Having taken a little break to rest on our laurels we didn't have plans to do any more sessions for a while, until Shama reached out and asked if he could perform something from his debut EP at the Villa. We decided to cut short our holiday and are honoured to welcome Shama and his talented friends, performing the title track of his debut Album: LEO NI LEO.
Tunapepea
‘Leo Ni Leo’ (‘Today is the Day’) is the latest release from Kenyan guitarist and singer, Shama. The former Band Leader of Orchestra Masika Afrika relocated to London from Nairobi in 2019 and has since been active on the ‘World Music’ circuit playing with acts such as Grupo Lokito, Busi Mhlanga and Matondology Riot. Though he has released several singles since leaving Kenya, ‘Leo Ni Leo’ is Shama’s first fully fledged EP since his last album with Orchestra Masika Afrika ‘Dunia ni Moja’ (2019), and is also the first full EP of his solo career.
For this project, Shama has collaborated with two UK-based musicians, Tawanda Manika (Zimbabwe) on bass and Sam Peroli (Portugal) on cajon, to bring together a unique sound, quite different from his usual style of Swahili Rumba. In this raw and unplugged EP, Shama takes you on a musical journey of Kenya with his acoustic guitar, showcasing the diversity of Kenyan music. He deals with pressing issues facing humanity, from the threat of climate extinction, to cultural loss and colonisation, and more personal affairs. This is an engaging yet easy listen, with superb musicality. Make sure you check it out!
11 окт 2024
