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Super Limpopo Band leader Milly Fedha perform during their video launch at Egesa East Villa, Nairobi. [Boniface Okendo,Standard]
When the Siaya Music Festival was held in April, it set the mood for a showdown between Benga and Ohangla artistes.
The death of veterans and respected legendary Rhumba and Benga maestros has opened the doors for Ohangla artistes to catch up and probably beat the fame of Benga artistes who made the Siaya proud.
They include the late Ouma Jerry, the late Musa Juma, Awino Lawi, Johnny Junior, Odhiambo Tusker, Osumba Rateng', Juma Odundo, the late Omondi Long' Lilo, and the late Omollo Gabby of the famous 'Lunch Time' who hails from Ugunja sub-county.
Omollo, who died in 2018 aged 80 had a Golden Disk Award from the sale of 150,000 copies in the hit song 'Lunch Time'.
An adored style of music in Western Kenya, Benga has ruled that part of the country from pre-independence days to the turn of the century when Ohangla artistes started to emerge.
So when the county hosted the festival, it was a chance to commemorate and celebrate their fallen heroes.
However, everything is not all in the past.
Present are living stars like Dolla Kabarry of Super Haki Haki Band, Berhumba Band and Millie Fedha of the Super Limpopo Band, the sister to the late Musa Juma who has taken over the band.
Others were Benga maestro Osito Kalle and Reggy Kabaselle, the son of the late Ochieng' Kabaselle of Orchestra Luna Kidi, who took over the band after the demise of his father.
Original members of the Super Heka Heka Band present at the festival included Okello Adwera (bass guitar), Paul Olang'o (vocalist), Ochieng Viva (vocalist/ composer), Dick Ouma 'Wuod Gi Mbala Jasuba (Rhythm Guitar/vocals),Owiti Ahuja (Solo guitar), Bingwa (drummer) and Okatch (founder of the band).
And more than 20 years since his death, Aluoch Jamaranda, Oginga wuod Awasi, and the late Okatch Biggy songs like 'Adhiambo Nyakobura', 'Dorina', 'Hellena' and 'Lizzy' are still a big hit with fans.
Nilotic Band leader Alex Jawaora said they were looking to keep the genre alive.
"We had to look for a way to revive Benga and that's how we came up to form the Nilotic Band in 2017. It has remained as one of the outfits widely credited for changing the Benga genre's feel and form to make it even more fascinating and attractive," said Jawaora.
