Featured Artist : - Sali Oyugi Country : - Kenya
Sali Oyugi has been actively involved in issues that affect different communities, using her amazing talent as a Singer/Songwriter and
her captivating Storytelling & Poetry. Sali is also an amazing dancer with stage presence that is almost magical, making her performance
dynamic to say the least. Wherever she makes an appearance, Sali has a high impact on her audiences with her uncanny ability to seem
as vulnerable as a lamb and as fearless as a lioness all in one performance !
She sings, dances, plays acoustic guitar and congas in an amazing fusion of East African rhythms with a touch of Funk and Jazz.
Sali has been performing professionally since the year 1993 at which time she was still residing in her native country Kenya - East Africa.
She mainly worked under the sponsorship of the French Cultural Center, which regularly hosts multi-cultural festivals that bring
Artists from various parts of the world together. Sali played extensively at the local clubs and art-centers including The Carnivore (Simba Saloon),
Hard-Rock cafe- Nairobi, L'Ora Blu, Goethe Institute- Nairobi, Safari Park Hotel (where she shared stages with renowned
Afro-Jazz musician Hugh Masekela), amongst other places. This then led to her U.K. tour in 1997. Her performance at a Solar Energy Convention
received rave reviews and it was during this time that she met with renowned Kenyan Singer/Songwriter, Ayub Ogada who after hearing
Sali's compositions remarked that Sali was undoubtedly on the right track. After this tour, Sali released her first solo project - a three song C.D.,
which received rave reviews and also alot of air-play in her hometown, Nairobi.
"Sali is all set to be Kenyas musical ambassador.."-The Daily Nation. "..Kenyas own Miriam Makeba.."-The Standard.
Sali is currently based in Boston where she has been performing with her band KARMA SIMBA. Karma Simba is Wesley Wirth on bass,
who has performed with the likes of King Sunny Ade and also teaches at the New England Conservatory of Music, Luis Blanco on
percussions who 's studied at the Berkelee Collage of Music and has a vast experience with Afro-Cuban ensembles, Mordecai Austrie on drums,
vast experince with Afro- carribean ensembles, Raja on guitar- has vast experince in West African bands, Leo Genovese on Keyboard/Piano -
who has worked with renowned Latin ensembles and is currently at Berkelee Collage of Music and Joe Omicil on horns (sax) formerly of
Berkelee Collage of Music.
Sali Oyugi has been making her presence felt in the New England area. She has played at the Middle East Cafe, Ryles Jazz Club,
The Western Front,The Cyclorama - Boston Center for the Arts The Cambridge Multi-Cultural Art Center and local conventions, schools and
festivals -including headlining the world music stage during the national arts convention First Night - Boston which attracts close to 1 million
people on New Years Eve. She has also played in New York , Vermont, North Carolina and New Hampshire and has worked with master kora
player and griot Balla Tounkara from Mali, who is featured in her newly released album "Vuma!". Sali also performs with world-beat band
Wildest Dreams, Poetry/ World music ensemble Vox Pop, Afro-Reggae/ Hip-Hop-Soul band, The Three Kings, Internationally acclaimed
Kenyan Afro-Beat band Jabali Africa. Sali had a successfull C.D. release-party of her album "Vuma!" (July 26,2002) which got amazing
reveiws and media coverage and is currently promoting the album, as well as taking time to record her next project.
