Featured Poet: Esther Poyer.
Featured Artist: Christine Kamau.

MC: Cindy Ogana
Date: 6th November 2012
Time: 7 -9 pm
Venue: Club Soundd
Entry: 200 Ksh

Esther Poyer

Esther writes of an imagined past from a rich Guyanese legacy, alongside the imagery and language of Black UK that resonates in her poetry and fiction. Born and bred in a working class area of 1980’s London she draws on her emotional responses to a handmade tapestry of familiar relationships and unfamiliar environments. She writes to the tell the stories that are otherwise hidden from mainstream view and she write to inspire people to listen and relate to one another.

As a member of Malika’s Poetry Kitchen, one of London’s long running writer’s collectives, Esther is regularly invited to perform at venues such as Covent Garden’s Poetry Café, The Barbican, the Foyle’s Gallery, Stratford Theatre Bar, and the Albany Theatre to mention a few. Her poems have been appearing online and published in books such as the 'Loose Muse Anthology of Women’s Poetry,' since 2005.

Teaching and coaching are further aspects of her work that she not only enjoys, but has an objective to support and expand the creative persuasion and life chances in others. That is, as well as expanding her understanding and experience of the written word. She has a BA(Hons) in Film, Video and Photo Arts from University of Westminster and an MA Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London. She is currently spending time in Kenya to complete her debut novel, to teach and of course sample all that Kenya’s people, culture, art and beautiful land has to offer. So far, so good!

 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyOg-1OWRgs

 Blog: www.poetart.wordpress.com

 Photo by:Rob Sloetry covell

Christine Kamau

Christine Kamau is a trumpeter/composer and an upcoming artist in the Kenyan music scene. Her style can best be described as easy listening afro jazz (a fusion of jazz with local genres of benga and rhumba). Christine grew up in Nakuru and began showing signs of musicianship at an early age. Her primary school had a music culture and she used to play the tenor recorder in the school band! Her parents encouraged her by enrolling her for formal music lessons in classical piano and music theory when she was 11 years old.

Christine later picked up the trumpet and studied it at the Kenya Conservatoire of Music under Kagema Gichuhi… she has been playing the trumpet close to 9 years now. She is a multi instrumentalist who also enjoys playing the alto saxophone. Christine released her debut album This is for You in April this year worked on with Cameroonian music producer Romeo Kouemeni. This is for you is an 8-track instrumental album of her original compositions and is available on iTunes and in selected stores in Nairobi.

Christine is inspired by God, life, and her love for song writing/composition. Her major music influences are African horn players like Hugh Masekela, African Jazz pioneers, Jonas Gwangwa.

Christine has performed at various local music events including the monthly festival Blankets and Wine, Jazz Under the Stars, Sierra Ladies of Jazz and the Afro-jazz Concert Series amongst others. Christine was recently featured in a new musical program by the BBC world service titled ‘Africa Beats’, a series that showcases emerging music talent from Africa. You can find her playing alongside her piece band comprised of Tim Riungu (Tenor Saxophone), Emmanuel Kute (Alto Saxophone), Isaac Khakula (Bass Guitar) Matthew Makumi (Guitar) Ken Simiyu (Keyboards) and Daniel Macharia (Drums).

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B32cwszRmAw

Listen: http://www.kenyandownloads.com/Christine_Kamau/