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  • Home
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      Jack Muguna: Journey of the Soul

      April 20, 2021

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      Geco Café: Slithering with good vibes in Nairobi

      February 18, 2021

      Review

      How to work with producers in Kenya by…

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      The Love Zone Thrills fans on Valentine’s Day

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      Shamsi Music Sophmore Album: Afrosynthesis

      February 6, 2020

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      Nairobi Music Society and Nairobi Orchestra Love; Liberty…

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      Beneath the Baobabs Live: A Kenyan live music…

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      Events

      Down memory lane: An Evening Remembering Whitney Houston

      December 2, 2021

      Events

      Nairobi Orchestra Returns! at Kenya National Theatre

      July 2, 2021

      Events

      An Evening Celebrating Stevie Wonder in Nairobi

      June 10, 2021

  • Artist Spotlight
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      Ngewa: Kasiva Mutua rhythmical tales on percussion

      April 26, 2022

      Artist Spotlight

      Herbie Tsoaeli Spiritual Dialogues: At This Point in…

      December 10, 2021

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      Sage Chemutai: Love is all we need

      April 26, 2021

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      Jack Muguna: Journey of the Soul

      April 20, 2021

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      WYNTON MARSALIS interactive session with Kenyan artists: Mythology…

      November 26, 2020

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      Nairobi Music Society and Nairobi Orchestra Love; Liberty…

      May 4, 2022

      Classical Music

      Nairobi Orchestra Returns! at Kenya National Theatre

      July 2, 2021

      Classical Music

      A Kenyan Opera: Nyanga The Runaway Grandmother

      November 17, 2020

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      September 25, 2020

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      David Ralak: A visionary pioneering figure with great…

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      How to work with producers in Kenya by…

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      March 19, 2020

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      April 29, 2020

      Jazz Spotlight

      How to work with producers in Kenya by…

      February 26, 2020

      Jazz Spotlight

      Shamsi Music Sophmore Album: Afrosynthesis

      February 6, 2020

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      ALBUM REVIEW: MAIA AND THE BIG SKY

      September 26, 2019

      My Afro Jazz

      Dan Aceda, Juma Tutu to Grace Ricky na…

      November 17, 2015

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      August 31, 2015

      My Afro Jazz

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      August 20, 2015

Jazz OpinionsReview

Album review: So Simple by Ricky na Marafiki Band

by Maureen Shelmith July 13, 2016
written by Maureen Shelmith July 13, 2016
Ricky an Marafiki at a recent event in Uganda

Ricky na Marafiki at a recent event in Uganda

Bassist Ricky Nanjero, and his band work to create music that sound different from traditional jazz. So Simple, Ricky na Marafiki’s second album is far from typical jazz with its afro-jazz feel.

So Simple is exemplified by a mesmeric, coastal feel; a bevy of strings instruments over Ricky’s baritone voice in a couple of songs patterned with a swaggering saxophone that drives the tunes to soaring heights.

mike okinyo

Mike Okinyo on Keys

Oh man! You can’t miss the muscle of the album which is the percussion that mellows the tunes and drifts you to different areas of Kenya.

So simple rises throughout, in buoyancy with a distinct and heavy coastal Bango feel.  It is absolutely riveting– a bewitching rhythmic exploration using shakers, drums and some great sax and guitar work.

There are 9 tracks on the album, the first track is African Sunrise; which sets off your musical escape to Kenya’s Coastal region with heavy bango percussions that brings out the pure Coastarian melody, it is steadily followed by Amka.  The tempo of the music  elevates you, luring you and giving you that Coastarian feel.

sam on guitar

Sam on guitar

A song that makes you laugh is Duf Mpararo with lyrics such as

“ chukua fare, tuvae akala, shimo ya kware- twende muindo tukashike dede,tufuate reli, tukienda swimo, shimo ya kware, ni duf mpararo…”

It has to be one of the most interesting renditions of songs on childhood memories. Duf mpararo brings back memories of going swimming in creeks, dams and rivers and the dry skin (kuparara) that followed thereafter.

Another song you should listen to has to be the 5th track called mama. This has a Luhya feel, that makes you just want to get up and shake your ‘mabegas’. They have borrowed the tune from the  isikuti Luhya folk tunes.

rick on stage

Ricky na Marafiki at their AfroJazz Event

‘So Simple’ contains some of the most recognizable and memorable tunes. It is an album which ruminates and vibrates with a refined excellence of AfroJazz.

 

 

Cover image : Ricky na Marafiki Fan page

Images courtesy of:

Quaint Photography

 

Edited by: Kuchio J 🙂

 

 

Afro JAzzRicky Na Marafiki
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About Me

About Me

Maureen Shelmith

My mission here is to take you on a Kenyan musical journey that is exceptional.

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  • Herbie Tsoaeli Spiritual Dialogues: At This Point in Time

    December 10, 2021
  • Sage Chemutai: Love is all we need

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    February 18, 2021
  • WYNTON MARSALIS interactive session with Kenyan artists: Mythology of Jazz, improvisation and creativity

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