William J. Malecela
R I P
- Apr 27, 2006
- 26,588
- 10,374
- Thread starter
- #281
Sam Mapangala: Icon Musician Orch. Virunga, Nairobi Kenya.
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Respect.
FMEs!
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Samba Mapangala performs at the Coca-Cola Stadium in Nairobi, on Saturday. He plans to re-establish the Orchestra Virunga band in Nairobi
By ERIC ODANGAPosted
The return of rhumba Samba Mapangala Nairobi last week seemed to blow a salubrious breeze to the local live music scene. When he attended the Benga Blast show at the citys Coca-Cola Stadium, the Orchestra Virunga founder and band leader, who is now based in Maryland, United States of America, announced that he would re-establish the band in Nairobi before the end of the year. And local rhumba fans took the news from Samba well.
Samba, who came to Kenya from the DR Congo in 1977, nostalgically remembers the 1980s when live performances took the country by storm.
Nairobi then had a vibrant entertainment circuit which was complemented by good recording studios that attracted musicians from as far as Zambia and DRC, then known as Zaire. At the time, even Afrisa International founder Tabu Ley recorded his music in Nairobi.
Samba remembers that when he started doing music at the age of 17, East Africa benga was the rave. It was big and we were curious to know what made benga tick. Cavacha, which was also big, played second fiddle to benga, he says. The 54-year-old musician remembers the days when Nairobi was a hub of live band performances. The bands competed for the entertainment market. The musician met officials of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya and says piracy is killing creativity.
Musicians are a suffering lot because of piracy. There are no live music clubs, he says. But he still believes Kenya can regain her position as a hub of music. Samba performed at one of President Barack Obamas inauguration balls at Crystal Gateway Marriot Hotel in Arlington, VA alongside The Boys Choir from Kenya in January.
The Pan Africa Inaugural celebration of Obamas win was co-hosted by the Kenya Government, African Diplomatic Corps, African Union, African Professionals in Washington DC and Corporate Council on Africa.
Samba sang his latest release Obama Ubarikiwe, and used the occasion to release a live recording of his North American tour, a digital-only album with bonus remixes of Obama Ubarikiwe.
Samba Mapangala has also been busy getting a feel of the Kenya and Zanzibar music scenes. In February, he was in Zanzibar to headline the sixth Sauti za Busara Festival. He was accompanied by lead guitarist Syran Mbenza and drummer Komba Bellow. The singer has also worked with Suzanna Owiyo in Tupande Miti, an environment awareness song that will be launched in June. He says he hopes to work with Eric Wainaina.
After living in Kenya for two decades before his departure to the US in 1997, Samba considers Kenya his second home. Even performing in the US has not changed his passion for Kenyan music.
They have good facilities but do not understand our kind of music, which makes it is difficult to come out with a very good and creative product, he says. Which is why Samba would prefer recording in Kenya.
Respect.
FMEs!
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