When I learned of the passing of Ali Pesa, the lead guitarist of John Junior's Beautiful Voices (BV) Band International, my reaction was that of shock and disbelief. It had been barely a month after I had met him at Downholm, Nairobi at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Frail and emaciated though he looked, he appeared happy and energetic; wearing his usual dimpled smile. He had a guitar on his shoulder and was apparently going to perform at show in the area that evening. It therefore came as shock to me when I heard just a few months later that he had passed away in April, that very year (2020). Ali Pesa may not have been known to many even though  millions of Kenyans were entertained by his work. But to the few who knew him, Albert Mutuli Kenyatta was without a doubt the best lead/solo guitarist Kenya has ever produced. His unique guitar playing style was high on energy, producing danceable and rhythmic, intricate, fast-paced, and interlocking melodic line...

 Listening to Musa Juma's tracks one quickly realizes that he knew some Lingala (Lingala is a Language, not a genre of music). It is however difficult to tell exactly how much Lingala Musa Juma could speak. Musa Juma was from the Luo community of Kenya and there is no evidence that he ever lived, worked in or even visited either of the two Congo republics where Lingala is predominantly spoken. But we also know that a visit or stay in a country is not the only way to interact with a language. From a face-value analysis of Musa Juma's lyrics it is evident that he could at least mumble a few Lingala words, the real question is how much did he know. Musa Juma Mumbo (December 6, 1968 – March 15, 2011), popularly known as MJ or "Jasiaya Kababa" , was a celebrated Kenyan musician, singer, composer, and guitarist. He is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in Kenyan Luo Rhumba and Benga music.Musa Juma began his career playing pure Benga music, but la...