Good music pairs well with good food, and jazz fans should get ready for two days of unforgettable memories this weekend as Shamsi Music presents The AfroSynthesis Experience at Nyama Mama Delta parking lot. This will be a celebration of our heritage through music that has an African jazz identity. Also set to perform is singer/songwriter Chris Adwar and the queen of Nyummy Music; June Gachui. The concert will be held on Saturday 28th July 2018, at 7pm-10pm, and Sunday 29th July 2018, at 2pm-6pm. This event will be a prelude to Shamsi Music’s sophomore album, AfroSynthesis, set for release early 2019.
The AfroSynthesis Experience is a jazz party that honours our “Africanness” is inspired by our own mixed urban cultures such as matatu culture, sheng’, Kenyan cuisine and dining, AfroHouse, AfroJazz, Benga, Nairobi nightlife and others.
The name Shamsi is Swahili-Arabic for “Sun”, which embodied the band’s desire to be a light in the world and the music industry. Formed in 2014, Shamsi Music is an award-winning jazz and afro-jazz fusion Kenyan band that creates memorable music experiences that capture the heart, mind and soul. The core of their musical journey is in creating music that mirrors the sound of their heartland, Kenya, and their motherland, Africa.
Within two years of its formation, Shamsi Music became the youngest ever band ever selected to perform on the Safaricom International Jazz Festival. Their style of music received a lot of love and support and they went on to win the Café Ngoma Award for Best Jazz Act 2017. Their sound can be described as Kenyan folk jazz eclectically infused with a predominant afro jazz influence, enchanting melodies and solid African rhythms.
The band has made waves regionally and internationally with their unique Kenyan Folk Jazz sound and are set to stamp their mark on the wider international jazz and world music scene. Shamsi Music has shared the stage with great acts internationally, such as African jazz icon Manu Dibango from Cameroon, Cuban piano maestro, Roberto Fonseca, vocal powerhouse Fatoumata Diawara from Mali, Kora virtuoso Seko u KO u hate from Guinea, and Grammy award-winning David Sanborn from USA, among others. Locally, they have worked with amazing talent such as Kavutha Mwanzia-Asiyo, June Gachui, Kendi Nkonge, Manasseh Shalom, Right, Noel Nderitu and Mwanga Band, as the session band for their groundbreaking live DVD recording project dubbed”We Will Rule”. They have made international appearances at Festival Jazzy Koum Ben in Bamako, Mali, and the DOADOA East African Performing Arts Market in Kampala, Uganda.
Apart from performing at the Safaricom International Jazz Festival in Kenya, they have also been part of Kenyan Jazz All Stars Edition, ONGEA Eastern Africa Music Summit, the GoDown Gig, Jazz Attitude 2 and 2.5, Thursday Nite Live at Js, Jazz at the Riverfront at Two Rivers Mall, the Jamhuri Festival, and Dawn to Dusk, which was their album launch and offered a groundbreaking, one-of-a-kind experience. They also perform as the resident band or as part of the entertainment for corporate functions and weddings at some of the leading hotels and clubs in Kenya.
Their masterfully crafted debut album, “The Audition”, includes collaboration with master percussionists Tetu Shani and Kasiva Mutua, among other gifted musicians. This time they are bringing you the AfroSynthesis Experience with a sprinkling of the creative genius of Chris Adwar and June Gachui.
Apart from being the frontman The Villagers Band, Chris Adwar is also an accomplished singer, songwriter, composer, keyboard and trombone player, producer and musical director. He was born and raised in Kenya and has greatly contributed to the growing music scene in the country by working with some of the best Kenyan musicians as a producer, arranger, musical director and backup musician. He has also appeared in a series of successful live events and TV shows. He is also widely credited with creating a genre of music called Bengenge, which is a fusion of House/Pop music and Benga.
As a vocal powerhouse and a formidable thespian, June Gachui is one of the most sought after entertainers in the industry. She is known to bring her soul and passion into any act she is involved in. Her music cuts across different genres, which she has christened “Nyummy Music” , because, in her words, “the one thing all my songs have in common is that nyummy feeling in them.”
Tickets for the AfroSynthesis Experience are currently on sale at www.mymookh.com at Kshs 1500 advance and Kshs 2000 at the gate.
You can also follow Shamsi Music on social media for more updates at Shamsi Music on Facebook, and @shamsimusicke on Twitter or follow the hashtag #AfroSynthesis.
Entertainment: Kenya Will Be Hosting An International Sports Film Festival In November
