OGOYA NENGO & THE DODO WOMEN'S GROUP

Née en 1943 dans un village près du lac Victoria, au Kenya, Anastasia Oluoch est l’une des représentantes les plus populaires de la musique Dodo, une composante de la musique du peuple Luo jouée lors de mariages ou festivals de luttes. Produits par Stefan Schneider (Kreidler/to rococo rot/Roedelius) et Sven Kacirek, leur 1er album est sorti sur le label Honest Jon’s de Damien Albarn (Blur). La chanteuse de 73 ans, est, avec sa voix puissante et envoûtante, soutenue par les chœurs et les percussions traditionnels, une authentique incarnation de la chanson comme langue universelle. 

Ogoya Nengo & THE DODO WOMEN'S GROUP 

(Honest Jon's / TAL Recordings - Kenya) 

Aged 73, the queen of heavy Luo roots music is back in Europe this year for a tour. Born in 1943, Anastasia Oluoch received the nick name Ogoya Nengo (the priced one) for her vocal abilities and deep knowledge of the local folk culture. While rarely having left her home area close to the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria beforehand, her art was brought to the attention of a wider public by the release of the wonderful debut album "Rang’ala" on the Honest Jon's imprint, partly run by Damien Albarn from Blur. Subsequently Ogoya Nengo and her female choir, The Dodo Women's Group, got invited to play influential festivals such as Africolor in Paris. 

Their upcoming new album "Wololo Jo Syaya" has again been recorded by German music mavericks Stefan Schneider (Kreidler/to rococo rot/Roedelius-Schneider) and Sven Kacirek - and is, stripped down to voices, drums and a traditional string instruments, celebrating the rich Luo folk culture as well as the independence and pride of these exceptional women.  

‘Dodo’ is a type of traditional Luo music mostly used for entertainment at weddings, drinking parties and wrestling festivals. Songs in praise of the happy couple, the hardest drinkers and the best wrestlers.