SARABI’s story begins in the tin and cotton houses, dark and dusty allies of Eastlands Ghettos. In these streets, dreams are shuttered and very few youngsters survive to celebrate their 18th Birthday. With the absence of music and arts education in schools, Sarabi’s musical Safari would never have started without the Haba na Haba art Center now VOCAL, founded by SARABI’s Manager George “Ndetcheh” Ndiritu in 1998. The center provided free practical performing arts classes for Children and youth and also provided leadership training. Kids who had an interest in Music where selected to join the Projects Music program and formed into different bands.
At the age of 11 – 14 years, SARABI then named SAUTI za Kwetu was amongst the groups formed.
At the beginning, SARABI’s Music was wholesomely a blend of different traditional Kenyan sounds coupled with Acappella and traditional Kenyan dances. This set a foundation for SARABI’s music today. Their instruments set-up was simple, five Kalapapla drums, two Mbumbumbu bass drums, two acoustic guitars and congas. The lyrical content during the formative years was partly Love and a bit of Protest. This was inspired by their community’s struggle and musical influences of Bob and The Wailers, Eric Wainaina, Lucky Dube and Alpha Blondy.
A year after formation, the group was invited to participate at the 2006 World Urban Forum in Vancouver Canada where they shared a stage with the MOPEI Quartet, GidiGidi MajiMaji and Tumi and the Volume. As part of the tour, the band published a book, Image-In the MDGs. The publication provided a compelling structuring element for discussing development strategies and policies and understanding the global dimension within which their voices can be heard and their messages addressing the United Nation’s pledge to address global poverty.
In 2007 SARABI was already featuring as curtain raisers for Kenya’s great bands like, YUNASI, MUTINDA, Eric Wainaina etc. During the same year a feature on Drum Magazine declared SARABI as “The next force in Kenyan Music”. 2007 being an election year, Kenya was divided along political and ethnic lines. The aftermath of the elections was a bloody war that claimed over 1133 lives and left over 500,000 people homeless. During this period, SARABI participated in numerous peace building concerts both in internally Displaced People camps and in the neighborhoods. SARABI is constituted of youngsters from different ethnic backgrounds; this diversity has worked as an advantage because every individual contributes to the artistic development of SARABI’s music by sharing his/her diverse and unique ethnic artistry. 2007-08 elections shaped SARABI’s standpoint and campaign for a Unified, Equal and Just society.
The years that followed saw Sarabi play at numerous foreign diplomatic missions in Kenya, they also featured at the Annual Barn er Bra Children Festival in Norway, and also got an invitation to play at the UN headquarters in Geneva Switzerland during the International Day against Child Labor. The tour to Geneva was also an eye opener for the Band. During transit in Brussels as they jammed some tunes, another great African Musician was on Transit, he was touched by the music and came over to listen and enjoy. To the Bands amazement it was Alpha Blondy. He was so touched by the music that he spent a whole hour with the band. As he was leaving, he told SARABI “Keep playing Music, you will be great”.
In 2012 SARABI released their first ever single “Toto Africa” and recorded their debut album “OYAORE” (Luo for a New Beginning) in Norway during their Exchange tour of Norway and Sweden. The album was officially launched in Kenya in June 2013 at the Alliance Française Gardens in Nairobi to great acclaim earning the band a new title by BUZZ Magazine as “The new face of AFRO-Fusion in Kenya”. The album features SARABI earlier songs that speak about Love, Unity, Protest and Hope.
Eventually, SARABI Music has metamorphosed to center more on Social Justice. Like the crackle of firewood at a bonfire, the music is electric, engaging, emotional and still hard hitting. SARABI’s music is a blend of traditional East African rhythms, Benga, Afro Beat, Rumba, reggae married with common pop cultures.
In 2013, SARABI teamed up with Kenya’s top HipHop Artist JULIANI to release a single Fuata Sheria (Respect the law). The song was SARABI’s summary of Kenya at 50 years and highlights all the major corruption scandals that have never been determined despite the formation of numerous tribunals. The song was an instant hit and propelled SARABI to become the new VOICE OF REASON and CHANGE in Kenya. This song also gained SARABI a nomination for the “2014 HONESTY OSCARS AWARD”. The song also featured at No.9 on the JUSI I LOVE – TOP 20 African SONGS 2013 . This year also saw SARABI participate at the SONGS OF PROTEST Concert featuring, Eric Wainaina, Makadem, Just a Band and Juliani. The show was attended by Kenya’s Chief Justice. This show further cemented SARABI’s position amongst musical activists in Kenya.
In 2014, SARABI teamed up again with Juliani, H_art the Band, Teardrops, Gachago and Berry to release another hit protest single NITABAKI NA NINI (What will I be left with). The song was a statement directed to corrupt Politicians who keep emptying public coffers for personal gains and depriving the masses much needed services.
The same year, the Band also teamed up with KIU the all-female band and UNFPA to release a theme song and a video for the Kenyan first lady Beyond ZERO campaign. The campaign aims at reducing maternal deaths.
In December 2014, SARABI teamed up again with Maji Maji, Juliani, Teardrops and Mufasa to release another protest single, TUMECHOKA (We are tired). The song calls on Kenyans to keep the struggle for justice and equality going despite a feeling that we seem to be losing.
SARABI has featured and headlined numerous concerts and festivals in Kenya including Blankets and Wine, Hakuna Matata Festival, Riftvalley Festival, SAWASAWA Festival, Berbeque Live, Thursday night Live@choices, Go-Down Gig, NAINIWHO Festival, Naam Festival, Nairobi Live, Kinanda and the list continues. Internationally, SARABI has headlined, SAUTI ZA BUSARA FESTIVAL in Zanzibar, SELAM Festival in Addis Ethiopia, BAYIMBA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL in Kampala, Uganda, and the DOADOA Cultural Market in Uganda.
In 2014 SARABI ran a series of 12 concerts at the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi dubbed the KINGS OF THE ARENA a Kenyan version of the “SHRINE”. This concert series featured SARABI alongside local and regional musicians and poets. The concert series was named amongst the best concerts of 2014.
SARABI is amongst the 20 best bands and Artists in AFRICA to watch in 2015 by African Mbiu Magazine with our Song “Amandla” of our debut album amongst the best 20 songs in Africa in 2014.
SARABI has taken the imagination of Africa and is referred as a reincarnation of Bob Marley with the live performance etiquette of Fela Kuti. Just like the two, SARABI journey is a story of hope and the struggle for equal rights and Justice for all.
Off the Stage SARABI continues to champion the struggle for Justice. In 2015, SARABI is engaging in a country wide project dubbed JUKUMU LETU (My Responsibility) to increase interest and understanding of the Kenyan constitution amongst the youth through the use of Music. The band will also be engaged in a climate change project supported by the Alliance Francaise and Goethe Institute that aims to change and remove the Climate change Conversations from Conferences and workshops to the streets. The Band is also ambassadors of the “HANDS OFF OUR ELEPHANTS CAMPAIGN”.
SARABI MEMBERs are Haron Waceke, Christabel Were, Nelson Akelo, Antony kimangu, Bernard Oduor, Adam Mwadama,John Maluni, Peter Mbau
At the beginning, SARABI’s Music was wholesomely a blend of different traditional Kenyan sounds coupled with Acappella and traditional Kenyan dances. This set a foundation for SARABI’s music today. Their instruments set-up was simple, five Kalapapla drums, two Mbumbumbu bass drums, two acoustic guitars and congas. The lyrical content during the formative years was partly Love and a bit of Protest. This was inspired by their community’s struggle and musical influences of Bob and The Wailers, Eric Wainaina, Lucky Dube and Alpha Blondy.
A year after formation, the group was invited to participate at the 2006 World Urban Forum in Vancouver Canada where they shared a stage with the MOPEI Quartet, GidiGidi MajiMaji and Tumi and the Volume. As part of the tour, the band published a book, Image-In the MDGs. The publication provided a compelling structuring element for discussing development strategies and policies and understanding the global dimension within which their voices can be heard and their messages addressing the United Nation’s pledge to address global poverty.
In 2007 SARABI was already featuring as curtain raisers for Kenya’s great bands like, YUNASI, MUTINDA, Eric Wainaina etc. During the same year a feature on Drum Magazine declared SARABI as “The next force in Kenyan Music”. 2007 being an election year, Kenya was divided along political and ethnic lines. The aftermath of the elections was a bloody war that claimed over 1133 lives and left over 500,000 people homeless. During this period, SARABI participated in numerous peace building concerts both in internally Displaced People camps and in the neighborhoods. SARABI is constituted of youngsters from different ethnic backgrounds; this diversity has worked as an advantage because every individual contributes to the artistic development of SARABI’s music by sharing his/her diverse and unique ethnic artistry. 2007-08 elections shaped SARABI’s standpoint and campaign for a Unified, Equal and Just society.
The years that followed saw Sarabi play at numerous foreign diplomatic missions in Kenya, they also featured at the Annual Barn er Bra Children Festival in Norway, and also got an invitation to play at the UN headquarters in Geneva Switzerland during the International Day against Child Labor. The tour to Geneva was also an eye opener for the Band. During transit in Brussels as they jammed some tunes, another great African Musician was on Transit, he was touched by the music and came over to listen and enjoy. To the Bands amazement it was Alpha Blondy. He was so touched by the music that he spent a whole hour with the band. As he was leaving, he told SARABI “Keep playing Music, you will be great”.
In 2012 SARABI released their first ever single “Toto Africa” and recorded their debut album “OYAORE” (Luo for a New Beginning) in Norway during their Exchange tour of Norway and Sweden. The album was officially launched in Kenya in June 2013 at the Alliance Française Gardens in Nairobi to great acclaim earning the band a new title by BUZZ Magazine as “The new face of AFRO-Fusion in Kenya”. The album features SARABI earlier songs that speak about Love, Unity, Protest and Hope.
Eventually, SARABI Music has metamorphosed to center more on Social Justice. Like the crackle of firewood at a bonfire, the music is electric, engaging, emotional and still hard hitting. SARABI’s music is a blend of traditional East African rhythms, Benga, Afro Beat, Rumba, reggae married with common pop cultures.
In 2013, SARABI teamed up with Kenya’s top HipHop Artist JULIANI to release a single Fuata Sheria (Respect the law). The song was SARABI’s summary of Kenya at 50 years and highlights all the major corruption scandals that have never been determined despite the formation of numerous tribunals. The song was an instant hit and propelled SARABI to become the new VOICE OF REASON and CHANGE in Kenya. This song also gained SARABI a nomination for the “2014 HONESTY OSCARS AWARD”. The song also featured at No.9 on the JUSI I LOVE – TOP 20 African SONGS 2013 . This year also saw SARABI participate at the SONGS OF PROTEST Concert featuring, Eric Wainaina, Makadem, Just a Band and Juliani. The show was attended by Kenya’s Chief Justice. This show further cemented SARABI’s position amongst musical activists in Kenya.
In 2014, SARABI teamed up again with Juliani, H_art the Band, Teardrops, Gachago and Berry to release another hit protest single NITABAKI NA NINI (What will I be left with). The song was a statement directed to corrupt Politicians who keep emptying public coffers for personal gains and depriving the masses much needed services.
The same year, the Band also teamed up with KIU the all-female band and UNFPA to release a theme song and a video for the Kenyan first lady Beyond ZERO campaign. The campaign aims at reducing maternal deaths.
In December 2014, SARABI teamed up again with Maji Maji, Juliani, Teardrops and Mufasa to release another protest single, TUMECHOKA (We are tired). The song calls on Kenyans to keep the struggle for justice and equality going despite a feeling that we seem to be losing.
SARABI has featured and headlined numerous concerts and festivals in Kenya including Blankets and Wine, Hakuna Matata Festival, Riftvalley Festival, SAWASAWA Festival, Berbeque Live, Thursday night Live@choices, Go-Down Gig, NAINIWHO Festival, Naam Festival, Nairobi Live, Kinanda and the list continues. Internationally, SARABI has headlined, SAUTI ZA BUSARA FESTIVAL in Zanzibar, SELAM Festival in Addis Ethiopia, BAYIMBA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL in Kampala, Uganda, and the DOADOA Cultural Market in Uganda.
In 2014 SARABI ran a series of 12 concerts at the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi dubbed the KINGS OF THE ARENA a Kenyan version of the “SHRINE”. This concert series featured SARABI alongside local and regional musicians and poets. The concert series was named amongst the best concerts of 2014.
SARABI is amongst the 20 best bands and Artists in AFRICA to watch in 2015 by African Mbiu Magazine with our Song “Amandla” of our debut album amongst the best 20 songs in Africa in 2014.
SARABI has taken the imagination of Africa and is referred as a reincarnation of Bob Marley with the live performance etiquette of Fela Kuti. Just like the two, SARABI journey is a story of hope and the struggle for equal rights and Justice for all.
Off the Stage SARABI continues to champion the struggle for Justice. In 2015, SARABI is engaging in a country wide project dubbed JUKUMU LETU (My Responsibility) to increase interest and understanding of the Kenyan constitution amongst the youth through the use of Music. The band will also be engaged in a climate change project supported by the Alliance Francaise and Goethe Institute that aims to change and remove the Climate change Conversations from Conferences and workshops to the streets. The Band is also ambassadors of the “HANDS OFF OUR ELEPHANTS CAMPAIGN”.
SARABI MEMBERs are Haron Waceke, Christabel Were, Nelson Akelo, Antony kimangu, Bernard Oduor, Adam Mwadama,John Maluni, Peter Mbau
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