Remember

This is a style of music that has received little exposure outside of the Nyanza province in western Kenya. It is specific to the Gusii tribe and performed on this disc by two musicians working under the name Kamatana. Samwel and Dominic Ogari play the obokano, a large traditional bass lyre that has a deep sound, often sounding more like a saxophone than the conventional harp-like sound of a lyre. The repertoire is a mixture of traditional Gusii songs and some of their own newly composed songs. However there is quite a contemporary feeling to the material – mainly due to the vocal style, which sounds upbeat and aggressive in an on-the-street fashion. It is highly infectious and thoroughly entertaining.

In addition to the buzzing and throbbing sound of the lyres there is a percussive rhythm provided by shakers and some additional instrumentation from animal horn and didgeridoo. Kamatana's Remember is a fascinating revelation.