Washington, DC — Kenge Kenge are a group of Luo musicians from Kenya that perform both popular Luo music styles as well as the region's popular benga music. They in fact transform traditional Luo music into a modern, guitar-based hybrid of past meets present. In this review columnist Eucharia Mbachu takes a look at their CD 'Introducing Kenge Kenge'.
The advancement in technology has combined a number of developments that are beneficial to the World of African Music. The first is the globalization of communications, which now makes the African musician a real interacting contemporary of his colleagues elsewhere in the world. Also, the free movements of peoples around the world has made it quite interesting to know that the music from one part of the world can now be heard globally, and, because of international migration, can even be understood and appreciated by immigrant groups from the music's region of origin.
This CD amplifies the musical powers of Luo musicians in making the human voice dance between the rapidly changing beats of various instruments. To get everyone excited and dance in joyous sounds, the players summon their emotions by using the human tongue to imitate the different states of mind in their society. One can be argumentative or simply be moved by what is happening around you. Since the human tongue is in concert with the ears, the main stations to the human soul, the Luo entertainers deployed their instruments to touch their spirits. These musicians used their drums, their wind instruments, their strings and the effective power of repetitions and syncopation to move the listeners and dancers to their music.
What is remarkable about these songs is the manner in which the artists have skillfully use old and new tools of the trade to bridge the gap between the older generations and the new in their common quest to develop and improve upon the musical traditions of their people. The songs “Amily”, “Obare Yinda”, “Owang' Winyo” and “Omeme Nyapura” capture the varieties of ways in which the human voice is made the servant of the collective soul as well as the collective unconscious of this African people who are trying hard to find a place for themselves in the modern world.
Another fact that cannot be missed by an African listener, or a anyone familiar with African musical forms, is the peculiarity and authenticity of sounds flowing from the wind instruments. Echoes of these sounds are local to performers and audiences in West, Central, South or East Africa. At this point it makes sense to focus on the songs “Omeme Nyapura” and “Anyango Mbeo”, two pieces which have immortalized two promoters of local musicians whose lifetime contributions deserved attention in Kenya and beyond. This pattern of musical documentation is worldwide, especially in African circles. As in other musical traditions, the Luos also have their own mythical parallel to the Greek Orpheus and his lost love. The song on “Amilly” is a striking example. The African musicians have also named songs after animals and “Owang Wiinyo” reaffirmed Luo fascination with and great love for this beautifully crested crane bird of Kenya. The song dedicated to Mr. Yinda is like those for “Nyapura” and “Anyango Mbeo”, but what makes his piece noteworthy is the artists’ special apprehension of his long sacrifice to make Kenga Kenge’s music known beyond Kenya.
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The final point in this review is the dress of the artists. Anyone from West Africa can see the similarities between the Sahelian African caps of the Hausa-Fulani, for example, and the Luo singers. The way these artists dress on the CD cover also make them no strangers in many West African circles. Ibo musicians dressed in such garments would be quite comfortable among such Luo men and their traditional garments.
The CD can me found at World Music Network
Eucharia Mbachu is originally from Nigeria was a journalist with The Emirate News in United Arab Emirates. She currently resides in the United States where she teaches and writes feature articles.
