Hey music junkie,

Don't I have mûcene for you! That's French for juicy stories. Where shall we begin?

On Wednesday, I finished work early so I could attend Live Acoustic Wednesday at Ankole Grill. Muhonja, an Afrofusion Kenyan musician, was the star of the show. Her first set was nice and easy as she and her two-man band serenaded us wifh slow soulful rhumba tunes.

For her second set, everything changed. She dropped her grand Anakara gown and came back with a sisal skirt, body paint and no shoes. Accompanying her were 6 young men playing isikuti drums, metal rings and shiriri. And thanks to Vahkhuvi (that's their name), we danced for the next hour to traditional Luhya music. More like released everything on the dancefloor.

In short, walituroga. Even the Ankole watchman was ecstatic. Ingo had followed him uptown!

See this Luhya cultural magic for yourself here 🎶

On Thursday, I was at The Salon (Santuri's that is) for team meetings. Afterwards, my lovely friend Kiuri led an evening workshop where he revealed how meditation has helped become a more creative architect and DJ. And he even guided us through a meditation session of Raj Yoga which he's been practicing for the past 17 years!

And on Friday, I finally went to see the African Twist play by Ketebul Music. I knew it was gonna be a big hit, but my friends and I didn't think we would miss seats in the auditorium. We were literally locked out of heaven.

Luckily, Alliance Francaise had set up a projector screen at the library upstairs. And that's where the rest of us watched the 2-hour play like it was a movie.

We couldn't hear half of the words because of the recorded sound was terrible. But we got the gist of it. African Twist recreated the 1960s and honoured our musical legends, including Fundi Konde (king of Kenyan rhumba), Daudi Kabaka (king of Kenyan twist) and Fadhili William of Malaika fame.

Fun fact: Malaika was actually written by a coastal guy called Charo - who died before he could make it in music.

But the best part? We met Esther John, Fadhili’s sister, who was Kenya's first female recording artist! And you can hear her voice in Fundi Konde’s Kipenzi Waniua Ua.

We also met Equator Sound Band (formely Jambo Boys) which brought together Kenyan vocalists with Ugandan and Zambian instrumentalists. Talk about a Pan African band. And on their last song, we stood up and danced together twist style!

On Saturday, I was super sleepy after a long TCHNO night which included recording a DJ mix. Still, I had one more mission. To watch Too Early Birds Tom Mboya the last dance - for real this time.

The first time this theatre show hit the stage was in 2019 to mark 50 years since Tom Mboya's assasination. This final Saturday show was a repeat of the November 24th one which I missed while I was in Kilifi. And boy am I glad I did.

Apparently in the middle of the show, the roof of the stage collapsed succumbing to heavy rain. Just after the cast had performed Anguka Nayo. How crazy is that!

After confirming Oshwal Centre’s roof was sturdy enough, the Kenyan coast reenacted the extraordinary life and the tragic death of Joseph Thomas Odhiambo Mboya. Who was not Dholuo but actually Abasuba.

Even though it was 4 hours long, the storytelling show was funny, musical and emotional too. We sang along to Kenyan hits, danced in our seats and laughed out loud. 50 times more interesting that a History double lesson after lunch.

Oh, and Indians were in the mix, proving they're Kenyans too. Interestingly, the male actor Anubhav Garg was also in African Twist. Playing Charles Worrod, the white producer of Equator Sound Band.

Okay, that's enough mûcene for now. Let's get into some fun events happening this weekend in hot and cold Nairobi.

MIX OF THE WEEK

Kenya's Underrated Hits of 2024

If you remember, I mentioned I was working on a new DJ Raha mix for January. And now it's finally here, highlighting the underrated Kenyan hits of 2024!

Even though they didn't make it your Top 10 songs of the year, they probably deserve a spot. From sultry R&B to soulful Afrofusion to fun amapiano, discover these hidden Kenyan gems for free. And let me know in the comments which your favourite song is!

EVENTS OF THE WEEK

Vuka Mpaka Ghana Night at Unseen Nairobi

When is the last time you met Africans who are not Kenyans, in Kenya? Here's a unique chance to not only see but also interact with Ghanaian creatives in the heart of Nairobi!

Come meet your next collaborators, learn about the creative scene in Ghana, play a panAfrican quiz and enjoy a specially curated Ghanaian dish. After that, we dance to West African music. Before ending Wednesday night at The Mist with reggae and dub vibes🕺🏾

Hadithi Hangout: Kenyan Twist at Santuri Salon

After going back in time to the 60s, we're continuing our exploration of African Twist at Hadithi Hangout. This time by reading about this exciting era in the Bible of Kenyan Music also known as Shades of Benga!

This Thursday evening, we'll uncover the pioneers of Kenyan Twist, where the sound originally came from, and why it's such a iconic Kenyan sound. And as always, we'll listen to some of the best Kenyan Twist songs ever made! So, are you ready to twist with us?

Grown & Glowing at The Mist

Here's a Saturday party that's not just about entertainment but also empowerment. For this second edition of Grown & Glowing, Kenyan reggae queen Nilotic Bliss wants us to end body shaming and accept our unique bodies as they are. Yes, this is for the kings and queens who are confident in their own skin!

Expect live music by Nilotic Bliss + DJ sets by bass queen [MONRHEA] and dub expert Professor Joosty. Oh, and wear something shimmery ✨

Now you know what's up! So where will you be? Join me so you can also have plenty of mûcene to tell your friends next week 🙂

Until next time,
Stay high on music
Furaha