The maestro behind this classic compilation is the head honcho at Ketebul Music, Tabu Osusa, a mainstay on the Kenyan contemporary music scene who has managed acts like Orchestra Virunga and the Nairobi Ensemble and helped produce talent Afro fusion artistes like Iddi Achieng’, Suzzana Owiyo, Makadem, Olith Ratego and Dokta K'Odhialo.

Through the generous financial support of the East Africa office of the Ford Foundation, Tabu put together a formidable team including the aforementioned Paul Kelemba (Maddo), Njeri Muhoro, principal researcher Moussa Awounda, Steenie Njoroge, George “Jojo” Ouma, Jesse Bikundu and Steve Kivutia. The music was remastered at the Ketebul Studios located at the Godown Centre in Nairobi South “B”.

The DVD documentary was directed by Dimitri Croella and edited by Alan Aligula. The cinematography was done by Patrick Ondiek and the narration by John Sibi-Okumu.

Retracing the Benga Rhythm kicks off by contextualizing the origins of Benga in Nyanza province in the western part of Kenya going back almost 60 years ago. It shows how traditional Luo instruments like the nyatiti would later influence the guitar picking style of Luo musicians from the mid to late 1940s- a style distinct from the Congolese instrumentalists who “massaged” the strings. Dr. Odhiambo Mak’Anyengo a medical doctor and former senior military officer who is also an accomplished musician in his own right explains in the documentary how Benga developed and how it later influenced Congolese rumba having borrowed from the latter in the first place. Another Kenyan virtuoso, Dave “Mobb” Otieno who is in my opinion, Kenya’s finest guitarist also offers his expert opinions on the intricacies of playing and performing Benga music. Suzzana Owiyo, one of our fastest rising stars on the world music scene acknowledges her deep debt to benga genre.

We see and hear ageing Benga pioneers like Nelson Ochieng’ and Juma Odundo expound on how it was like in the early days. Veteran producers like Chandarana (a Kenyan of South Asian descent living in Kericho) and David Amunga talk about the musicians they helped put on the map in the 1950s and 1960s. We see snippets giving cameo profiles of household names like DO Misiani, Sukuma Bin Ongaro, Daniel Kamau and the Kamba legend Francis Danger, a close collaborator with the late Kakai Kilonzo on all those Kilimambogo Brothers chart toppers. We are introduced to female doyennes like Princess Jully, Queen Babito, Angelica Chepkoech (the brains behind the Kalenjin Sisters) and Queen Jane and her Queenja Band who dominated the Central Kenya music scene for decades.

Retracing the Benga Rhythm is a refreshing, professionally executed showcase to a Kenyan music genre that has been exported to Zimbabwe and other African countries.

At a time when our country is still reeling from the post-election violence from yesteryear it is inspiring to note that our artistes-musical, theatrical, cinematic and otherwise have always remained the most Kenyan, demonstrating and living out their uzalendo in quiet and unassuming ways. Just visit the Wasanii oasis atop the Kenya National Theatre to get a daily sampling of this organic camaraderie.

I offer my kudos to wonderful team put together by Ketebul Music who has made all Kenyans proud with this Retracing the Benga Rhythm instant collector’s item.

For more details on how you can get your hands on this package please contact Ketebul by calling Tabu Osusa at 0733 705 024; emailing info@ketebulmusic.org, writing to Ketebul Music at P O Box 21737-00505 Nairobi or simply popping upstairs at Wasanii Restaurant at the Kenya National Theatre and asking for Steenie Njoroge.