JOIN USLike sunshine after rain...
If a brilliant African sunset could be bottled up in a song, it would probably sound like Kothbiro, although the word itself means ‘rain is coming’. Sung in Dholuo, the language of the Luo people in Western Kenya, Kothbiro is, arguably, legendary Kenyan musician Ayub Ogada’s most famous output. This month is the veteran singer’s first death anniversary and is as good a time as any to discover him and his genius. Never without nyatiti — his signature eight-string traditional instrument — Ayub Ogada’s genius lay in his ability to smoothly re-imagine traditional tunes and give them a shape and form that made them palatable to every kind of ear world over. Little wonder then that Kothbiro has been featured in the movie ‘The Constant Gardener’ as well as at the 2016 Rio Olympics opening ceremony.
In fact, American rapper Kanye West credited Ogada as one of the influences/co-composers for his song ‘Yikes’. This declaration, by the way, catapulted the unassuming Ogada to international fame. However, for those who have heard some of his brilliant compositions such as Obeiro and Dicholo, it is evident that Ogada deserved every bit of adulation and fame he got and more, especially because of the Kenyan’s incredible journey, which is no less a story by itself. The musician, passionate to make something out of his life, just took off to London in 1986 armed with nothing more than his precious nyatiti. While he was busking in the Tube and on London streets, he was noticed and later invited to play at Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD festival in Cornwall. A 10-minute opportunity stretched to a whole set and Ogada never looked back. In 1993, he recorded his first album En Mana Kuoyo (Just Sand) at Gabriel’s Real World studios and later toured extensively with the famed producer.
Most of his work is available free on YouTube. Needless to say, go listen.
Play By Ear will showcase a potential earworm every week for you, the discerning listener, who is on the hunt for some musical serendipity and is keen to explore genres beyond pop and Bollywood.