Commonwealth Connections - Kenya

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Recorded at the African Heritage House outside Nairobi. Two generations of the Luo tribe perform the music of their people. Ayub Ogada has reached an international market as a world musician but here he returns to his acoustic roots and the ancient nyatiti lyre. This is the instrument of the Luo people and he has evolved a softer, gentler sound' to which he adds his distinctive soft sweet voice. In contrast, The Sega Sega Band, play Benga music, the style that is at the root of Kenyan pop music from the 60s to the present day. The melodies and rhythms are shaped by the tuning of the nyatiti harp and orutu, (a single string fiddle) but they have modernised the music to create uptempo dance music and transferred the musical lines to the modern guitar.

Published on Saturday, 24th May 2014.

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