Achieng Abura
Encyclopedia
Achieng Abura is a musician from Kenya
, who performs Afro-jazz, Afro-fusion
and gospel music
.
She debuted with a gospel album I Believe around 1990. Her following albums were Way Over Yonder and Sulwe. In 2002, when she had shifted to Afro-jazz, she released album Maisha. Later she released album Spirit Of a Warrior. Her latest album, titled Dhahabu Yangu was released in 2007 by Blu Zebra label, owned by Tedd Josiah
.
Abura won Kora Award
in 2004 for Best East African Female, the award was shared with Tsedenia Gebremarkos
of Ethiopia
. She is an UNDP Goodwill ambassador. She has toured abroad, for example Spain
.
She was part of the Divas of The Nile supergroup
, that featured four Kenyan female musicians. The others were Suzzana Owiyo
, Mercy Myra
and Princess Jully
. The group performed at the Festival Mundial in Tilburg
, Netherlands
in 2007.
She acted as a principal of East African Project Fame
in 2008. She has campaigned for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty
. She is among the Kenyan artistes who have been sponsored by the Alliance Française
in Nairobi. Abura was nominated for the social responsibility category at the *2008 Kisima Music Awards
She was born in Eldoret
. She hold a MSc. degree in Philosophy and Environmental studies. She has one child.
Kenyan musician Abbi
was formerly Abura's backing vocalist before he became prominent solo artist.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, who performs Afro-jazz, Afro-fusion
Afro-fusion
Afro-fusion is a type of music which blends contemporary music with traditional African rhythms to create a hybrid music style.One of the best known Afro-fusion artists is Freshlyground from South Africa. There are also many Afro-fusion artists in Eastern Africa. Another is Afro Celt Sound System,...
and gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
.
She debuted with a gospel album I Believe around 1990. Her following albums were Way Over Yonder and Sulwe. In 2002, when she had shifted to Afro-jazz, she released album Maisha. Later she released album Spirit Of a Warrior. Her latest album, titled Dhahabu Yangu was released in 2007 by Blu Zebra label, owned by Tedd Josiah
Tedd Josiah
Tedd Josiah is a music producer from Kenya. He started as a musician, first briefly with the group Ebony Affair before forming a new group, Hart in 1993. The group was disbanded in 1995 and Josiah joined Sync Sound Studios as a producer. In 1999 he left Sync Sound Studios and formed Audio Vault...
.
Abura won Kora Award
Kora Awards
The Kora Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1994 by Ernest Adjovi, they are comparable to the American Grammy Awards in intent...
in 2004 for Best East African Female, the award was shared with Tsedenia Gebremarkos
Tsedenia Gebremarkos
Tsedina Gebremarkos is an Ethiopian artist. She has released songs about HIV/AIDS, and met Brad Pitt when he was visiting the country. She shared the prize for best East African female at the Kora Awards in 2004 for the song "Ewedhalehu", with Achien'g Abura for her song "Toto Wangu."Tsedina has...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. She is an UNDP Goodwill ambassador. She has toured abroad, for example Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
She was part of the Divas of The Nile supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
, that featured four Kenyan female musicians. The others were Suzzana Owiyo
Suzzana Owíyo
Suzanna Owiyo is a Kenyan musician. A singer-songwriter, Owiyo has been called "the Tracy Chapman of Africa".Owiyo was born in Kasaye village, Nyakach, near the lakeside city of Kisumu, Suzanna Owiyo was introduced to music at a young age by her grandfather who was a prolific Nyatiti player.In high...
, Mercy Myra
Mercy Myra
- Biography :In 1996, she joined the Calabash Band but left it the next year to join the R&B group Destinee and in 1997 she joined a band called Black Ice...
and Princess Jully
Princess Jully
Princess Jully is a benga musician from Kenya.She started as a back-up vocalist for Jolly Boys Band led by her husband Prince Jully . Prince Jully died in 1997 and subsequently Princess Jully took over the leadership of the band...
. The group performed at the Festival Mundial in Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 2007.
She acted as a principal of East African Project Fame
Project Fame
Project Fame was a pan-African version of the international talent/reality show Star Academy. Held in Johannesburg, South Africa from June to August 2004, the show had 16 African contestants - 9 of which were South African - groomed for stardom, with the weakest being eliminated on a weekly basis;...
in 2008. She has campaigned for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty
Global Call to Action Against Poverty
The Global Call to Action Against Poverty is a growing worldwide alliance consisting of national coalitions of campaigns to end poverty....
. She is among the Kenyan artistes who have been sponsored by the Alliance Française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
in Nairobi. Abura was nominated for the social responsibility category at the *2008 Kisima Music Awards
Kisima Music Awards
The Kisima Music Awards is an annual awards program that recognises musical talent in East Africa. Despite being Kenyan-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominately Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and incorporates a range of music genres.-History:Named after the Swahili...
She was born in Eldoret
Eldoret
Eldoret is a town in western Kenya and the administrative centre of Uasin Gishu District of Rift Valley Province. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2100 metres above sea level at the airport to more than 2700 metres in nearby areas...
. She hold a MSc. degree in Philosophy and Environmental studies. She has one child.
Kenyan musician Abbi
Abbi
Absalom Nyinza , popularly Abbi, is an Afro-jazz and Afro-fusion musician from Kenya. He is backed by the Kikwetu band. He sings in several languages, including Swahili, English, French, his native Luhya and some other tribal languages....
was formerly Abura's backing vocalist before he became prominent solo artist.