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Song has always played a major role in the life of the people of Kenya. Kenya Song has been regarded as an inevitable part of the community life. Specially the women used to sing the song in every occasion like child birth, naming of child, harvesting, marriage, death ceremony etc in the pre-colonial era.
Micere Mugo's “Where Are Those Songs?” reflects the essence of the songs of these women because these songs are also source of history. We come to know about the life style of the people from these songs.
Popular music of Kenya includes both the local & the international style. For Kenya Song language is an important factor. 40 regional languages exist in Kenya. Musicians often record songs in their mother tongues like Luo, Luhya, Kamba & Kikuyu. Most of the bands in Kenya have a regional orientation.
Now a days Kenya's pop music is one of the mist diverse music in Africa. Pop sounds can be heard on the street or in the clubs of Nairobi. Kenya Song have some wonderful musical bands like Guitar paradise of East, Dance Mania & The Nairobi Beats. Though these bands have different kinds of melodies, language or rhythm the guitar is a predominating factor in all of them.
Some of the best known musicians of Kenya Song are from Tanzania or Zaire. Their lyrics includes Swahili. But at times the Zairians also use their mother tongue Lingala.
Kenyans refer to regional style as Benga, which again refer to the dominant style of Luo pop music. In Luo benga the bass, the guitar & the vocal interweave are the most important factors. However each regional benga has its own flavor.
Some of the famous bands are Benga Blast & Piny Ose Mer. Kenya Song is gifted with some of the most melodious singers and musicians like Edouard Masengo, Jean Bosco Mwenda, Peter Tsotsi & Nashil Pichen.
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