Cosmas Butunyi
8 March 2008
Nairobi — As one of the few surviving old-school benga artistes in western Kenya, he has seen it all. With a career spanning about four decades, his contemporaries include bigwigs such as D.O. Misiani, Okatch Biggy, George Ramogi, George Ojijo and Leonard Omedo, all of whom have since died.
Paul Orwa "Jasolo" has seen benga evolve from a local genre to gain national and international appeal. He has performed in virtually all parts of the country and, at some point, he made a six-month tour of the US at the invitation of friends working there.
"We visited Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, North Carolina, Texas and Atlanta," he explains.
Orwa was born at Jimo Ragen of Nyakach division, Nyando district, in 1947. He stormed the music scene in 1969 when he began playing a box guitar at weddings, funerals and other ceremonies in his village soon after upper primary school.
Within a short time, he gained so much fame that he landed invitations to perform in areas as far-flung as Seme in Siaya district.
In 1970, he joined Luo Sweet Band, then under benga maestro George Ramogi. So adept was he at the solo guitar that he earned himself the nickname Jasolo, the solo guitarist.
Among his most memorable albums during his stint at the band were Opiyo Timmy, which was released in 1971, and Pesa Orumo (No more money). He stayed with the group for two years before moving over to Victoria Jazz Band, led by Collela Mazee, who has also died.
Orwa was with the band only briefly and, in 1975, he sought greener pastures at Milambo Jazz Band before joining Kogero Jazz Band four years later.
He attributes the frequent break-ups to artistes who, after becoming famous at one group, decided to go solo.
He then reunited with Ramogi who had now moved to the CK Dumbe Dumbe band. It is while here that he got the opportunity to fly to the US for a number of shows.
While in America, one of his releases, Opiyo Midiang'a which is in praise of one of the friends who facilitated the tour, was a big hit. Upon arrival back in the country, the band also broke up, but Orwa stayed.
He too left five months later to form Connection Jazz Band. The group was named after a bar in the US patronised by Africans, and where he performed with his CK Dumbe Dumbe band.
For Orwa and his band, it has been 13 challenging years, although he is based at Garage Pub of the populous Kibera slum in Nairobi inhabited by mainly benga lovers.
"I have played in all the clubs in Kisumu," he says.
He has lost count of the number of albums he has released. The latest include Simba Ok Paka (A lion is not a cat) and Osiepe (friends), released last year. Simba Ok Paka, the album's title track, is a political composition that is steeped in imagery.
This year, he released another compilation titled En Ang'o Midwaro (What do you want?), which includes tracks such as Dr Akinyi Wenwa, Abisalom Abebe, Onyango Soldier, Tony Odede and Nestori Otieno, which are in praise of different personalities.
He opposes the current trend in which local musicians are paid to compose praise songs.
"Even if someone offered me money, I would never get into such an arrangement," he says. He prefers composing songs after developing friendship with the subjects of his songs.
Orwa says that were it not for piracy that currently bedevils the industry, he would be reaping huge benefits from his trade. And he blames the vice on what he terms technological development.
"I wish we returned to the good old days when music was played on the gramophone since one could not dub from it," he says.
But the artiste has something to smile about: last year he received his first royalties cheque. "I received Sh6,000 from the Music Copyright Society of Kenya," he enthuses.
However, he bemoans what, according to him, is lack of support, especially from the Government, to motivate artistes. "Even if I released a very good song praising the Government or the President, nobody would notice or even appreciate the effort," he rues.
The veteran musician is worried that the gains that benga has made over the years are risk being erased by colleagues who have invaded the genre. "In the 1970s, there was discipline among musicians," he rues.
"A teacher was not allowed to get drunk and misbehave in public; similarly, artistes were expected to watch their lyrics."
Musicians should always remember that their lyrics are for public consumption, he adds.
"The current crop of young artistes sing whatever is on their mind, some of which you cannot even listen to with people you respect."
If he had his way, the maestro says, he would make producers listen to songs before they are released to the public.
Unlike many musicians, Orwa is not only a teetotaller, but also has only one wife. "Due to the nature of our job, one could get tempted to engage in extramarital affairs or marry many wives," he says.
He and Doris Akinyi married in 1972 and they have eight children, one of whom has passed on. One of his sons, 27-year-old Nixon Ochieng', is a vocalist in his band.
"I do not mind my children getting into music if they have the same attitude as me," he says. Music, he adds, is a dangerous trade because of the lure of alcohol, drugs and promiscuity.
"I have never tasted a drop of alcohol all this time I have spent entertaining patrons in bars," he says, and attributes his survival to avoiding drugs and alcoholism despite the temptation. "Alcohol impairs decision-making," he reasons.
And his plans for the future? Taking his music to the next level and developing his investments are just some of them. "From music, I have managed to sustain my family and bought parcels of land," he says not without a touch of pride.
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