Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno

Nairobi

Rapasa is a singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist, music educator and contemporary dancer. He is an advocate of traditional music. He plays several indigenous instruments to East Africa. His principal instrument is nyatiti, an eight-string lyre which has traveled along the Nile with the Lüo community who plays this instrument and whose people have now settled along the shores of Nam Lolwe (known as Lake Victoria) where Rapasa is from. Through its storytelling, his music gives an insight into our ancestor’s wisdom and is very focused on this heritage. He has in depth knowledge and understanding of traditional music particularly from the Lüo customs. Yet he has researched nyatiti music in such a way that he is able to place it in the context of today’s music worldwide landscape. Rapasa experiments with the use of different scales ranging from the traditional minor pentatonic to the major diatonic scale which changes the approach to chords usage on nyatiti. He discovered that such use of the instrument broadens its musical spectrum. During his travels and at home in Kenya, the conversations that he has with the members of different communities, strengthens his own conversation with his nyatiti. For instance together they are crossing the boundaries to better understand the echo from his ancestors. Out now is his Ep-Songs Of Equality -Wan Kale and Tumetoka Mbali in collaboration with the University of York on the project Human Rights Defenders at Risk. Thu Tinda!!!

Chrome | Firefox | Safari | Internet Explorer

Sorry! Something went wrong

Is your network connection unstable or browser outdated?

I need help