Ayub Ogada
Encyclopedia
Ayub Ogada is a musician from Kenya
. Ogada was born in Mombasa
and is one of the Luo
people of Western Kenya.
He received his first exposure to Western culture early on. When he was six, his parents (also musicians), toured the college circuit in the U.S. Ogada then returned to Kenya with his parents, and was educated in a Catholic school and then an English boarding school.
After finishing school, he co-founded the African Heritage Band in 1979 and played kit drums, bass and percussion for many years. The group fused traditional music with the sounds of rock and soul that Ogada and bandmates heard regularly on the radio.
The singer also performs on the traditional east African stringed instrument, the nyatiti
; he is also highly accomplished djembe
player.
In 1986, he decided to take his talents abroad. Armed with his nyatiti (a lyre-like stringed instrument), he went to the U.K., and played on the streets for money. After the better part of a year, he was approached and asked to play at Peter Gabriel's WOMAD festival. In 1993, he recorded his first album, En Mana Kuoyo (Just Sand), on Peter Gabriel
's Real World
label. He toured extensively with WOMAD.
His music has been heard on the soundtrack of the 2000 release of I 'Dreamed of Africa'. His piece, "Kothbiro" appears in the soundtrack of the Mexican film "The Blue Room" based on the novel of George Simenon and of the 2005 film The Constant Gardener
, over the credits. His music was used in the soundtrack for Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman's BBC series Long Way Round
and Long Way Down
.
Ogada has collaborated with Susheela Raman
on several tracks on her "Salt Rain" album, such as "O Rama", and with Tony Levin
on his album World Diary
. In addition, he has collaborated with the Afro Celt Sound System
on their first and fourth releases.
In July 2005 Ogada performed at the Live 8 concert, Eden Project
as the opening act with his band, Union Nowhere, Ogada performing on a large replica of an historic Egyptian lyre. Ogada has embraced electronic recording techniques but remains exclusively acoustic in live performances.
Ogada has also supplemented his music career with some acting in the past under the name Job Seda. He played Robert Redford's Masaii sidekick in Out of Africa and also starred in The Kitchen Toto
.
On March 8, 2007 he released an album with Union Nowhere titled Tanguru. He moved back to Kenya in June 2007.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Ogada was born in Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
and is one of the Luo
Luo (Kenya and Tanzania)
The Luo are an ethnic group in Kenya, eastern Uganda, and northern Tanzania. They are part of a larger group of ethnolinguistically related Luo peoples who inhabit an area including southern Sudan, northern and eastern Uganda, western Kenya, and northern Tanzania.The Luo are the third largest...
people of Western Kenya.
He received his first exposure to Western culture early on. When he was six, his parents (also musicians), toured the college circuit in the U.S. Ogada then returned to Kenya with his parents, and was educated in a Catholic school and then an English boarding school.
After finishing school, he co-founded the African Heritage Band in 1979 and played kit drums, bass and percussion for many years. The group fused traditional music with the sounds of rock and soul that Ogada and bandmates heard regularly on the radio.
The singer also performs on the traditional east African stringed instrument, the nyatiti
Nyatiti
The nyatiti is a five to eight-stringed plucked lyre from Kenya. It is a classical instrument played by the Luo people of Western Kenya, typically in Benga music. It is about two to three feet long. The player holds it to his chest while seated on a low stool. Usually it is played together with the...
; he is also highly accomplished djembe
Djembe
A djembe also known as jembe, jenbe, djbobimbe, jymbe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered drum meant played with bare hands....
player.
In 1986, he decided to take his talents abroad. Armed with his nyatiti (a lyre-like stringed instrument), he went to the U.K., and played on the streets for money. After the better part of a year, he was approached and asked to play at Peter Gabriel's WOMAD festival. In 1993, he recorded his first album, En Mana Kuoyo (Just Sand), on Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's Real World
Real World Records
Real World Records is a record label started in 1989 by Peter Gabriel to record and produce world music.-Overview:The label grew up alongside the success of the WOMAD festivals and Peter Gabriel's exploration of music from other cultures, and helped push world music into the general public's...
label. He toured extensively with WOMAD.
His music has been heard on the soundtrack of the 2000 release of I 'Dreamed of Africa'. His piece, "Kothbiro" appears in the soundtrack of the Mexican film "The Blue Room" based on the novel of George Simenon and of the 2005 film The Constant Gardener
The Constant Gardener (film)
The Constant Gardener is a 2005 drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles. The screenplay by Jeffrey Caine is based on the John le Carré novel of the same name. It tells the story of Justin Quayle, a man who seeks to find the motivating forces behind his wife's murder.The film stars Ralph Fiennes,...
, over the credits. His music was used in the soundtrack for Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman's BBC series Long Way Round
Long Way Round
Long Way Round is a documentary television series, DVD set and book documenting the journey of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from London to New York on motorcycles...
and Long Way Down
Long Way Down
"Long Way Down" is a single by the Goo Goo Dolls from their breakthrough album, 1995's A Boy Named Goo. This song is often overshadowed by the low-key ballad "Name", which launched the band to household names...
.
Ogada has collaborated with Susheela Raman
Susheela Raman
Susheela Raman is an acclaimed British Tamil musician. Raman has released five albums since 2001. Her debut album Salt Rain was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2001.-Early years:...
on several tracks on her "Salt Rain" album, such as "O Rama", and with Tony Levin
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
on his album World Diary
World Diary
-Track listing:# Chasms # The Train # We Stand in Sapphire Silence # Smoke # Etude In The Key of Guildford # Espresso and the Bed of Nails # Mingled Roots # Nyatiti # Jewels...
. In addition, he has collaborated with the Afro Celt Sound System
Afro Celt Sound System
The Afro Celt Sound System is a musical group which fuses modern electronic dance rhythms with traditional Irish and West African music...
on their first and fourth releases.
In July 2005 Ogada performed at the Live 8 concert, Eden Project
Live 8 concert, Eden Project
On July 2, 2005, a Live 8 concert was held at the Eden Project, Cornwall, England. The event was dubbed "Africa Calling", but was also known as "LIVE 8: Africa Calling" or "Africa Calling: LIVE 8 at the Eden Project"....
as the opening act with his band, Union Nowhere, Ogada performing on a large replica of an historic Egyptian lyre. Ogada has embraced electronic recording techniques but remains exclusively acoustic in live performances.
Ogada has also supplemented his music career with some acting in the past under the name Job Seda. He played Robert Redford's Masaii sidekick in Out of Africa and also starred in The Kitchen Toto
The Kitchen Toto
The Kitchen Toto is a 1987 British drama film directed by Harry Hook and starring Edwin Mahinda, Bob Peck and Phyllis Logan. In Kenya 1950, a British policeman takes a murdered black priest's son to live with him at his home as a houseboy.-Cast:...
.
On March 8, 2007 he released an album with Union Nowhere titled Tanguru. He moved back to Kenya in June 2007.