En Mana Kuoyo

Aah! The soothing and stunning voice of beloved Ayub! Missing it! I need to buy another for me...because I gift them to others.....and their reviews are always of great praise. One dear friend says that it is her all time favourite music which is saying something!My love to Ayub, Diana

I am a great fan of African Music. I missed this when it was first released but am very pleased to have caught up with it now. It is a beautiful example of the joy of voice, guitar and rhythm combined in a selection of melodic tracks.

I have had this CD for several years. Beautiful, music - some have said too beautiful if that can be the case, - from Kenya. Most well known song is Kothbiro which has been used on adverts, films etc. but thoroughly recommend the entire CD. Have been waiting for a long time for this artist to record another CD but so far in vain.

I suspect that at the moment many people are finding their way to this album through Ayub Ogada's contribution to Gary Barlow's Jubilee Anthem 'Sing'. The Take That kingpin travelled to Kenya as part of his journey round the commonwealth and recorded with the Kibera Slum Drummers, the Kenyan Children's choir and the formost exponent of the Kenyan Lyre known as the Nyatiti. Ayub Ogada has been playing his chosen instrument around the world for decades now - for a while he was based in the UK. He has mixed his musical life with many acting roles in film, he appeared as Robert Redford's Maasai sidekick in 'Out of Africa' for example. Ayub Ogada is certainly no 'new discovery' of Gary Barlow's then, he is a global artist and a virtuoso on his instrument. Enough about the man, how is the album? Some other reviewers report that they found it a little repetetive - I understand where they are coming from but I disagree. Over the tracks Ayub Ogada builds a calming and refreshing feeling which at times seems almost hypnotic. Left on in the background the album does not command attention but given attention it creates a very special atmosphere which I think is quite unique.This album comes via Peter Gabriel's Realworld label and, like most recordings on that label, is overproduced for my taste - I'd love a live album.If 'African Music' makes you think of drums or fast guitars then this album would certainly be a corrective to that view, if you enjoyed Ayub Ogada's contribution to 'Sing' and want to hear him create his own magical atmosphere with room to breathe then this album is a must buy.

I do wish this man would make another complete album! Yes - I did first hear it in the film 'The Constant Gardener', but I'm really grateful to the musical director of that film for opening my eyes to it. This is probably one of my favourite albums OF ALL TIME. Seriously.

Beautiful music and so relaxing.

Arrived within designated time and in good condition. Absolutely love this as I grew up in East Africa and I got a copy for my sister too - she also loves it.

Very beautiful, haunting and wistful. Leaks slowly into the heart like warm water rising to flood parched ground.

Product was in fantastic condition as stated. Mother in law loved the gift. I will buy from this seller again

Besonders Titel Nr. 9 (Kothbiro) ist beeindruckend. Auch Titellied beim Film "Das Fieber".

Magnifique. Relents de Goeffrey Oryema, tant dans la voix que la musique.

Muy buena música y a buen precio el CD, apostando por su autor.

Ayub Ogada turns in a wonderful album here, full of African sounds and rich vocals. It sounds very different from Western pop music, having an earthier beat to it that recalls the richness of Africa. At first listen you can hardly guess this album comes from Peter Gabriel's "Real World" studios in England; Mr. Gabriel really let his guest musicians take their own path and didn't force them to take their inspiration from the master of the house, as it were. In his liner notes Mr. Ogada notes that he prefers playing on traditional instruments rather than on synthesizers, and his music is rich in tone and sound; it doesn't have the chirpy sound of synthesizer music.I couldn't understand a word Mr. Ogada was singing in his songs, but this didn't detract from the overall experience of this album for me. I took in the African vocals for what they were, music from a foreign land, and enjoyed them in that vein. While I might have enjoyed the album more if I could fully understand it, I enjoyed what was here a great deal, and I recommend it as an adventure in foreign music. If you want something really different and satisfying, light to the ear and pleasing to the spirt, you can't go wrong with this album.