Uniquely Kenyan rock genres part II: Bengarock

In my quest to demystify uniquely Kenyan rock genres I stumbled across Bengarock. You probably have never heard of it but it mixes the distinct sound of Benga and metallic sounds of rock. Benga is a musical genre that came in to being between the 40s and 60s. It originally combined modern rhumba and Luo( a Kenyan tribe) music. Some of pioneers include old school music giants like Daniel Owino Misiani and his band Shirati Jazz. It has however moved from its ethnic origins making it into songs from other Kenyan cultures such as music by Jane Nyambura (Queen Jane) and John Kamaru. Basically it is Kind of music your embarrassingly lifist dad listens to. 

Extra Golden performing at Rosklide in 2008

One contemporary band still carries on the Benga tradition. They go by the name Extra Golden. Some of its tracks includeHera manono(freely given love) Ok Oyot (It is not easy))and Obama. The Kenyan rock band is made up of three guys, Alex Minoff, Ian Eaglesson and Onyango Uod Omari. This Kenyan outfit I believe pioneered the genre Bengarock by combining Benga’s offbeat rhythms and emulation of traditional Luo sounds with the power of the electric guitar and awesome guitar solos. The tracks are also unconventionally long just like modern Benga music. You can learn more about them at last.fm.

The Band

pictures courtesy of last.fm