you then there’s something you’re doing wrong!

Who would you like to work with locally?Names such as STL, Abbas, Mwana FA, Jozi (South Africa) and Proverb come to mind.

What do you think is holding back the Kenyan music indus-try from reaching its full potential?The people who are already in the industry and have made it. They’ve made their tight circles, especially with the [Radio and T.V] presenters. Before any upcoming artists get in, it’s nail biting to say the least, especially when you don’t have anyone backing you.

Is there anything else you’re doing apart from music?I am studying Business Administration at USIU. I finish in 2010. My parents are both intellectuals. Therefore, from an early age, the importance of education was drilled in me.

What does the future hold for the Kenyan music industry?It’s amazing how the industry is growing! However, artists have to start demanding their royalties. But for this to happen, the quality of music needs to im-prove in order to have the radio stations see it worth paying the artists each time they play their songs.

032 Cover Story CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

COVER STORY

www.CraveMusicMag.com

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Bongo Flava 035

BONGO FLAVA

GrandmasterTHE

036 Traditional CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

GrandmasterDennis Masiere, also

known as Grandmaster

Masese, is a self-taught

obokano player who hails

from Kisii in the south of

Kenya’s Nyanza province.

images p EMMANUEL JAMBO

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Traditional 037

HE e discovered his passion for the instrument

when he was only eleven but had to put that

on hold to pursue his education. As Dennis

explains, playing a traditional instrument goes way beyond music

appreciation; it is oral literature in song, our history told in music.

I started playing the obokano when I was 11 years old. I used

to visit a distant grandfather at a neighbouring village. Actually, my

grandmother used to send me to her sister during school holidays.

This instrument was played in that village. During ceremonies after

we had danced and danced, I’d pick it up and try and try and try

until I got it. I was proud to be among my cousins, grandfather and

other villagers who could play the obokano.

Since the obokano was not played in my village, one day

I managed to flee with one from my grandfather’s village and

went with it to my place. My grandfather came looking for it. So

then I made a similar instrument. It wasn’t that good but still got

destroyed by my dad who told me to stop playing around and

concentrate with school. So from standard 5 upto form 4 I didn’t

touch the obokano. That was a long period of hibernation from the

instrument.

Three years after school, 2004, I decided to make an

obokano and decided to become a fulltime musician. A few friends

and I formed a traditional dance group and would travel to Nai-

robi for a few gigs then go back home. The group didn’t survive

as the other members wanted to pursue other things. So I came

back to Nairobi as a solo act.

Since then I’ve made and sold instruments by order to

compliment performance gigs. It takes longer to sell one than it

does to make it. There’s more money in performance. There are

more performance opportunities these days. I recently got to give

a concert at Alliance francaise alongside other artists. The event

was organized by the British Council. On several occasions, I have

provided backup music at poetry recitals.

I’ve also performed in a modern band where we had a

saxophonist, a nyatiti player and a drummer. We called ourselves

Tamaduni Shikana and performed once or twice at the Windsor and

Muthaiga Golf and Country Clubs. We even recorded something.

I’ve played in a traditional ensemble with instruments from differ-

ent parts of Kenya. Recently I got to play with an Italian band at a

workshop organized by the Italian Institute and at the Hay Festival

in the UK.

Traditional music is vital; it’s a form of oral literature

because some of the songs which were composed centuries ago

tell stories and histories of our cultures. My music is contemporary

because I compose most of my songs and sing about current af-

fairs, so in a way I am an oral historian like the griots in West Africa.

These are people who walked the desert giving teachings and infor-

mation through song. They are much respected there, but not here

and yet I have something precious from a long, long time ago that

people have forgotten about. For example, we’ve been going on

about famine. Since there is so much information reaching us it ap-

pears as though this is the worst famine ever. But really, famine is

something that affects every generation or so. I know this because

we have a song that talks of a woman, who walks with her young

son in search for grain, but the rain comes and they are drowned

by floods. If someone leaves their dwellings in search for food, that

means the famine was really severe. Plus, with the help of the song

we are able to geographically trace the location it happened.

For a while, traditional music was ignored in the urban

centres as well as in the rural areas where villagers want to sing and

dance but wouldn’t commit themselves. It may be because when

people got educated they also got westernized. That is, they got

education but lacked knowledge. We go to school to acquire knowl-

edge but something goes wrong along the way and you come out

without it. But it’s better now. There is some sort of revival. People

seem to have woken up. They attend both local and international

festivals and even commercialize this form of music because they

realize that there’s value in our culture. Besides that, traditional

music ought to be in our school system. I’ve met people who have

told me that I was carrying a wandindi! That’s just plain ignorance.

People also tend to follow what’s provided by the media. So if they

provided more information on this type of music more people will

learn to appreciate it.

Traditional music is vital; it’s a

form of oral literature because

some of the songs which were

composed centuries ago tell stories

and histories of our cultures.

TRADITIONAL

Music is an important part of life

since time immemorial. It encom-

passes life and forms part of the basis

that is life. Music has not only entertained,

it has also taught and encouraged and

above all, carried the history of a people

from one generation to the next for cen-

turies.

In traditional African societies,

many factors influence our way of life and

more importantly, our creative abilities

over the years. These factors may be

environmental, political and economic.

The sounds of nature - rumbling thunder,

falling rocks, flowing rivers, chirping birds

and mountain eruptions, among other

things - inspired traditional musicians.

That is why we have imagery in this art

form. They used the environment and ani-

mals as analogies in songs and dances.

One would have to listen and

inquire more about the songs and dances

to get the drift. Look at the Maasai leaps

for example; do they jump up and down

perhaps to signify their trying to reach

the height of the highlands [as they lived

in the plains]? Some people have argued

that hip hop’s style of shaking the head

and bopping might have originated from

the Maasai! Could that be true? Let me

have your opinion. Ribina dance in Kisii,

performed on a sacred hill, was to search

for rain after severe droughts. Did it work?

Can one sing so well that it pours?

On that note, is traditional music

still relevant today? If we performed ribina

dance at the top of the south tower of All

Saints’ Cathedral, would it pour?

Traditional Music:

A Relevant Part of LifeThe sounds of nature — rumbling thunder, falling rocks, flowing rivers, chirping birds and mountain

eruptions, among other things — inspired traditional musicians.

words p ONGORI NYARIANSA

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Traditional 039

TRADITIONAL

Club Scene

Every Wednesday: Rock Entry: KShs. 200

Every Thursday: Urban Legends Entry: KShs. 300

1st Friday of every month: New Jack Swing

3rd Friday of every month: Rhumba

Saturday: Carnivore Rave Entry: KShs. 200

Sunday: Soul Entry: KShs. 200

BEER AT KShs. 130

Monday: In-house DJ

Tuesday: Girls Nite and Best of 70’s

Wednesday: Kool n tha Gang

Thursday: Karaoke Nite

Friday: In-house DJ

Saturday: Gogosimo Band

Sunday: Nyama Choma Sunday Party

NO COVER CHARGE. BEER AT KShs. 130

Wednesday: Karaoke from 6.00pm until late

Thursday: Divas Night from 2.00pm until late

Friday: Happy House from 6.00pm until late

Saturday: Party’s Night

NO COVER CHARGE. BEER AT KShs. 130

KlubHouse 1Ojijo Road, Parklands

PsysUnga House, Woodvale Lane, Westlands

040 Club Scene CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

Wednesday: DJ Sumo plays mixed music

Thursday: DJ Zelalem plays House Music

Friday: Afro Fusion with DJ Mark

Saturday: Band Night

Sunday - Tuesday: Salsa

BEER AT KShs. 130

HavanaWoodvale Grove, Westlands

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Club Scene 041

Sauti Sol is a blend of two tenors, a baritone and an acoustic guitarist: Baraza, Willis, Delvin and

Polycarp. This is arguably Kenya’s best thought out fusion of western harmony, neo-soul and African music.

It sounds like African blues as opposed to rhythm and blues. Sultry voices over the walking bass and the use of light percussion offers a breath of fresh air.

Mwanzo, their debut album is produced by Wawesh, who does an excellent job with the urban touch.

Mwanzo Playlist (13 tracks)Asubuhi – a love song (listen to the walking bass)Lazizi – your thoughts about a love interest (has a vernacular streak)Mafunzo ya dunia – life lessons are not always comprehensibleSunny days – enjoy every moment of a beautiful dayZosi – be careful not to sell your pride (has heavy Zulu influence)Wera – do all it takes to make an honest livingMama Papa – seeking parental blessings for marriage (feel the reggae beat)Blue Uniform – encounter with the police is not pleasantSubira – sweet love gone sourMapacha – love songMushivala – rise up and face your trials (fully vernacular)Nairobi – there is fun in the sun in this Kenyan cityAsante baba – acknowledgement for daddy

This compilation is probably one of Lady Jay Dee’s most adventurous works. The

arrangements here show that the queen of bongo flava is not afraid to experiment and goes out of her element, literally. The album is produced in both South Africa and Tanzania, taking a risk with over five producers. As a result, her fans are treated with a variety of sounds.

The first track, Siku Hazigandi, starts with an upbeat kwaito bounce. You’d expect something suthu or zulu but Lady Jay Dee surprises you with a swa’ hook. Wait til you get to Njalo, featuring the mzanzi Mina Nawe, then

you’ll confirm that Lady Jay Dee is at home with the South African flavour.Perhaps it’s Nishike Mkono that will grab your attention as Lady Jay Dee goes

all out strange with the heavy metal touch. Mad Ice blends well with the songstress and keeps the ad libs to a minimum. It would be interesting to watch the electric guitarist working it!

Rest in Peace slows down the tempo but only for a moment as Nako 2 Nako spits his rhymes to introduce the next track Nyimbo, a number about appreciating our cultural music.

The title track Shukrani bears more weight in its lyrics than the music convey-ing it. While a lot of thought may have gone into this composition, the text /wengine wameshakufa na wengine wanaumwa/ offers an anticlimax to a rather cheerful hook.

The album concludes with an acoustic version of Siku Hazigandi. While track 1 makes you dance, track 12 will make you listen.

Anyone who appreciates meaningful African music should get this album.

Sultry voices over the walking bass and the use of light percussion offers a breath of fresh air.

Perhaps it’s Nishike Mkono that will grab your attention as Lady Jay Dee goes all out strange with the heavy metal touch.

Sauti Sol: MwanzoEar for

the Music

Lady Jay Dee: Shukrani

042 CD Review CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

Ashley Mugo, 25I listen to rock and ragga. Locally I am really feeling the rock bands

in Kenya, Kings of Leon and Aerial. I am jamming to Aerial’s

System of a down right now.

Uhuru Brown, 25Play me hip hop or Reggae any

time and I’ll be good. Locally, I’m feeling Hip hop Halisi by Ukoo

Fulani and Nazizi.

Eric Kamau, 19I love soft rock, reggae and ragga.

In the local scene I am feeling quite a number of jams but Can-nibal’s I Wish…that song killed

me!!

CD REVIEW

Mtaa Mentality is Juliani’s voice calling out to the youth about positive living.

He offers his personal experiences as les-sons to learn from and shows the power of God in his life.

Although his genre is mainly kapuka, which often refers to spoken lyrics, Juliani has no limits to the music he uses; in this album he incorporates RnB, soul, hip hop and reggaeton, providing something appeal-ing to all.

Your Ear talks about the changed man that is Juliani /hey yo nime change hallo haumezei/

Hela Catchy start with a series of thirds on keyboard that resolve in the words /wa-naweka trust kwa hela/Ka si sisi /kutabadilishwa na nani ka si sisi/ I guess suggests that we are the solu-tions to our problems. The hook is embellished with Ciiru’s voiceMahewa starts with a quasi chorus of male voices. While the title suggests music, there’s mention of God and man’s characterChurch on Monday /kama viti za church on Monday vichwa zao empty/ makes the hook. Astar and Michelle create a hip hop twist to this trackDamu ya Yesu starts with a vocal ad lib going on about /damu ya Yesu/. Dunco’s vocal highlights carry on above Juliani’s lyricsBiceps /Pia me u cry kwa crisis pia me najua mwanaume si biceps/ is echoed in speech by Mc LC /Pia me u cry kwa crisis pia me najua urembo sio kutex/. Juliani says /venye unajua si hivyo, huwa kuvaa white haimaanishi angel/Mtaa Mentality keyboard leads the intro with a melodic phrase plus chordal punctua-tions as Juliani joins in with /hey, heya/. Ciiru brings the intro to climax. She sings the hook /streets wanauliza ni aje, iko wapi suluhisho yaku make a difference, wanalia/Who is to Blame A union of guitar and shakers plus Eric Wainaina’s ad lib form the in-tro. He sings the chorus /who is to blame, who is behind this/ from his debut album.

Aaron Rimbui’s new effort, Alfajiri, shows once again that he is a jack of all trades. He plays the keyboard,

drums, and bass in this album, as well as arranges the music. He shares co-producing credits with his brother Tim and renowned saxophonist Joseph Hellon. The al-bum is quintessentially Aaron and it does not disappoint with its mix of jazzy instrumentals spiced with vocals and spoken word.

The title track Alfajiri is a gentle number that deceptively begins as if what was to occur next was a full-blown heavy metal song. Benin is an upbeat track with an

introduction that suggests Africa in typical hustle and bustle. Particularly infectious are the first track Amani and the African-influenced and very danceable C’est La Vie, with vocals by Eric Wainaina.

Will You Talk To Me? is more laid back with great lyrics. Kanji tends to go overboard with the vocals tipping the overall balance at some point, but Atemi gives a good account. In I’m Coming Again Kanjii’s vocals are just right and offer a mellow contrast to the vibrant instrumental lines. The catchy Can I Come For Tea! will have you bobbing your head and moving to the beat.

Though the album leans heavily towards upbeat instrumentals, it is quite dif-ficult to classify it in this era of ‘fusion’ music. Jazz lovers would definitely enjoy this work. Alfajiri is a good buy and a keeper.

The album is quintessentially Aaron and it does not disappoint with its mix of jazzy instrumentals spiced up with vocals.

Juliani has no limites to the music he uses; in this album he incor-porates RnB, soul, hip hop and reggaeton.

Ear forthe Music

Aaron Rimbui: Alfajiri

Juliani: Mtaa Mentality

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM CD Review 043

Kiki Muthaura, 23I love ragga and neo-soul, locally

I’m feeling Redsan’s Yule Pale. The video, beat and choreogra-

phy are tight tu sana!

Marabo Moses, 21I listen to afro-fusion, soul and

RnB. I like Lady Jay Dee and Wahu. Kanjii’s I’m just a man is

one of my favourite songs.

Steve ‘Mr. Brigz’ Mumia, 26

I am a die-hard fan of hip hop. Locally, I’m feeling Plan B’s

Nafika C.

CD REVIEW

Daddy Owen gives us Christian contemporary music for all tastes. This energetic sound is

particularly appealing to the young at heart.Daddy Owen exhibits a strong footing in

dance hall and lingala and takes no chances with mediocrity. This is the efforts of a team of musi-cians finding balance and structure in their voices and styles.

System ya Kapungala (12 tracks)Am on Fire: Dance hall. Hook /Am on fire, fire, fire, Holy Ghost fire…/Kidonda: Typical lingala flavour as noted in the instrumentation, vocal arrangement and the use of speech in music. Moderate tempo. /Kidonda kilicho moyoni mwangu Yesu kitoe, uchungu uliyo rohoni mwangu Yesu uutoe/

Kigocho: Just the right mix of lingala, dance hall and Kikuyu music. Notice the promi-nent lead guitar. Interesting vocal variations.Sifa Zako: You cannot miss this techno number; one can almost see the laser beams flashing. Hypnotizing. Hook /Na sifa zako weh, weh, weh tutazieneza kwote eh eh eh/System ya Kapungala: Lingala flavour. Hook /Nifuate mimi nikimfuata Yesu/ Fuata nyayo zangu nikimfuata Yesu/Kiriro: Starts with a soothing piano and synth passage and develops into a reggae-ton chorus in Kikuyu. /…mnasonga mbali na Yeye, hamjali matendo yenu yamuudhi, hamjali Mungu wenu…/Yesu Alisema: Dance hall number. Hook /Yesu alisema wchni watoto wote waje kwangu, hakuna kuopna ufalme mpaka upat Yesu/What is Life: Piano passage intros this hip hop track. Hook /what is life without hope, what is life without peace, what is life without love/I Will Go: Dance hall. Hook /And now am changed, am re-arranged, even though this new life is kinda strange…everywhere you send me I’ll go/Coupe de Calle: Lingala. Can’t-stop-myself-from-dancing-kind of song. Percussive and full of energy. /kuna moto, kuna waka, kuna moto…/tunakata mpaka chini/ tuna dansez…, tunatupa mikono/…tunamsifu Mwokozi…coupe de calle, coupe de calle…/Tukisimama: Dance hall. The hook has a hint of bongo flava /Tukisimama kwenye kiti cha enzi, tukiwa tumetulia pamoja na mashujaa wa zamani, tukimwimbia aliyetukom-boa, tukimsifu hosanna halleluyia/Hafungi Macho: Dance hall. /Mungu baba yeye hafungi macho, habadiliki jana, leo hata kesho. Azijua raha na shida zako, oooh/

Pendo Kweli A soulful intro with Kanji’s vocals. The partnership between Juliani’s verses and the keyboard entries, plus the cosmic accompaniment provided by the synth makes this a musical masterpiece.Stori Hii /Huzuni imenukumba mimi/ intro by Kera is a solemn call whose melody matches the lyrics setting the mood for the track. Sounding like an old transistor radio, Kanji seals it in speech /We are one nation, we are one tribe/…I choose to be a member of the tribe Kenya/Rimz Timz /Sina ma rimz timz ma blingbling, lakinin nina husiano na King of kings/ is Juliani’s hook with Ciiru providing some vocal highlightsSomething More The hook which bears the title is sang by Brian King, with Juliani echoing the words /Kuna hope, kuna God, kuna peace, kuna this, kuna that lakini hauoni kwa media/. Wenyeji spit fire as they give this track a gangsta vibe.

Daddy Owen exhibits a strong footing in dancehall and lingala, and takes no chances with mediocrity

Daddy Owen:System Ya Kapungala

044 CD Review CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

CD REVIEW

Ear forthe Music

George Gichuki, 25I listen to hip hop and a bit of

reggae. At the moment am feel-ing Chiwawa’s song Renegade,

which is due to be released.

Angela Muriuki, 26I listen to reggae and hip hop. I love Juliani’s Mtaa Mentality

album especially the song Hela.

Paul Maxi, 33I listen to Bongo Flava and RnB. I’m a fan of Marlow, Neyo and

Usher Raymond.

MahabaMaryaOgopaThe return of a lost love.

Pii PiiMarlawJMI (teddy)Who can stand a traffic jam?

NajutaSanaaOgopaRegrets over a breakup

MtejaKanjii, Juliani, Wenyeji, Wahu et alKijiji recordsAbout the right to information

Kwenye DansiLyrical AssassinsMandugu digitalAs the title suggests, let’s dance!

AsubuhiSauti SolWawesh (penya)Singing to the one you love

HoTrax

Circuit ft. Kizo BSura SugaRKay

Shot on location in a green-house. Instead of a bouquet of roses why not give her a whole green-house? Cool!

Inside shots are fabulous. Film-ing outside the greenhouse was not a good idea though.

Verdict: Guilty on the account of thinking outside the box

Q-tacOchaLuche

A guy is clearly having a rough time in the city. Scenes from his experiences with crime and high supermarket prices flash by.

He bundles up into an over-crowded ocha-bound bus. It seems every passenger there is in a similar predicament.

What follows, however, is quite unexpected. On arrival, the lad is

received by a throng of sexy women in urban attire, poise, the works! It seems, in his twisted nostalgia all the babes in shagz now appear rather dashing!

Verdict: Guilty on the account of telling a compelling story

Lady Jay DeeSiku HazigandiAdam Juma

The video is shot at several loca-tions offering great visual stimula-tion. The wardrobe selection cannot go unnoticed, super.

While there is no story-line, view-ers are treated with the most beauti-ful sunset silhouettes on the planet!

Verdict: Guilty on the account of using videography to showcase the beauty of Africa

PoaMadtraxxOgopa Video

A regular night out is often packed with adventure and mishaps.

Although Madtraxx says every-thing iko poa, interestingly, just about everything that could go wrong does.

He is broke, his mom won’t let him go out, he bounces a pal at their meeting spot, his buddy is frozen entry into the joint, the girls don’t feel him, it’s endless.

Verdict: Poa!

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Video Court 045

VIDEO COURT

Fashion

HOODSteve: Yellow T-shirt KShs. 1,500; Dark Blue Jeans KShs. 3,500; Brown Leather Belt KShs. 1,500Cherina: Brown Fold-up Shorts KShs. 500; Blue Vest with Silver Detail KShs. 300; Purple Waist Coat KShs. 350;Green Belt KShs. 300; Blue Satin Tie KShs. 100; Brown Satin Head Scarf KShs. 200Steve dressed by Steve’s Collection, Bishan Plaza. Cherina dressed by Up Next Fashion, Ongata Rongai

Black Leather Boots KShs. 6,000; Brown Canvas Rubbers KShs. 1,500LEATHER BOOTS from Kiokas Collection, Jamia Mosque

046 Fashion Hit List CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

PUNKDAIN

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Fashion Hit List 047

FASHION HIT LIST

Faith: Multi-coloured T-shirt KShs. 500; Red Skinny Jeans KShs. 800; Light Green Bolero Jacket KShs. 2,500Steve: Dark Blue Jeans KShs. 3,500; Pink T-shirt KShs. 1,500Cherina: Purple Skinny Jeans KShs. 800; Black T-shirt KShs. 500; Black Leather Jacket KShs. 3,500; Yellow Studded Belt KShs. 200Steve dressed by Steve’s Collection. Faith and Cherina dressed By Up Next Fashion, Ongata Rongai



FASHION HIT LIST

Steve: Bright Yellow Sweater KShs. 1,500; Lime and Yellow Checked Shirt KShs. 1,500; Dark Blue Jeans KShs. 3,500Steve’s Collection, Bishan Plaza, Upper Second floor, Shop 29, , Mpaka Road, Westlands

Cherina: Blue Mini Dungarees KShs. 2,500; White Vest KShs. 300; White Knit Cap KShs. 700; Green Belt KShs. 300; Pee Toe Pink and Black Polka Dot Heels KShs. 1,000; Yellow Hoops KShs. 300Faith: Grey Vest with Sequin Details KShs. 300; Yellow Belt KShs. 300 and Black Knit Cap KShs. 700Up Next Fashion, Ongata Rongai. Overall Minis from Steve’s Collection. Knit Caps from Backyard Shoe Shop



FASHION HIT LIST

052 Event Pictorial CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM

1 Kanjii and Neema perform during the 2009 Groove Music Awards at Kenyatta International

Conference Centre, Nairobi

2 Jimmy Gait (main picture) with his award for Song of the Year Muhadhara 2009

3 Daddy Owen acknowledges his fans after receiving the award for Male Artist of the Year 2009

4 Men of God (MOG) perform the chart bursting No Letting Go during the 2009 Groove Music

Awards. The members of MOG are Anthony Mburu, Kennedy Kimani and Paul Onyango

CRAVEMUSICMAG.COM Event Pictorial 053

25th

Apr

il 20

09 a

t th

e N

atio

nal M

useu

m


Emmanuel JalMay 2009 at Simba Saloon

lose to win tour

Emmanuel Jal savoring the beat of his music


A reveller enjoys the music

Lam on stage working up the crowd

The crowd enjoying Emmanuel’s rhymes


sawasawaF E S T I V A L29 - 31 MAY 2009

SARAKASI DOME

Renee Wilson sings her heart out


Iddi Achieng performs

Aaron Rimbui v


Nairobi Music Society

Nairobi Orchestraand

14th June 2009, Braeside School

Nairobi Orchestra conducted by Rob Stewardson

Nairobi Music Society conducted by Tony Davies


The crowd enjoys the musicNairobi Music Society singers

James Laight accompanies the choir



Prasad Velankar

Karimi Mugambi

Thelma MbodzeIndo - Swahili Concert

GOETHE INSTITUTE, MAY 9 2009


crave [music] magazine

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