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Kenya: Unsung Hero Who Helps Young Artistes to Launch Their Careers
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The Nation (Nairobi)
28 June 2008
Posted to the web 30 June 2008
Tim Kamuzu Banda
Nairobi
Although they play the greatest part in giving lyrics of songs the melody that people ultimately identify them with, producers are still the unsung heroes in the world of music. And this could not apply more to Timothy Bokwa, or Producer Tim, as his fans refer to him.
You may not have heard of him, but chances are that one of your favourite tunes originated from his Still Alive production house in Eldoret town.
Tim has been behind some of the tunes that have put Ringtone, one of the most recognised young gospel artistes in the country, on the road to stardom. The Jahmnazi group, which electrified Kenyans with tunes such as Am not Sober and Riziki, also had the magic touch of the 26-year-old.
People who are fond of music by the so-called River Road artistes who, incidentally, are the ones who make real big money from music sales, are more likely to have listened to music produced by the soft-spoken Tim.
Mary Githinji, Penianah Musula and Susan Akubae are probably some of the top-selling musicians from the River Road clique who have benefited from his studios.
Interestingly, Tim does not see his production work as a career, but rather as a hobby that started very early in life. When he joined Kabianga secondary school in Kericho district, he says, he had the burning desire to join the school choir, but his ambition was cut short by a teacher who decided that his voice was too hoarse.
"It was devastating, but I wanted to prove the teacher wrong and be in the choir, so I took a different route," he recalls.
The different route was to learn playing music instruments, starting with the guitar, which he mastered in a very short time, before moving onto the piano, flutes, drums and eventually the saxophone. "In less than a year, I became one of the best at musical instruments and in no time, I became a key member of the group."
When he completed school, Tim realised that he had become so entrenched in music that it came natural for him to take it as a career path, and his first stop was to understudy a producer at a recording studio in his hometown of Eldoret. This was in early 2000, and he recalls it was an exercise that he thoroughly enjoyed.
"The experience at the studio opened for me a new avenue in the world of making music, and I learnt very fast," he says.
Helped by his knowledge of diverse music instruments, Tim moved very quickly from an understudy to one of the most dependable members of the production team, and even began producing artistes.
However, he knew that to make it, he had to acquire professional and technical skills. He enrolled at Greater Music School in Uganda for a diploma course in sound and music production.
And while in Uganda, he produced a number of musicians, notably Rich who has moved on to become one of the biggest artistes in that country.
By the time he returned to Kenya, Tim had saved enough money to start his own studio. Still Alive Productions opened its doors to musicians in 2003, and one of his first signings was a then little known Ringtone.
But perhaps what sets the producer apart from colleagues is the fact that he deals with first-time artistes, putting them through the first step in making music, and then nurturing them until they find their footing.
"I know how hard it is for someone just starting in music, and it warms my heart to be able to guide them through to their first recording and eventually the release of an album," says Tim, not without a touch of smug satisfaction.
The producer says that while writing lyrics is fairly easy, the songs' success depends largely on the beats and tunes that accompany the lyrics. And this is where producers come in.
"You have to understand the tempo and learn the mood of the lyrics to arrange beats that befit it, and that is not easy," he explains of his job.
He adds that although modern technology has made it easier for people to produce beats electronically, there is nothing as good as being able to generate the beats live from the music equipment.
"What is annoying is that with all these facilities, there are some producers who still prefer to lift beats from other songs to add onto their works," he says. "That is theft and lack of creativity."
Earlier this year, Timothy Bokwa expanded his business by opening a studio in Nairobi, which is situated in the heart of Eastlands - the hotbed of Kenyan music.
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Just as he has done with artistes in Eldoret and the entire Rift Valley, there is no doubt that he will discover and nurture fresh talent.
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