Tinga Tinga Jazz band yesterday thrilled a huge crowd of about 100 revelers who had turned up at Södra theatre in Stockholm to enjoy themselves. Led by Odhis Jangoma, key vocalist and backed by Benta Achieng, it was all systems go as revelers broke into dance when the beats tended to saturate their systems.
From the background was Onyango Raringo, solo guitarist whose rhythms blended with Achieng’s voice to send cool vibrations across the crowd, provoking them into occasional but slow gyrations.
Benta sung songs about the mysteries of life, loneliness and the importance of using condoms. A key attraction which galvanized the audience was performance by Edward Odhiambo who played Orutu (a traditional Luo music equipment).
The crowd was a mix up of Swedes, Kenyans, Congolese, Sudanese Ugandans and other nationalities. Vumbi, a Solo guitarist well known within the Kenyan community together with musician Moses Trubadur, were among the key African musicians who attended the function.
Josiah Omotto, a community organizer from Kibera who had traveled with the group chipped in from time to time to give short pieces of information about the group and life in Kibera. He thanked SIDA for having made it possible for Tinga Tinga to come to Sweden and hoped that next year, they would be back.
Mr. Omoto said that since the group came to Sweden, they have been pressing buttons on the wall and seeing electricity while at the same time pressing on metals and seeing water. He hoped for a life where water and electricity would be available to everybody, a comment which drew a wild applause from the crowd which appeared to have been enjoying every minute of the show. Omotto was drawing parallels between life in Sweden where water and electricity are taken for granted and life in Kibera where water and electricity are a big luxury.
The group has been on a tight schedule and attempts to divert them to have a special sessions for Kenyans did not materialize as they were set to leave for Kenya on Friday September 29th at 6.00.
Several Kenyans attended the functions including Winnie Mukaru, Chairlady of the Kenya Social Forum in Sweden (Kesofo), Mark Gaya, Richie, Beryl, Jackie, Maurine, Dan Aroka, Barry Owino, Alex Wagunya, Gerry Midenyo, Lillian among others. Pictures and a slide show of the Tinga Tinga performance can be viewed at the newly launched Kenya Stockholm Picture collection.
Okoth Osewe
makosewe@gmail.com
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