Kwani? Open Mic, Sep 6 2011 @ Club Soundd

by with No Comment Open MicPoetry

Featured Poet; Larry Liza
Featured Musician; Dempsy

Larry Liza is a 28 year-old Kenyan known for his profound and deep poetry esp. in Socio-Eco-Political realm, under his ministry, PETALS OF POETRY. Described as the greatest ‘South of Sahara, North of Limpopo, Larry Liza has touched tens of thousands of lives with performances across churches, weddings, NGO, etc. functions across the nation and beyond, and is probably best known for his poem TOYOTA.

Larry is a regular writer of comments and letters in Kenyan dailies.

Larry has represented Kenya beyond the waters through his work on Flamingoes and Kenya’s Dandora Damp Site, and is keen on working with the society in achieving the MDG’s esp. through Green Energy.

Kwani? Open Mic, Aug 2 2011 @ Club Soundd

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Kwani Trust is inviting you to Kwani? Open Mic on Tuesday 2nd August 2011 7pm at Club Soundd, Hamilton House Kaunda Street.

Featured Poet will be Jemedari
Featured Artist will be Masanduku Junior.

Jemedari is an artist who has been described as a child of two worlds, delving in both hip hop and written poetry. Having laid stakes in both categories, he strives to raise the bar in terms of performance, content and impact. His alias being the ‘general,’ he molds and morphs his act to best suit the audience and ambiance of any event, be it a hardcore hip hop environment or a high end function. Jemedari’s music is enjoyed by Kenyans young and old, with conscious, relevant lyrics that incorporate the context of his times.

His end game is to start a mentorship program through which talented youth with no avenue to make their talent work for them can be guided by those who have already carved a niche for themselves in the entertainment industry.

He has graced several stages, including Slam Africa, Flowetree, Wamathai Poetry nights, and Discovery Poetry with Sitawa.

Kwani? Open Mic feat. Monaja & Valentine Ziki, Jul 5 2011 @ Club Soundd

by with No Comment concertsPoetry

MC: Cindy Ogana.
Date: 5th July 2011.
Time: 7 -9 pm.
Venue: Club Soundd.
Entry: 100 Ksh.

Monaja
Monaja has gone from living abroad to adjusting to Nairobi life then readjusting to the countryside. He cites culture shock as a significant influence on his unorthodox musical style. “I think I’ve picked up a lot from the places I’ve grown up in, that’s why my music is very content-oriented and twisted.”
He grew up in Langata where his love for music blossomed, playing the piano while listening to musical greats like Dabrat, Shaggy, Fugees, Nas, Bone thugs ‘n’ harmony and Lost Boyz. Locally, he listened to Eric Wainaina, Shades ‘o’ Black and Poxi Presha.
He claims K-south Flava as his greatest musical influence.
He began performing in 2004 and went on to doing free shows at Florida 2000 and Club Skiliza in 2005, in Nairobi.
Monaja also hosts Nairobi’s Finest” every last Friday of the month at Dass restaurant.
Listen to his music on www.reverbnation.com/Monaja
Facebook fanpage – Monaja
twitter as @Monajamonj

Valentine Ziki
Valentine ZIKI is an actress, poet and musician.
Ziki has worked with some of Kenya’s most prolific directors and musicians; notably Eric Wainaina under the Rainmaker Company, George Mungai of the Phoenix Theater, Keith Pearson of Theater Company, Sterling Quality and more.
She has also been featured in MNET’s series ‘Changes’ and NTV’s ‘Guy Center’ and has composed music for jingles and stage plays.
Valentine Ziki represents a dynamic crop of emerging artistes in Kenya’s vibrant music scene. Her voice and style has a sultry and mellow touch, reminiscent of jazz and African artistes that have influenced her over the years. She is currently experimenting with different styles, creating a genre of music which she describes as Nu-soul.
She brings her music and poetry to life in a lively stage act around Nairobi’s entertainment hub, popularly known as SANAA FUSION. Hers is a mellow and soulful sound. She sings about love, life and the human condition & tells her story in Swahili, English and in her native Kikuyu.
Her first single “Nenda” has already received favorable reviews and she is set to release her debut album later this year.

Booking agent: Mambo Artssy: 254 725 816 126
Website: http://ziki-mylifeandmusic.blogspot.com
http://www.reverbnation.com/ziki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3A3Ec_xsdk

Kwani? Open Mic, Jun 7 2011 @ Club Soundd

by with No Comment concertsOpen MicPoetry

Message: Kwani Trust is inviting you to Kwani? Open Mic on Tuesday 7th June 2011 7pm at Club Soundd, Hamilton House Kaunda Street Entry ksh 100/- only.

Featured Poet will be Sitawa Wafula
Featured Artists will be . Tamasha Beats

Sitawa is a Feather Awards Kenya nominee, 2010, an Actuarial Science drop-out and poetess who writes, performs and hosts poetry forums and workshops in Nairobi. She started writing in 2003 after a rape ordeal and began open mic performances in Nov 2008 when she was fired from her last job after getting a seizure attack and falling on a client. Being a rape-survivor, most of her pieces centre round the girl-child and socio-political issues and is involved in advocacy work, leading a sanitary-towel campaign in partnership with Sanibank Consortium for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. She is also an Ambassador for Mental Health in Kenya under BasicNeeds UK in Kenya given her own illness. She also blogs for Southern Sudan’s widows and orphans charity, Hope Ofiriha and loves eating and reading during her free time.
Check out her blog for more about this wonderful poet.
http://sitawa.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html

Kwani? Open Mic, May 3 2011 @ Club Soundd

by with No Comment Poetry

Kwani Trust is inviting you to Kwani? Open Mic on Tuesday 3rd  May 2011 7pm at Club Soundd, Hamilton House Kaunda Street Entry ksh 100/- only.
Featured Poet will be Number 8
Featured Artist will be Masanduku Junior.

He just completed his degree at Kenyatta University studying BA (Business Studies and Economics). He began reciting poetry in high school (The Lenana School) in form 1 and represented the school in the national music festivals from form 1 through form 4. He was the best in Nairobi in form 3 (2001).

Dan began to write his own poetry in 2006. Actually, his first poem is dated 12th July 2006. He’s not the “academic” or classical poet who is bound to number of stanzas, lines per stanza, use of Queen’s English or coastal Swahili, etc. he writes as he would speak on the street. His style is heavily biased towards hiphop.

Kwani? Litfest, Dec 12-17 2010

by with No Comment festivallectures & readings

The 2010 edition of the Festival comprises of lectures, conversations, panels, readings and workshops that explore the practical aspects of African writing and literary life between successive literary generations. These conversations will also extend to recapturing what is considered a literary temporal black hole – the 80s and 90s when writing seemed to have dried in the continent, and a fledgling present.

Browse the full programme of the festival on Kwani?’s website

You can now buy tickets for the ticketed events ( evening events)  online via credit card, mpesa and zap. These events include a gala dinner celebrating Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, an Open Mic special with Cornelius Eady, Stephen Partington, Ngwatilo Mawiyoo and others, and a launch of Kwani? 06. You can also pay for the 5 workshops offered by the Litfest.

 

Kwani? Litfest 2010, Dec. 4-10 2010

by with No Comment debatefestivallectures & readings

The 2010 edition of Kwani? Literature Festival comprises of lectures, conversations, panels, readings and workshops that explore the practical aspects of African writing and literary life between successive literary generations. These conversations will also extend to recapturing what is considered a literary temporal black hole – the 80s and 90s when writing seemed to have dried in the continent, and a fledgling present.

Festival Programme to follow shortly -Check  Kwani? website for details!

Ps: Once the program is out NairobiNow will publish it.