The Wooden Tones Resonating from Africa

It has been said that the more engaged a person becomes in their surroundings, the more varied interests they accumulate. Joseph Odindo is no exception.

While he has built an impressive career as a journalist in Kenya, Joseph Odindo also has a passion for not only journalism, but for music. The instrument of choice is a marimba which is an instrument that slightly resembles the layout of piano keys. The wooden bars give a deep resonating tone when played with mallets that have a covering on the end, that gives it a very distinctive voice. Typically, these instruments are played in groups of 4, with each player playing different marimbas in varying harmonies and keys.

In addition to the traditional African instruments, Joseph Odindo is also a big fan of Paul Simon when he meshed traditional African music with American influences. The popular effort was compiled in Simon's album, "Graceland".