Today we are featuring the Ngomabook by Alazetu limited, a company founded by saxophonist Makau Yole. Alazetu is passionate about African music and has published several books to help further its appreciation by local and international audiences.
The Ngomabook is a music book written for a particular musical instrument which contains African songs. The name ‘Ngomabook’ comes from the phrase ‘book ya mangoma’ which means a book of songs. There are Ngomabooks for various musical instruments such as guitar, piano, violin, saxophone and many other instruments. These Ngomabooks for various musical instruments contain the same songs and are all synchronized so that they can be played together. This means that for example you could play piano from your Ngomabook for Piano and your friend plays Saxophone from their Ngomabook for B-flat instruments and you would end up making music.
“The Ngomabook was inspired by the absence of music education material that teaches African music right here in Kenya,” says Makau. “This is a true problem because it means African music is not being taught formally yet it is the music that we consume the most. In order to preserve this music and pass it down to future generations, we need to put it in written form that will outlive us and that can be used to teach.”
This first edition of the Ngomabook contains songs by various Kenyan artistes such as Mokua Rabai, Noel Nderitu, Mwenyehaki and SKITS the band. The Ngomabooks currently available have been written at the intermediate level of complexity and target intermediate instrument players and learners. Beginner and Advanced level Ngomabooks are in the works and shall be available some time next year (2022).
A Ngomabook costs KES 1,490. The books are physically available for viewing and purchase in Nairobi CBD at Ecom-hub – Shop 7, 2nd floor, Kimathi Chambers building, Kimathi Street. They are also available for purchase online at Alazetu.com after which they can be physically picked up at the location above or delivered to an address of your choice.
You should get a Ngomabook if you would like to learn a musical instrument, you are already learning a musical instrument, you play a musical instrument and would like to expand your repertoire to include more Kenyan songs. This is also a great textbook if you teach a musical instrument. Grab your copy today!
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