Keng | zh

By the mid 1950's, in West Africa, a distinct genre of popular music began to emerge from the Anglophone regions centered around Ghana and Nigeria. Heavily influenced by Calypso and Son from the New World, its infectious melding of rhythms and lilting melodies soon ruled the West African musical landscape. As the climate of political independence and optimism spread into the next decade, this post-colonial era spawned the evolution of a new, urban working class. This music was created for a new generation of social dancers who were ready to enjoy the "High-Life". The Nkengas were an early incarnation of...

Perhaps the foremost sound in Kenya is the benga rhythm, and Kenge Kenge (who began as "Kenge Kenge Orutu System") are among the foremost of the younger generation exploring the music. The name, which comes from the Luo language, means "fusion of small, exhilarating instruments." Formed in the early '90s by Amdo Jawaya and Samuel Nyariwo, they began as musicians backing (really) the Catering Levy Trust Choir. Within a few years they'd grown out of that supporting role under their new leader George Achieng, and focused more closely on the benga rhythm that's synonymous with Kenya. The only remaining original...

Yatsuhashi Kengyo / 八橋検校 (1614-1685) was a Japanese composer and koto player. He was a gifted blind musician from Kyoto who changed the limited selection of six songs to a brand new style of koto music which he called kumi uta. Yatsuhashi changed the Tsukushi goto tunings, which were based on gagaku ways of tuning; and with this change, a new style of koto was born. Yatsuhashi Kengyo is now known as the “Father of Modern Koto.” .