Independence

Nairobi must have been a pretty fun place in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Post-independence optimism, economic growth, a slew of recording studios, and an influx of musicians from neighbouring countries — Congo, Zambia, Tanzania — made for a pretty lively scene. Matata were the archetype for Nairobian bands at the time: a mixed bag of Kenyan and Congolese musicians, they took up a residency at one of Nairobi’s coolest clubs, the “Starlight,” and blended traditional East African instrumentation like the ngoma and nyatiti with fiery JB-esque funk, reverb-filled guitar solos, Afrobeat, and even a touch of reggae. Independence came out in 1974, a few years after Matata won first place in a BBC competition to find the best band in Africa and flew to London to claim their prize. Here they packed some of the city’s coolest clubs and came into contact with great Afro-rock bands like Osibisa and Assagai, whose influence helped Matata further hone their sound on Independence.