anyangoAnyango is the stage name of Eriko Mukoyama, a 29-year-old Japanese woman whose incandescent voice and skill at an eight-stringed African lyre called the nyatiti have brought musical renown and an official position as goodwill ambassador between Japan and Kenya. Her set very authentic east African music on Sunday afternoon filled the entire slope above Gypsey Avalon, almost to the very top. And afterwards, the CD-buying crowd turned into a veritable scrum.

The nyatiti has a very twangy, plucked instrument, and Mukoyama plays it sitting down, holding it in place with her feet. The singing is the high-toned chirping of east African song, and no matter the song, it almost can’t help but sound joyous and celebratory. It was far too peppy for sleeping in the grass – a traditional Sunday-at-Avalon ritual – and a considerable number of happy feet were up and dancing.

Mukoyama’s backing included a rhythm section of electric bass, congas and rock drums, and she also had three backup singers in batik wraps and grass skirts. I would gladly defer to any claims that the costumes were genuine, but they looked like something out of a Tropicana Oranges commercial. But even if the look was cartoonish, the smiles and the cheer were oh so real, and all of it traced back like some deep flowing river to Anyango’s big musical heart. Whatever this young lady is able to accomplish with her chosen musical course, it is well deserved. She has accomplished a great deal already. Please feel free to read about it in her English web site bio: http://anyango.com/e/biography/

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