Hey music junkie,

Happy new moon. Aka happy new beginnings. What are you ready to manifest in this new season?

Personally, I went back to the past for a bit. As mentioned in the previous newsletter, on Thursday night Alliance Francaise hosted a taarab lecture and concert in honour of World Kiswahili Day. Which is a bit ironic if you ask me.

Anyway I found this Tanzanian lady in a dera inside the Wangara Maathai auditorium giving a lecture on the history of taarab music. Did you know there’s Arabic, Indian and Swahili taarab? My favourite is Indian taarab, with the melismatic style of singing one syllable on too many notes.

And then Mzee Mbarak Ali Haji and Lelele Africa performed taarab songs from different East African musicians, from Muhogo wa Jang’ombe by Zanzibari queen Siti Binti Saad to Vishindo vya Mashua by Kenya’s legend Maulidi Juma. I understood why it's called taarab, musical poetry that puts you in ecstasy!

The famous Vidonge by Malika stirred up the Nairobi millennial crowd. As well as the last two songs which unlike the first had a lively chakacha beat that got you on your dancing feet. Did someone say rudia?

And after the concert, I went up to the stage to read the wise kangas on the walls. As well as peek at the taarab instruments on stage, from the harmonium to the tambourine to the Indian tabla drum. For the first time, I met the taishogoto - a Japanese instrument that looks like the baby of a typewriter and a guitar. You have to see it to believe it!

And my biggest takeaway from that night? I want to perform TaaRnB with a live taarab band 🤩

On Friday, I was battling the worst cold of the year. It didn't help that it was foggy and misty outside. Maybe that’s why The Mist moved this year’s Moonshine party to the Mall’s parking lot.

Walking in minutes shy of midnight, I was astounded by the light show by a Kenyan-based Beninese I met called Lamine. While Sukuma Wiki played faya Kenyan remixes, Canadian diaspora DJ San Farafina played electronic African music which I couldn’t tell if it was coup d’ecale or kuduro. All I know is that it slapped! 

And that we left the rooftop at 7AM after setting down because there’s just something special about being the last ones to leave a party.

On Saturday, I was on my best behaviour. Well kind of. Slept 2 winks, worked throughout the day till midnight, and maybe sipped some muratina. Is that our own form of moonshine?

After a late night kibandaski dinner, I peeped in the Mist not to party but for a shot of jaba energy. But the underground had other plans for me. I ended up in the dungeon dancing to Kamushez’ set (who also played Kenyan Afrohouse remixes), watched him deejay and even played a brief B2B set with him.

And before leaving The Mall, I played a chess game with a stranger - which I won! Thanks to his legal advice of course. And almost dozed off in the matatu back home after a heavy breakfast of uji power.

After not sleeping for 2 nights in a row, you cannot blame me for sleeping for a full day. I literally was in bed for 24 hours total, with one pee break. Have you broken this world record before?

Once I fully recovered from the weekend, I attended another event at Alliance on Monday night. It was a special screening of Ketebul Music’s 2013 documentary Kenya's Songs of Protest. Which I’m sure you can tell what it’s about from the title.

We met old and new conscious Kenyan artists on screen, from Joseph Kamaru to Juliani. And afterwards engaged with a panel of artivists Ndungi Githuku, Neema Kwekwe, Njuki Githethwa and Monaja Mwenyewe on GenZ and politics. My favourite part was singing revolutionary anthems led by a passionate Githuku ✊

And then Dorphanage and Vitali Maembe added fuel to the fire with their conscious spoken word and music pieces. I loved Maembe’s closing song, Vuma, which talks about Tanzanian demo-crazy politics. We are truly brothers beyond borders.

But the highlight of the weekend was watching my Drunken Lecture which is finally on YouTube. And reading people’s comments on how insightful it was for them. I (re)learnt so much about Kenyan music history and laughed too, sembuse wewe? 🙂

Speaking of Kenyan music, do you remember that time I visited a benga bar downtown with another music journalist. Well Boris Paillard completed his mission in Kenya which is to research and write a story about the Maasai and Samburu. How they’re using social media and tech to revolutionize their ancestral music. 

It was so interesting to learn how young musicians are using pop music to sing about their culture and cows too. While rocking their colourful beadwork and showing off their neck breaking moves😏

Remember Moov Cafe, the one that was behind Adlife Plaza in Kilimani? Even thought it was demolished in 2025, their spirit is still alive. The Moov crew is back and popping at The Mall rooftop for one weekend only.

Catch a dirty dancehall vibe on Thursday or a Funky Friday session from 4pm till midnight. Bounce to unique hiphop cuts on Saturday or get lifted by gospel house vibes on a Sunday afternoon.

There’s a new house gig in town, and it looks promising. Nairobi tastemaker nowisgood and Ethiopian DJ Ghedi have teamed up to create a different kind of house party that won’t play your regular degular Afrohouse tracks that you’ve probably heard a million times.

NAJA invites you a Saturday night full of soulful house and disco vibes from 10pm till sunrise. My favourite part about this event is it has a tiered ticket price for locals and internationals. Because equity wins over equality 🙌

As always, if you’d like to explore more then join my events-exclusive channel on Telegram. Also, exciting projects on the way. So stay reading 😉

Until next time
Stay high on music
Furaha