‘JAMBO KENYA’ BY JOE AURA, 18-0879
MUSIC IN AFRICA SEPTEMBER 2022 MUS 111T
SUBMITED TO MS. MUTHONI NJENGA
2ND DECEMBER 2022
INTRODUCTION
This paper will cover the following areas;
I.
Decade
II.
Genre
III.
Song
IV.
Lyrics
V.
References
Decade – This will include ten years where Benga Music, Them Mushrooms and
Jambo Bwana falls in. It will also include the decade in the country of focus which
is Kenya. What was happening in those ten years?
Genre – This is about the genre in that decade, what was happening. Who was the
artist, how did the music sound/characteristics and so on.
Song – This is about the song. Who is the producer, when was it released, how
was it received, are there other versions of the song and what the song is about.
Lyrics – The Lyrics to the song ‘Jambo Bwana’ have been put down. Lyrics that
are not in English have been translated.
Reference – This includes all the references where the information was
researched.
Decade
According to The World Music Library, Nairobi developed into a significant economic
hub for East Africa in the 1960s, promoting the exchange of music from all over the world. By
the 1970s, Kenyan musicians were fusing elements of their own musical traditions, most
notably Benga music, with those of the United States, Europe, West Africa, and some of
Central Africa. The musical output of Kenya experienced a particularly inventive and vibrant
period throughout the next two decades.
Kenyan band Them Mushrooms specializes in Chakacha music, but they also play some
Benga and reggae. They achieved their greatest fame with the 1982 Swahili song Jambo
Bwana. They were inspired by numerous African artists, such as Franco of TPOK Jazz from
the Congo, Egypt 80, and Manu Dibango from Cameroon, as well as Otis Redding, James
Brown, Wilson Pickett, Kool and the Gang, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Madonna.
However during this decade, one of the group members, Teddy Kalanda said, "Kenyan
music is too heavily influenced by western music." Another thing to note is the introduction of
inexpensive cassettes to the local market in the 1980s which led to an increase in music piracy.
Popular music at this decade included;

Kajo Golo Weka - Peter Tsotsi Juma , The Eagles Lupopo

Cha-Umheja-Afro 70

Pelekani'-The Eagles Lupopo

See Serere-Sophia Ben & The Eagles Lupopo

Mama Matotoya - The Mombasa Vikings
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Genre
Kenyan popular music includes the genre of Benga. It developed in Nairobi, the
capital city of Kenya, between the late 1940s and the late 1960s. Moreover, Chakacha is a
form of indigenous music from the coastal region that has been heavily influenced by Arabs
and Indian. In a BBC Africa interview, Teddy Kalanda stated, "We play a lot of Chakacha, a
little bit of Benga, and also some reggae. Tribal music wasn't around in the 1960s and 1970s.
Music was purchased by both Kikuyus and Luos. Under Daniel Arap Moi, the former
president of Kenya, tribal music was developed. "We added some English and Kikuyu, and as
many other languages as we could, just to broaden our fan base."
Teddy Kalanda, Henry Ndenge Saha, and Ben Mutwiwa make up the group - Them
Mashrooms. They specialize on performing covers of popular songs that have already been
written. Before switching to Chakacha and boosting it up with rap and hip-hop beats, this
group first gained popularity with a distinctive blend of Taarab and Sega/Benga folk music.
Benga is well known for its frantic rhythmic pulse and upbeat finger-picking guitar style. The
lead guitar, which essentially follows the vocal track, is the essence of Benga. There is
also instrumental vastness that features three or four guitars and percussions is the climax,
and it always comes with a time where the singing is abruptly separated from it. Because of
its quick tempo, Benga is clearly dance music. Unlike when dancing to other types of music,
such as the Congolese rumba, dancers don't typically hold hands or hug. Fans of Benga can
be seen dancing either alone or collectively, but not holding hands. A lot of the time, the
dancers slink away from their partners' circle and do their own thing. Other times, they act
theatrically by flexing their muscles, stamping their feet, and shaking their heads. They dance
freely, even with complete abandon.
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Song
Jambo Bwana (Hello, mister in Swahili), which was released in 1982 and is frequently
called "Hakuna Matata" from the refrain lyrics, is one of their most well-known songs.
How did a song with straightforward words, a memorable melody, and contagious
rhythm come to be? Them Mushrooms claimed the following in an interview with KBC
Channel 1: "We had just finished playing at a bar, and Teddy was having his beer. The attendant
would respond, "Mzuri sana," to the cries of the "mzungus" present. Teddy Kalanda, the band's
lead singer, wrote the song, which eventually sold 30,000 copies. In the 1980s, the song Jambo
Bwana, which was based on a well-known Kenyan folk song of the same name, became an
instant smash.
Numerous bands and musicians, including Mombasa Roots, Safari Sound Band, Khadja
Nin, Adam Solomon, Mani Kollengode, and the German group Boney M, have covered the
song. Some variations go by other names, like "Jambo Jambo" and "Hakuna Matata."
An example of a cover done by Boney M; https://youtu.be/-cJMKhryJrw
4
Lyrics
JAMBO BWANA – LYRICS
Kiswahili
Jambo, Jambo Bwana, habari gani? Mzuri sana!
Wageni mwakaribishwa, Kenya yetu hakuna matata.
Kenya nchi nzuri. Hakuna matata.
Nchi ya kupendeza. Hakuna matata.
Nchi ya maajabu. Hakuna matata.
Nchi yenye amani. Hakuna matata.
English
Hello, Hello Mister, how are you? Very well!
Visitors you are welcome, in our Kenya there is no
problem.
Kenya is a nice country. There is no problem.
A beautiful country. There is no problem.
A wonderful country. There is no problem.
A peaceful country. There is no problem.
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References

Kenya: 1970’s & 80’s | The World Music Library

Kenya's Special Music History - KenyanVibe

Kenya: Journey through a rhythm nation, BBC News World: Africa.
30 August 1999

"Them Mushrooms", Music in Africa. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May

The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music

www.elyrics.net

www.jiosaavn.com/lyrics/jambo-bwana-lyrics/ASk6RSsdVGs

The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music | Singing
2020
Wells
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