Mbuguah

The release of 'Together' marked a first solo outing for roots reggae artist Mbuguah, a popular and experienced performer both in London and his native Africa, and looks set to establish himself as a major figure in the black music scene. Hailing from Kenya, Mbuguah expounds a simple philosophy of unity, and 'Together' is the musical expression of that held view. It comprises ten tracks of mellow drum'n'bass whose rhythms and melodies are impossible to dislodge from the mind, marking him out as a songwriter of talent & insight. As with many leading singers and musicians, Mbuguah's love of music was fostered in church choirs. He was born and brought up in Nairobi in a strict Christian household, while two aunties and an uncle also taught music at school. Gradually, the youth Mbuguah became immersed in music and began to experiment. "We had to be in church every Sunday," he recalls, "but when my mother was not around I would skip church and hang out with my friend. I quickly learned musical notations and arrangements and soon we were making music on bottles filled to varying level with water. We would also convert empty tins and all sorts of broken-down farm equipment into makeshift percussion instruments until we got our first guitar". The guitar was eventually put to good use in the rhythm section of the reggae band called The Blackstone, Mbuguah`s first execution into the world of professional music. The band wrote many songs and performed extensively around the Nairobi club circuit, quickly acquiring a devoted following there and in Kenya`s other major cities, but their material remained unrecorded in a limited market that suffered at the hands of the music pirates. The breakthrough came with a song called 'Listen to the children' whose message of hope and plea for unity foreshadowed the issues which run through 'Together'. Not long after, Mbuguah received an invitation to explore the London music scene and jumped at the chance. "The music industry in Kenya had virtually collapsed from piracy at that time," he explains. Music in London is taken more seriously and musicians rights are well respected. Arriving in London couple of years ago, it took Mbuguah some time to establish the right contacts. He continued to write, free from fear of piracy, and gradually his reputation grew around the capital's reggae scene. Over the ensuing years he had the privilege of meeting and working with Jamaican and British reggae artist such as Freddie McGregory, Gregory Isaacs, Royal Rasses (Prince Lincoln) and Michael Prophet, as well as drum and bassist like Mafia and Fluxy (the Fire Crew) who feature on 'Together'. Another guest on the CD which was recorded at Easy street Studios was singer Steven Wright who enjoyed recent success with the single 'Africa Children'. Mbuguah has also worked with South African artist Shikisha, a dance and backing act, and Makuere. Mbuguah claims his music deals head-on with reality, but the tone is always uplifting and celebratory, the infused with optimism for his native land's eventual peace and prosperity and for a better world altogether. Three of the songs are performed in Swahili and, from the rousing title track 'Together' to the urgency of 'Danger' and the melancholy strains of 'I keep Telling You' the persistent theme is the elusive nature of love on any level. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.