(From Cool Waters, Nairobi/Siaya)

The Luo people reside mostly in Kenya at the shores of Lake Victoria. Their cultural heritage is extremely rich and influential, despite the tribe staying underrepresented or even neglected on a political and social level. To give you one ecample: With the hysterical guitar sounds of Benga music, the Luo created the dominating dance craze on the East African dance floors of the 1970es.

About 10 years ago, planet rock enjoyed the chance to work with one of the leading Luo artists and her female choir: Ogoya Nengo, born as Anastasia Oluoch supposedly in 1941, is the queen of Dodo singing, a form of song mostly practiced by women, functioning partly to spread the latest news among the villagers and as social commentary. We were amazed by Ogoya, her towering personality, and her sheer authority as a performer.

In 2026, we are super excited to finally have the chance to bring this great East African diva back to Europe, together with ODD OKODDO. They are the long-running duo of drummer and percussionist Sven Kacirek, a transplant to Nairobi from Hamburg, who also co-produced both LPs of The Dodo Women's Group, and Anastasia's old friend, singer and lutist extraordinaire, Olith Ratego.

Together the trio is presenting the new album "Palagoma" to be released on Sven's brand-new label "From Cool Waters" in April 2026.

But ODD OKODDO + Ogoya Nengo unfold their true magic if seen onstage, as they proved on a short whistle stop in August 2025, including a breathtaking show at Berlin's Humboldt Forum: ancient roots sounds combined with modern production technologies, music to make you dance, think, and sing, carried by the presence of two unstoppable singers.