Eye adaba, eye adaba,
timfolokeloke…
Every time I listen to this song it takes me back to my
freshman days in music and in the company of musicians who knew what they were
doing. I do not come from a Pentecostal background and that means my
understanding then was limited to choral music. Not to say choral music is not…you
get the point. In Pentecostal worship music instruments play a large role. Pop music
and most genres recorded have instruments. My statement above should only be
understood in this context: that people are considered musicians when they play
instruments or understand what instruments do or work in an instrumental
context.
So, the song.
I meet these two guitarists who were creating material I
have never had a Kenyan create. They adored ‘great guitarists’ who make serious
arrangements in their music. Slash.Hendrix.Presnyakov.Andy Mckee. Truth be told some
part of me felt inferior coming from this ‘I love Afro music’ bubble I had
always lived in when I met them. That means any mention of Rhumba was meant
with stares. Oliver was known only as far as ‘Todii’ was concerned. These are
the people who introduced me to John Mayer, Kings of Leon, Creed,Coldplay etc.
 |
| Hendrix Jimi |
They would go on and on about how sijui nani changed sijui
which chord or changed the fingering and would write songs with guitars tuned
in DADGADs and such. I had no idea what a DADGAD was then. Refer to disclaimer
above.
It was therefore a great surprise to people who seemed to silently
scoff at my ‘old, boring, African music which was done without imagination’ try
playing Asa’s Eye Adaba and fail. Okay, maybe not fail. But struggle. And the
person never did learn. I was curious. I asked why. He told me that the chord
changes with every note she sings so it is not your standard riff. Imagine how
happy (and validated) I felt!
Yes, I know. The tag African music, like African writing, is
one worthy of a book full of essays arguing its existence and definition by
minds considered great both in their understanding of culture and/or music in
the world. Be that as it may, I was glad that ‘African’ music could be complex.
It could be taken ‘seriously’ by these young rockers out to change the world through
their music. Whatever that meant.
Why do I go on and on about this ‘ooo African music’
manenos? Simple. I love it. I cannot define it satisfactorily but I love it. I
love the rhythm, the happy major chords. I just love. Makes my being warm when
I hear ‘Rail On’ start to play. Every single time.
Dear instrumentalist, instead of trying to ape whoever you
consider the guitar god, seeking to sound just like them, why not create your
own style that says this came from Kenya or ‘Africa’? Have you heard Isaiah
Katumwa play? Have you heard Dlu Dlu on guitar?
I asked Kevo some time back, what makes a certain riff ‘African’?
This was his answer. Whether it is correct or not is another story but it makes
sense. Rhythm. I have heard Isaiah explain his playing and again it’s down to rhythm.
Apparently (and I can’t confirm this) Ayub Ogada of Kothbiro
came up with his own way of playing the nyatiti that was unique to himself.
It is a matter of purpose and commitment. Purpose - setting
out to recreate something. Purpose is what Jimi Hendrix did to guitar.
Commitment-over and over till the instrument bends towards something it may
never have done. Over and over. Years and hours – but with a purpose. What is
your purpose?
P.S. The self bashing herein tarnishes the writer's self image as it portrays him as having self esteem problems. Kindly note that he is aware of this.
