Main artist: Victor Seii
Label: Complete Africa
Year: 2013

So I'm reviewing a Christmas album in July. Here goes.

How it got on my CD rack
I was listening to the radio to one of my favorite poets and radio hosts, David Black Skillz, one afternoon a few days before Christmas. And he played one of the tracks "In excelsis deo." I made sure I had a copy of the album the very next day.

What I love about the album
"In excelsis deo," like everybody else. I can't get enough of it. I've been playing it even after Christmas is over. The song is perfect on every front. When I knew that Victor Seii was the producer, I appreciated more the bass harmony that was very well done. Kenyan albums are not very good at making the bass an instrument on its own right. Kavutha, who duets with Dan Aceda, is to die for or this track. So is the Luo folk song climax. I would say the same for the track "Shangwe to the world," which has a catchy refrain, and when the Luo song "Niwara nono" comes in...my oh my, as Jeff Koinange would say.

I also like the beautiful track "What child is this," done by Sauti Sol, my not so secret indulgence. The harmonies are beautiful and the song showcases the voices and smooth style that keeps me glued this great group, risquee video or not. 

The Kenyan National Anthem with David Nntare and Nanjira Sambili is a fitting opening of the album.

This is a very creative album that well integrates traditional Kenyan sounds with modern vibes. The solos by an array of singers, from Wendy Kimani to Atemi Oyungu and Emmy Kosgey, the background vocals and harmonies are superbly done. When I finished listening through the entire album for the first time, I said to myself: Victor Seii is our own Quincy Jones. Or Babyface. Or whichever producer you know brings out the best in several well-known singers of different backgrounds. 

Hmmm, I wasn't too sure about...
Mary's boy child. I felt that Emmy Kosgey's part in the duet could have had more presence in the song. I definitely didn't get "Hark the herald angels sing." I felt is should have gone full out hip hop with a more serious rap section and probably less singing. Every time I listen to it I wonder whether Kenyan producers may be having trouble nailing the formula of having an all star cast doing a song together. It reminds me of the song during the promulgation.

The album jacket has great photography but which can't be clearly seen due to the poor quality of printing. I guess cost was a big concern.

And the album is too short. Eight tracks only.

My wishlist for Well Seasoned 3
Some more acapella, by 5 Alive reunited, perhaps? And maybe Chris Bitok doing the sax, rather than just vocals. 

I can hardly wait to...
Get myself a copy of Well Seasoned 1.

Artist: Chumba
Label: SoundAfrica
Year: 2008

How it got on my CD rack
Apparently I'm talking about this album released six years after it was released by Doris Chepchumba Tanui, aka Chumba. It just got to my CD rack two years ago. And that's an interesting story. 

I was sitting in a restaurant in Nairobi and heard this wonderful, soulful song. I suspect it was "Ongerip emet nyo," because it's my favorite. So I asked the waitress to find out who was singing. The first thing she asked was if I was the same tribe. Goes to show - we're so tribalist that even music isn't a human, universal language in Kenya. Would the waitress have asked the same if Beyonce was the artist?

What I like about the album
This is a truly Kenyan and African sound. The songs are in several Kenyan and international languages, including Kiswahili, Kalenjin, Kirundi, Luhya (her words, not mine), Lingala, Taita, Pokomo, English and French. Also, I was quite pleased to know that Chumba has roots in Maroon Commandos, and it shows in the quality of the sound and the songs. The guitar solos are extraordinary, reminding me what I loved about Maroon Commandos when I was younger.

Like I said, "Ongerip emet nyo" is my favorite song. I always go for the mellow, and this one is nice, with good guitar work and pleasant wind instruments. And that goes for most of the songs - the winds (flute, sax) and the guitar work in most songs takes me back to the good old days of listening to the singing Kenyan soldiers.

The themes are also great. There's a good dose of love songs, but I think the most fun to listen to is "Unakumbuka," sang by a woman whose husband has fallen on good times and then abandoned the family that stood with him through the tough times. This CD is a 12-track treat.

What I don't like about the album
The sleeve of the album has editing mistakes that should have been sifted out. For instance, the sequence of the explanation of the songs does not match the sequence of the songs on the CD.  And the sequence matters for listeners who do not speak the languages. Also, the gap between each of the tracks is too short, so the songs almost flow into each other without a break. Readers not used to the genre and style of rumba may find the songs long, although the good thing is that the instrumentals are quite good.

I look forward to listening to Chumba's other albums, if only I could find them. She's difficult to locate on the world wide web. But she was one of the Kenyan artists featured at the recently concluded Smithsonian Folk Life Festival.

Artist: Suzanna Owiyo
Label: Kirkelig Kulturverksted 
Year: 2010

How it got on my rack
I kept promising myself that I'd buy Suzanna Owiyo's album but the opportunity presented itself when she visited Daystar. So I have an autographed copy!

What I like about the album
This is a truly Kenyan album. The songs are rooted in the past, they have different cultural flavors. I mean, what could be more Kenyan than a Luo singing in song in Kikuyu with a chakacha beat? The instruments are fabulous. I love the nyatiti and the orutu in the songs, but the guitar is also something to write home about.

The themes are also varied, soulful and socially conscious, revealing a singer who has a finger on the pulse of society. My best line is in "Dhano le" decrying sexual abuse of children: "A man must be strong for a woman and child to be safe."

The bonus track, "Matatu," featuring Jua Cali was a pleasant surprise, revealing Suzanna's versatility as a musician.

My favorite song
My favorite song keeps changing. I do love "Osiepna" with Ogoya Nengo's wonderful voice, although I wished we heard more of her in the song. I also like "Usife moyo" which should be a jazz classic. The guitar work is superb and the message is wonderful. It is a song of love and care. But "Abiro" hits the spot. It's mellow and beautiful. The sound matches the theme of a prodigal daughter returning home. I also like "Ayango" for the simple fact that it encourages girls to go to school. I must mention Jamer - a song warning against alcoholism and which has a wonderful duet between Suzanna and the orutu at the end of the song.