Bill Sellanga, Dan Muli and Mbithi Masya of Just A Band. PHOTO| COURTESY
After more than a year’s absence from the local events calendar, Blankets and Wine music festival returns refreshed and rebranded with a major concert at the Ngong Racecourse this Sunday April 10 featuring a headline performance by one of the world’s most notable contemporary music stars.
The highlight of the festival, that showcases music, food, fashion and art, will be the performance by top American Soul and Rhythm and Blues act Aloe Blacc.
Blankets and Wine founder Muthoni “Drummer Queen” Ndonga explains that the event is now not just limited to Afro-pop as in the past but is aiming at artistes who have global appeal wherever in the world they may be from.
“We are of the opinion that the performers that we get on our platform have to be barrier-breaking. In our line-up, we are all international in our outlook and experience, it’s just that Aloe Blacc has the highest profile,” she says.
Blacc whose real name is Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III, became a global star after his collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii, “Wake Me Up” became one of the biggest hits of 2013 topping the charts in 102 countries.
The rapper-turned-singer has just released his third solo album “Lift Your Spirit” working with top producers like Pharrell Williams, DJ Khalil and Rock Mafia.
His last album “Good Things” released in 2010 was a tribute to the music of soul icons like Curtis Mayfield and James Brown and featured the hit “I Need a Dollar.”
The Grammy nominated artist has studied a range of musical styles, including salsa, reggae, dancehall and rock and as a teenager, his main influences were Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye and folk-rock performers like Joni Mitchell and James Taylor.
Appeal
His music has broad appeal across generations and musical tastes because of the different elements in style: a soulful voice, a funky rhythm that harks back to the old school era, yet Aloe Blacc is still edgy and cool enough to win over younger audiences.
Music fans should be looking forward to hits like “The Man” from the new album “Lift Up Your Spirit” which will sound familiar to fans of the old Elton John tune, “Your Song.” Other highlights are the funky single “Love is the answer” “Ticking Bomb” the feel-good vibe of “Can you do this” and “Red Velvet Seat.”
He has been causing a YouTube sensation with “Candyman” based on the Sammy Davis Jr. classic and released to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the famous chocolate brand M&M”s. Blacc has also recorded “Let The Games Begin” from the film RACE based on the story of the legendary athlete Jesse Owens whose exploits at the 1936 Olympics are the stuff of folklore.
Muthoni says that the Kenyan acts at this edition B&W, herself included, are all genre- bending and lend their own personalities to the ideas they are presenting.
“We are able to break mental barriers of what Kenyan or African music is all about. These acts would appeal in New York, Tokyo, Cape Town or Dakar.”
The artists she is referring to are the house/funk/disco group Just a Band who, in addition to their music, have just published their first book “Just a Book” that was launched in Kenya and Germany in March 2016. The group has also just presented their third video exhibition.
The other performer on the bill is Afro-soul singer Mayonde whose new album “Magic in the eye” has won her rave reviews for songs like “Isikuti Love” and “Rise” a tribute to American poet Maya Angelou.
The singer and actress has also performed on the TV music show Coke Studio Africa and won many admirers with her performance at previous editions of Blankets and Wine. Mayonde will be on familiar territory with Just a Band because she used to be a singer with the group and is, in fact, married to a member of the group Mbithi Masya.
Partnership
Since taking a hiatus in December 2014, B&W has been fundraising and researching new trends in event organisation.
The festival has also sealed a partnership with Good Times Africa to create a pan-African platform for the most exciting live events across the region like Africa Nouveau and Live in Concert.
Blankets and Wine is now a quarterly event in Kampala, Uganda and this year, is expanding to Kigali, Mwanza and Southern Africa.
Besides the music showcase, this B& W will also be a platform for design and food, fashion and art curated around core “Urban African Lifestyle” experiences. There will be fashion pop-up stores by Adele Dejak, Republi.ke and exciting new brands like Bongosawa, Gonzala Leathers, Our Own Culture and Afri-na-ladi who will set up a fashion and art installation.
Blankets and Wine takes place at the Ngong Racecourse on Sunday 10 April from 11 am. Tickets are available on www.blanketsandwine.com for Sh3,000.
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