En Mana Kuoyo
Prior to a lot of travel and his eventual settling in England, Ayub Ogada was a member of the Luo tribe from a wedge of northern Kenya pinched between Uganda and Tanzania. Ogada's music is based on repetitious patterns plucked on thenyatiti, a stringed instrument reminiscent of the lyre. OnEn Mana Kuoyo(meaning "just sand"), he sings mellifluous, almost hypnotic, and yet ultimately lackadaisical melodies concerning home, his instrument, the weather, and injustice. By way of attempting a subtle fusion of African and European (not to mention urban and rural) styles, Ogada is accompanied by a small ensemble that adds surprisingly little to almost too-pretty songs more alike than not.--Richard Gehr