Biography
Shem Tube, guitarist and vocalist, joined forces with his ensemble Abana Ba Nasery to carry Kenya’s musical traditions onto the global platform. Fronted by Tube on guitar and vocals, the outfit acquainted worldwide listeners with omutibo, the buoyant Kenyan style built from two fingerpicked acoustic guitars, three-part vocal harmonies, and rhythms tapped on a Fanta soda bottle. In the 1960s and ’70s the group stood among Kenya’s most prosperous traditional acts. Following a separation of more than a decade, Abana Ba Nasery reconvened in 1991. The revived trio mirrored the members’ evolving tastes, since Tube and guitarist/vocalist Justo Osala had spent the interim with the electric banga unit les Bunyore. That appetite for contemporary sounds endured after the reunion. Their first album, Classic Acoustic Recordings of Western Kenya, preserved the original acoustic trio’s approach, while the subsequent release, Go Ahead, adopted a denser production. Captured during a European tour, the record folded bagpipes, slide guitar, banjo, and whistle into the blend. Contributors included Chopper and Alan Prosser of Oysterband, Hijaz, Expen$ive Mustapha of 3 Mustaphas 3, and Ron Kavana.
Albums