Absalom Nyinza, popularly Abbi, is an Afro-jazz and Afro-fusion musician from Kenya. He is backed by the Kikwetu band. He sings in several languages, including Swahili, English, French, his native Luhya and some other tribal languages.
Abbi started his career in 1993 being a member of a cappella gospel group The Boyz, which was later renamed Safari. He toured the United Kingdom and Germany with the band. Later he was part of Achieng Abura's band, and toured Spain during that time. [1]
His solo debut album, Mudunia was released in 2003. At the 2004 Kisima Music Awards he won two categories: Best male and Most Promising artist. His second album Indigo was released in August 2007. He has performed at Festival Mundial and North Sea Jazz festivals in the Netherlands and toured other countries a well. [2] His music has been produced by Tedd Josiah of Blu Zebra studios. [3]
He has campaigned for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. [4] He is among the Kenyan artistes who have been sponsored by the Alliance Française in Nairobi. [5]
Thomas Baptist Morello is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, Morello was a member of the supergroup Prophets of Rage. Morello was also a touring musician with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Under the moniker the Nightwatchman, Morello released his solo work. Together with Boots Riley, he formed Street Sweeper Social Club. Morello co-founded Axis of Justice, which airs a monthly program on Pacifica Radio station KPFK in Los Angeles.
Machito was a Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music. He was raised in Havana with the singer Graciela, his foster sister.
Marie-Claire Mboyo Moseka, known professionally as M'bilia Bel, is a Congolese rumba and soukous singer and songwriter. She is known as the "Queen of African Rumba". She rose to fame after first being discovered by Sam Manguana and later by Tabu Ley Rochereau who helped her gain confidence, master her powerful soprano voice, and achieve acclaim as one of the best Congolese female singers.
Eric Wainaina is a Kenyan singer.
Edmond "Tedd" Josiah is a Kenyan music producer and entrepreneur.
The Kisima Music Awards is an annual awards program that recognises musical talent in East Africa. Despite being Kenyan-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominantly Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and incorporates a range of music genres.
Paul Julius Nunda, better known by his stage name Jua Cali, is a Kenyan rapper and record producer. In 2000, together with record producer Clemo, he founded Calif Records where he has been ever since producing music which dominated East African music alongside Jose Chameleone of Uganda and Mr. Nice of Tanzania. Jua Cali performs in Swahili and Sheng in a popular Kenyan style of rapping called genge.
Poxi Presha (1971–2005), real name Prechard Pouka Olang, was a pioneer Kenyan rapper. He emerged in the mid 1990s with hip hop sung in Dholuo language. His debut album Total Balaa also popularly known as "Dhako" was released late 1997, then followed by hits like "Mummy","Jaluo Jeuri" which featured celebrated actor Joseph Olita of 'Rise & Fall of Idi Amin' and "Otonglo Time". The album was followed by another solo album Vita Kwaliti.
Hardstone is a Kenyan musician. His music is a mixture of ragga, reggae and hip hop. He sings in English, Swahili and Kikuyu languages. He is a pioneer urban style artist in Kenya and topped the Kenyan music scene for a while in the late 1990s.
Just a Band is a Kenyan alternative band whose career was launched with their 2008 debut album, Scratch to Reveal. Their music has explored various musical directions such as jazz, hip-hop, disco, and electronica. The band are credited with creating Kenya's first viral music video after their 2010 music video for "Ha-He!"—featuring fictional Kenyan superhero-inspired protagonist Makmende—sparked countrywide interest.
Lydia Achieng Abura was a Kenyan singer who performed Afro-jazz, Afro-fusion, and gospel music.
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Sila and the Afrofunk Experience is an Afrofunk band formed in 2003.
Rehema Chalamila, popularly known by her stage name Ray C, is a musician from Tanzania. Her genre of music is afro pop, specifically Bongo flava.
Mose Se Sengo was a guitarist, composer and band-leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was one of the pioneers of Congolese Soukous.
Arturo O'Farrill is a jazz musician, the son of Latin jazz musician, arranger and bandleader Chico O'Farrill, and pianist, composer, and director for the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. He is best known for his contributions to contemporary Latin jazz, having received Grammy Awards and nominations, though he has trained in other forms such as free jazz and experimented briefly with hip hop.
Sauti Sol is a Kenyan Afropop band formed in Nairobi in 2005 by vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano and Savara Mudigi. Initially an a cappella group, guitarist Polycarp Otieno joined before they named themselves Sauti Sol.
Jim Chuchu is a Kenyan film director, photographer, singer-songwriter and visual artist. He first came to attention as a member of Kenyan music group Just a Band and subsequently as director of Kenyan LGBT film Stories of Our Lives.
Sandra Nankoma, previously known as Sandy Soul, is a Ugandan recording artist, singer-songwriter, composer, actor and performer of Afro-soul and jazz music. She is well known for her single Kaddugala from her debut album Ye'nze for which she won an award for Best Female Artist in African Inspirational Music at AFRIMA Awards in 2018.
Kelvin Peter Wanjohi professionally known as DJ Fita, is a Kenyan DJ, music producer and music journalist from Thika. He is best known for remixing Kenyan pop music into upbeat electronic dance music. DJ Fita is also a member of Fitemba. He was nominated for the VJ of the Year 2015 during the annual Stylus DJ Awards and Alternative DJ of the Year 2022 at Cafe Ngoma Awards.