Recording Nosim Ai: The Story

The car rolled into Kenyan National theatre at around 6:30 PM. I sat on the passenger’s side elbow resting on the open window. My driver was actually the owner of the white Toyota G touring.
Energy levels were peaking for me. 3 years I have been working on these songs sometimes I could get gigs here and there but these were far in between. Getting an album I thought would solidify the position more consequently helping to get the message across. So we picked Mbaluka and Chagala. These are my friends, but most importantly for me were their skills. After months of hanging out together and jamming on my creations we bonded together thanks to their experiences and senses of humor. An idea for a name floated into my mind and I told them. Teto Tutuma and the Purple Warriors became. I sought for chances to play. Based on the budgets I would sometimes play alone but I preferred together more. The Power of the performances was and is still unexplainable. Then I purposed to always play together regardless of the budget. Extending to recording an album was ecstasy.
We settled onto the Friday evening Uhuru highway traffic. Moving fairly quickly, after 15 minutes we crossed the Cabanas junction driving at 120 kph when it happened.
Trying to overtake a matatu, our car was hit from behind. The impact propelled us to the front of the matatu. It hit us on the passenger side. All I remember was praying and watched us drive onto an acacia tree by the road. How we landed on the ditch past the tree and the fact that the car engine was still on, is still a miracle. When we came on, our main concern was getting to Kitengela. Something about the incident brought a deadline on the project. Throughout the trip from that moment was quietness. Everybody sort of recessed into their inner quarters. What exploded on the studio was a potent brew.
We climbed up to the 9th floor, door number 97 of the Rontech 2 building. The Higher Links studio is situated in this bed sitter room. Sammi and Didi also live here. They sleep in the kitchen, mattress on the floor and the studio is always full. OK, maybe not everyone records. Among the few who pass through to listen to the beats chewing ketepa, a few despite do something. Guess where we fell.
Adel our sound engineer was upbeat as usual. I had come up with his main request for the night. 2 bags of ketepa, a ¼ of Half Moon. Nginye is still wondering why I call it that, its after all Blue Moon. The studio had to happen and everything documented in video. Nginye carried the camera. While it may come out as vain, most of all the tracks were one takes. A lot on my mind reinforced my will. My wife was a few months to delivering. All of these works were created in bachelorhood they were to be recorded in bachelorhood. Maybe my friends were motivated differently but our concern was the outcome. This comforted us.
I wish to knowledge my appreciations to the following people. Sam Mbaluka and Kevin Chagala, it happened. To Baba Anita thanks for taking the risk. Sammi, Adel,Diddi and everyone at Higher Links, we may never fully repay you guys. My Aunt Ngoto Ne Wangan, Rashid and Mugure at Roots Camp Kenya, Mike Adewa, my parents and siblings and last but not least my wife Nenkina and son Omom. I dedicate this album to you