DRUMMER QUEEN TO RECORD WITH UK PRODUCER

Muthoni Ndonga known by her street moniker Drummer Queen was in Netherlands to work on a musical project with UK-based techno/dubstep producer Silkie. Muthoni who was headlining a show at the multidisciplinary Incubate Arts Festival in Tilburg, Netherlands last month while visiting, hit the studio with Silkie.

The singer-rapper-drummer-poet whose unique style is an eclectic fusion of various distinct genres shared the stage with over 200 other cutting edge artists in an intimate context to an international audience.

The Incubate Arts Festival is a global initiative by Generation Bass which seeks to bring together vocalists and producers from non-Western countries, and have them work with musicians from the West. 

The aim is to enhance interaction between the different cultures and contribute to the artistes’ development of a unique style. This festival exhibited a diverse view on indie culture as a whole, including music, contemporary dance, film and visual arts.

MAFIKIZOLO SING AWAY THE RAINY BLUES IN NAIROBI

South African group Mafikizolo sung away the rainy blues that threatened to stop their maiden show in Kenya during Sunday’s Blankets and Wine show in Nairobi’s Mamba Village.
The duo whose 2003 album release Kwela was a huge success, headlined this month’s edition of Blankets & Wine.



Happening every first Sunday of the month, the afternoon event features outstanding afro-based bands that range from afro soul, afro-fusion, afro-jazz, ethnic, experimental and other emerging genres.
Also performing at the twenty ninth edition of the musical extravaganza, were new local acts Aziza and the soulful Maia Von Lekkow, alongside the ever-captivating Muthoni - The Drummer Queen.



This is the third installment of the KCB Advantage sponsored series of Blankets & Wine concerts following shows in April and June that featured celebrated artists Thandiswa Mazwai and Belgium based Ivorian strummer, Manou Gallo respectively.
The event prides itself in showcasing outstanding musicians in the emerging genres of afro-based music.
Blankets & Wine has this year partnered with KCB Advantage Banking and which targets high net worth customers with offers such as a selection of accounts, discounts on mortgages and personal loans, waivers on credit cards and up to 40% discounts at select hotels, restaurants, spas and other outlets across East Africa through a partnership with Go-Places.

IVORIAN MANOU GALLO AT NAIROBI’S FETE

The second installment in a series of four Blankets & Wine musical concerts sponsored by KCB Advantage takes place on June 5th 2011, at the Leisure Gardens, Mamba Village-Karen.
Headlining the show was incredible Manou Gallo from Ivory Coast. Also on stage at this 26th edition of Blankets & Wine, shall be the dynamic Ma3 band, the captivating Muthoni the Drummer Queen, the enthralling Sauti Sol.





Blankets & Wine is East Africa's premier music experience designed to showcase outstanding musicians in the emerging genres of afro-based music. Every first Sunday of the month the event features three or four outstanding afro-based bands that range from afro-soul, afro-fusion, and afro-jazz, ethnic, experimental and other emerging genres.






The sponsorship by KCB Advantage is aimed at nurturing and promoting local talent while creating a direct connection between Advantage banking and its target market.
The High net-worth banking proposition offers exclusive value added services such as the recent signing of a partnership with the G-Places Privilege cards that allows holders up to 40 percent discounts at selected outlets in East Africa.



Brought up by her grandmother in a small city, Divo in Ivory Coast, Manou started performing at the age of 12. Over the years, she forged a solid rhythmical experience by beating the talking drums of her place of birth, which aroused the admiration and astonishment of her neighbours.



From then on, her performance experience has been varied and diverse; she has performed with theatre and dance troupes that toured various African countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo and Benin, and together they recorded four albums.



She eventually met the tour manager of Zap Mama, and was offered the chance to tour with them in Europe. She performed with them for six years from 1997, as well as appearing with the Tambours de Brazza.



She eventually formed her own group, Le Djiboi, and toured extensively. Her debut album, "Dida" was released on the IglooMondo label in 2003, followed by "Manou Gallo" in 2007. She sings in Dida, French and English and has developed her own style of music, something between Afrobeat, funk, and world music, with a strong measure of modern influence, tradition, and the spice of personal inspiration. Manou is a modern African woman of the diaspora. Her music reflects this, as it does her own background, braided together by differing cultural and historic roots.

NEEMA NTALEL SIGNS WITH AFRICA UNSIGNED

Gospel singer Neema Ntalel has been signed to Africa Unsigned which is a joint initiative by producers, artists, music promoters and managers who believe in the future of African music.
Neema is passionate about her music in the release she is quoted saying: “I want to sing! I love it. It brings peace and joy to my heart and to the hearts of those that listen. It still is a universal language and I believe like Shakespeare said, ‘If music be the food of love, play on!’ and I plan to do just that."
Other Kenyan acts signed to the initiative include Sauti Sol,Muthoni The Drummer Queen, Dela, Stan and Liz Ogumbo among others.

DELA AND THE DRUMMER QUEEN ON STAGE

Kenya’s Afro chic, afro diva and afro centric singers Dela and Muthoni the Drama Queen brought the fort down last weekend at Nondies Rugby Club for a concert dubbed Hawa.
These dynamic women took the audience through a musical journey unlike any other. They performed hits from their two albums Paukwa by Dela, and the Drummer Queens' Human Condition.


Pix by Sunshyn Siteiya