Rough Guide to the Music of Kenya

The music of East Africa is far less familiar to most international aficionados those of Mali, Senegal, Congo or South Africa. But Kenya, in particular, offers a cornucopia of indelible grooves that demand to be heard and celebrated. Sultry yet sparkling Swahili rumba and local variations on the ubiquitous Congolese soukous trend (both descended from Cuban sources) exist side-by-side with crisp, throbbing Benga combos and graceful, earthy, Indian/Islamic-influenced Taarab orchestras. All make elegant, delicious listening but modern trends from the USA and elsewhere are also seeping in. Nyota Ndogo's sexy lead singer sounds like a saltier Sade on "Chereko" while Gidi Gidi Maji Maji's rap track "Ting Badi Malo" sounds like, well, hip-hop in another language. Pick hit: Suzzana Owiyo's "Kisumu" wherein dueling male and female lead singers and a sweet-sour chorus are underpinned by acoustic guitars and what sounds like Pygmy flutes, a Brazilian surdo drum and shrieking cuica. --Christina Roden