Little Known Facts About Legendary Kikuyu Artist SK the Kimani
Samwel Kimani Mwangi was born Sometime between 1936-1940 in Kariua a settlement in Location 18(Kigumo) but was previously under Location 2 before boundaries adjustments in Forthall now Murang'a
As a young boy, Kimani left his native home after the colonial government imposed forced communal work and concentration villages on locals,
SK managed to hide and left for Kiambu where casual jobs were in plenty in white settler plantations
By the onset of 1950, Kimani was employed at Karura coffee farm where he juggled between picking berries & tending coffee bushes and practicing music with a box guitar
While still in the plantation farms, Kimani met his long-term music partners; Joseph Kananda, Ernest Mwangi, and Pelista (Frista) Wanjiru to add up to other legends who emerged from the coffee family including Gicheha, Kaisha, Kihingo, and Ishmael Kariuki
SK relocated from the coffee farms to Mji Wa Huruma where fellow artists; Mukaramani, Muniko, and Kihingo among others settled.
In 1967, SK Kimani recorded his premiere vinyl at Chandarana records kilometers away in Kericho town having ‘Kuraya Na Gwitu Eitini’ and ‘Joyce Ririkana’ on the flip
SK Kimani and Joseph Kananda teamed up and formed Lucky Boys Jazz Band where they upgraded to a rhumba style of music
Kimani was employed by Nairobi City Council and still juggled his music career
Kimani was a prolific guitarist and even featured in some of his songs
His last music project was completed in 2003 and themed on the new Mwai Kibaki regime.
Source
https://www.facebook.com/100064312020473/posts/579660394187690/
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