Friday, September 24, 2010

OTHER PERFORMING ARTISTES

OTHER PERFORMING ARTISTES.
Reading Adhyambo Odera’s article “Showbiz Icons Embarrasses me On this Important Day”. Taunet Nelel song by Emmy Kosgey, impressed all Kenyans during the promulgation day and got us all into celebratory mood.

I think it is time we go back to more vigorous stuff when celebrating, I have never understood why the so called artistes united never include.Dancers, acrobats, jugglers, ventriloquists, stand-up comedians, actors and actresses. Yes we know they can sing, but honestly not together!

Kudos to the traditional dancers who always grace our events so colorfully yet receives so little airtime here in Nairobi. The responsible person should avoid such a let downs and bring in more performers on board and exceptional performers like Emmy kosgey and Caroline nderitu the poetess.

Maybe if the "Artistes United" sung Well,international celebs like R.Kelly could use some of them as back-up artistes like Soweto Spiritual singers.in the song their work was only to sing one line,dancing,humming,ululations and mono syllable chorus in the Song Sign of a victory,and yet they did so well!! wake up Kenyan Musicians!!

Sam Mutonya.
Producer,
UncleSamz production House.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

THEATRE RELOADED!

THEATRE RELOADED!
If you belong in the old school of thought that being an artiste is a waste of time, then you need to refresh, because you are having a slow connection.

Back in the days when CDs were supposedly the 2030 and beyond idea, we used to curdle in the comfort of our analog, one band dear radios, those days radio presenters had all the time on air to tell us stuff we didn’t know, supposedly dug from the libraries.

The programming was sweet too with a string of magazine programmes, Radio theatre, Quiz shows and a lot of edutainment packages whenever we went to church, credit used to go to our choirs and singers.

Villagers had to gather in the Market place under the strict order of our local Assistant chief to be part of national holidays celebration. The highlight of the event was graced by. Dances, poetry, choral verses and the usual general excitement of wananchi united.

Today, faces of artistes who ruled over the decades, still hang around in our competitive theatre with unrivalled energy and creativity. Case in point, Vioja mahakamani a courtroom drama which has ruled the airwaves over the decades, other young upcoming artistes have tried to copycat the show with a little inclination to the western show Boston legal and others only to frustrate the viewer.

Lucy wangui Gichomo, a veteran actress in the Vioja mahakamani show better known as “Judge”, loathes the lack of creativity, egoistic nature of some artistes who refuse to stick to the ethics of this art.

As a fellow judge in a New TV comedy competition Show, she is an inspirational to many upcoming artistes in Theatre and has portrayed her passion to the art.GBS TV show cases Talents of Artistes, largely ignored out in the streets, villages and counties, consequently hundreds of youths have been thronging the station, where they are auditioned, trained by experts and allowed to participate on Air.

Having worked as a Radio Producer/presenter, I really wish our FM and TV stations could just hit the road and refresh a big number of their staff who lack talent and largely rely on internet jokes and special microphones to prove their talents.

In other words, the artistes are either forgotten or ignored by the big media houses whose system of recruitment needs to be put under thorough scrutiny. Woes aside in the Kenyan showbiz community, we are a one big happy family. The pride of Our Almighty Father.

Sam Mutonya,
Actor,Director,Producer
UncleSamz Production House.

  Download this mp3 from Beemp3.com

Friday, September 3, 2010

E-marketing Entertainment in Kenya

The Kenyan gospel music has been sluggish in terms of trying to break into the big world of entertainment.i recall giving ideas on one artiste Paul Mwai who is doing just great in the music industry. The soft spoken open-minded, Frank and humble gospel star, first came to the station I used to work for and volunteered to do a station ID, I know I should mind my manners and quit asking if there was a contract!

Mwai handled the Gospel music ICT question with caution and took the advice keenly, today when I received his video link, I was so overjoyed to call him back and congratulate him, such a busy man, he is lately my call goes unanswered but I am put in a ringback tone of his song! I was thrilled!

My advice to Mwai was to see what’s wrong with the gospel music in Kenya,moreso in the rural Kenya and try and make it through to the big Awards heavily occupied by the urban gospel Kings,Daddy Owen,Juliani,Danco,Kambua,Juliani and many others.today I see young Mwai heading there 2 years later.

Anyway to share my advice broadly, the answer in most of your marketing lies in the ICT. Wake up Musicians! Running around with vehicles with amplifiers blaring your songs, forcing your music into our ears should come later. For now majority gospel and secular artistes need to create websites, Social network groups, Blogs and create events to promote themselves online.

Majority of artistes in Theatre are even selling tickets on-line and offering trailers, easy to download in amazing websites. Having Run radio show featuring guest gospel artistes, I hate sounding pessimistic but majority will not rise beyond their county since they have no idea what internet is. Pathetic!.

First those who govern music need to be a bit in the know that music is a fast selling product and dynamic too .As a TV drama & comedy director, I would be glad to see more events and awards in various levels of our counties and online too.

I bought a DJ mix CD featuring all the hottest Gospel songs already playing in Radio stations from an informed hawker somewhere in Juja and I couldn’t resist buying this mix and grab one too for my brother. I am sure the music copyright society would term that as a pirated CD .but honestly other than through this Deejay where else could you get a DvD featuring best gospel artistes in a live event.? .I will buy your DVD for more than 500.

By the way a month ago I felt so embarrassed trying to promote local gospel musicians to a group of foreign students only for the vendor to tell me he cannot playback the local music in his stall for fear of being arrested by the music copyright body.

Finally, Last Sunday we were not able to celebrate a birthday of a loved one since the club was charging an entry fee, reason for that?-A new gospel Artiste was launching a CD. That kind off turned us off to go into the neighbouring pub where entry was free and a Dj was good at entertaining us more.

My final advice to the rising musicians, sing, dance and act in your videos and avoid the synchrony in those young school children in yellow t-shirts and blue skirts dancing in the gospel videos, by the way someone needs to follow and find out whether this is allowed.

Sam Mutonya
TV Actor /Director/scriptwriter.