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Kongoi
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With the emergence of Tanzanian musician, Ras Nas aka Nasibu Mwanukuzi (www.rasnas.kon... on the East African music scene, there is no doubt that the region’s musical terrain will never be the same. His long awaited CD “Dar-Es-Salaam” due to be released on 3rd November this year, is a follow-up to the debut “Cut You Loose”. The new CD reflects a remarkable and qualitative change in Ras Nas’ music. While “Cut You Loose” was mostly experimental, with “Dar-Es-Salaam”, Ras Nas appears to reach maturity in his music and achieve a distinct identity both as studio and concert artist.

With his mix of reggae, soukous and dub poetry, Ras Nas stands out as a pioneer of a new music style; a style which is yet to be defined. His lyrics are both conscious and entertaining. Ras Nas writes, recites and sings in English and Swahili, the latter being the lingua franca of Africa. In other words, as an artist of sheer originality, he is definitely ushering in an era of renaissance. This is fresh and welcome news from a region that has hardly produced an artist of international caliber for the past two decades, as compared to other regions on the continent..

The nine tracks in Dar-Es-Salaam CD are all unique as well as potential hits. The title track “Dar-Es-Salaam” is a song in Kiswahili that starts with a cool rhumba ballad and shifts to a hot and irresistible seben. It is a revisit to the classic sounds of East and Central Africa but wrapped in the contemporary feel and tempo. On the dance floor the song has proven to be captivating both to the old and the young. The song is a tribute to the city of Dar-Es-Salaam and its mesmerizing beauty. It is in this city that Ras Nas molded his interest in music and poetry in a young age. Other songs include G... Zakina, Revelation Times, Dance Rhumba, Aisha, Sina Makosa ( a faster version of the mighty Simba wa Nyika), Sweet Rhythms and River Nile (reggae dub poetry).

Reviewing Ras Nas’ live radio concert, spring 2007, veteran music journalist with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, NRK, Arne Berg, put it in this way; “It was a memorable experience. From heavy dub poetry to exhilarating soukous – rarely has the public in Studio 19 shaken their bodies so thoroughly and seldom have we experienced such a sweaty, happy and smiling audience going home after a show!”

In Dar-Es-Salaam CD, Ras Nas has worked with a number of highly talented artists from nine different countries, a total of 24 of them, among them two renowned artists from Dar-Es-Salaam, bassist Keppy Kiombile and guitarist Norman Bikaka (lead guitar).

Ras Nas’ debut concert was in 1992 in Oslo at the celebration to mark the 99th Anniversary of His Imperial Majesty Selassie I. In the Zodiac sign, this was an event in itself.  Since then, Ras Nas has performed for Nelson Mandela, shared the stage with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and Lou Reed at the Norwegian Wood Festival and played in a number of festivals.

All in all, is the year that the three sevens clashed. In spring, Ras Nas was Artist of the Week at the Norwegian state radio after spending most of autumn/winter in studio, working on “Dar-Es-Salaam”. In August, Ras Nas played at Oslo Mela Festival and in November he is one of the artists at this year’s Oslo World Music Festival.

CD: Dar-Es-Salaam
Label: Kongoi Productions
Release: 3rd November

Kongoi Productions
www.kongoi.com

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