African Guitar

Rock is a universal musical language that is embraced by almost every culture in the world. At the same time, every culture has their own musical identity and traditions, rich in history and flavored with unique musical characteristics. Many contemporary rock, jazz and blues musicians infuse international flavors into their own music to craft fresh and intriguing solos and improvisations.

Extra Golden - Ok-Oyot System (2006) {Thrill Jockey}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 296 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 119 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 27 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2006 Thrill Jockey | THRILL 153
World Music / African Music / Afro Beat / Afro Pop

Ok-Oyot System is a wonderful collaboration between Americans Ian Eagleson and Alex Minoff of Golden and Kenyans Otieno Jagwasi and Onyango Wuod Omari of Orchestra Extra Solar Africa. The sessions grew out of Eagleson's doctoral work on the Benga music of Kenya and Nairobi, but this isn't really an attempt at playing true Benga music. There's certainly an African feel throughout the album, but you can hear that everyone brought a little bit to the table. "Ilando Gima Onge" and "Nyajondere" (the only track written without Eagleson and Minoff) are the closest to straight-up Afro-pop, but even "It's Not Easy," which has more of a rock sound, and "Tussin and Fightin'" (both recorded without Jagwasi and Omari) have vaguely African guitar.

Inspired by suffering and injustice in Africa (the liner notes don't specify any events or places), this is an album of rock songs, many of which are heavy on guitar and drums and light on keyboards…