Joseph Kamaru-Biography
Joseph Kamaru (born 1939) is a benga musician from central Kenya. He is a leading Kikuyu musician, who has sold about half million records. Kamaru is from Kangema, Muranga District. In 1957he went to Nairobi wherehe got a househelp job.He started pursuing music in 1965, whenhe listened on the radio the Mbeca Ithiragira Urakua song by Wangi wa Gachau and statedhecould do even better music.
Kamaru made his first breakthrough in 1967 with Celina.The height of his musical career was between 1975-1985. In the late 1980s he was the first Kenyan artist to play at the Carnivore Restaurant, then only hosting foreign artists. According to Martin Dunford, the owner of the restaurant, Kamaru’s vibrant performance opened doors for other Kenyan artist to perform at the venue.
In 1980 Kamaru toured Japan as a part of President Moi’s entourage. After the visithe composed Safari ya Japan praising the president. But the President was not pleased with Kamaru’s support for multiparty democracy in the late 80’s.
In 1993 he turned from secular to Gospel music and disbanded his previous group, the Kamaru Supersounds . The conversion saw plunge in his record sales, but Kamaru does not regret abandoning the success he had as a secular musician . Kamaru is the chairman of Kenya Association of Phonographic Industries (KAPI), and owns a church ministry in Nairobi . He also runs two record stores in Nairobi.
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Joseph Kamaru
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