The groundbreaking album titled Mapolomoko, from Ketebul Music captures the unique traditional music of the marginalised indigenous pastoral communities in Kenya. Mapolomoko is a collaborative music project between UK-based Congolese guitarist, composer and producer Fiston Lusambo and Tabu Osusa, music producer and founding director of Ketebul Music (a non-profit organisation based in Nairobi, Kenya). Supported by the Arts Council of England, the project seeks to showcase the traditional music of the marginalised communities living in remote regions of Kenya, with a focus on pastoralists from northern part of the country.
During these recording sessions, Lusambo and Osusa liberally experiment with ‘alternative sounds’ by replacing conventional instruments with indigenous instruments. The drum kit is replaced by percussions like the sanduk (sound box), while the obukano and the nyatiti (two types of Kenyan lyres), play the role of the electric and bass guitars respectively. Featuring various artistes from the El Molo, Turkana, Borana, and Munyoyaya communities, the album was released in May 2024 under the Ketebul Music label after one year of recording sessions.
The musicians and their instruments are Abdi Rashid Jibril (calabash, shakers, conga and bukarabu); Akuku Danger (egg shaker); Dennis Dancun Mosiere (obokano); Gabriel Odhiambo (nyatiti); George Achieng’ (orutu, ongengo and sanduk); Kazungu Charo Shutu (marimba); Peter Mboya Orinda (abuu and oporo); and Theo Ottw.
