Papillon

PAPILLON HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION
There is a new musician on the East African / Kenya music scene by the unlikely name of “Papillon” (butterfly in French). Papillon has arrived on the music scene, however, more like a comet than a butterfly, as he not only writes all of his own music -- in several languages -- but he designs and creates his own African instruments!
Papillon is among the first musicians in recent times to look at African musical instruments with an eye to redesign, combine and upgrade them for a new musical experience. For instance, he has taken an 8-string lyre, which is played in one version or another in countries along the Nile River and set it inside a calabash resonator (similar to those found in the “Kora” of the Sahel) along with two “Kalimbas” (finger pianos) which are played throughout Africa. This ingenious invention allows him to play two different instruments at the same time. His
interest in traditional music is partially the result of his Grandmother who is a veteran singer from the days of the First Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta were she made many performances to the President on his many occasion and the time he spent under the tutelage of another East African musician who created musical history and achieved world fame by playing traditional musical instruments, the legendary Ayub Ogada.
Although Papillon is quite young, by listening to him you get a feel of Universal has brought back the Heart Soul of what was once lost in recent Kenya, East Africa and Africa at large Music. “He is more than a Church”! One of his funs said. Two and a half decade ago, as a child named Martin Murimi, he was born in a small Village in East Kenya known by the name Kanyuambora, Mbeere. It is a semi-arid area were most of the locals lived by Cattle keeping and Farming during rainy sessions.
He grew seeing tradition practices/ ceremonies, such as Initiation, Blessing, Wedding, Birth and Death of which all this Music was well showcased. After one and half decade after living his home to the City he joined a Kenyan group called “Jua Kali Drummers”, a phenomenal group of young percussionists that traveled to Europe and other parts of the world. When the group morphed into the famous “Slum Drummers,” Papillon took over as the assistant manager under an Italian musical director, named Giovanni lo Cascio. ` From a rural background, Papillon endured a hard early life, and as a street boy, found salvation in music and art. Besides being a prize- winning percussionist, he is an accomplished artist.
Now Papillon is ready to spread his musical wings in flight, preparing his first major album. With his soaring voice and haunting melodies, coupled with a litany of African instruments, many of his own making, Papillon is a musical force to be reckoned with much of which was lost during the colonization of Africa his attempt...