{"product_id":"keturah-cd","title":"Keturah CD","description":"From the warm heart of Malawi, Africa rises Keturah, a 26-year-old virtuoso arriving to the world stage with her self-titled debut. A 10-track odyssey chronicling Keturah’s journey from the tiny remote home village of Monza to the shores of Venice, California. \"Keturah,” updates traditional Malawian folk with contemporary rhythms from the greater African diaspora, a cultural exchange made possible through a unique opportunity to travel to Los Angeles to record her first full-length project.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHaving never stepped foot on an airplane, let alone leave Malawi, Keturah's 30-hour trip proved to be a significant leap forward in an artist’s journey that began on foot. As a child, Keturah first realized her musical potential 0n walks through her village with her uncle. He’d strum his guitar and sing ballads. She’d just watch and listen until eventually gaining the confidence to join in with her own melodies. In song, she began to form a connection with her community that had long been elusive. As a child she mostly kept to herself, often feeling more like an elder than a friend to her peers. She found solace in her thoughts or those of her mother, who often sat her down to share wisdom through stories and memories. The two became best friends until she passed away with Keturah just 13. Having already lost her uncle, Keturah turned to music as a way of carrying forward her family's message. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot yet fourteen, but determined to reach a larger audience, again Keturah set out on foot, this time for Blantyre, Malawi’s second largest city, where she hoped to find a recording studio. She met a local producer who was so impressed by her voice that he offered to record her for free. Keturah put down one song that eventually made its way onto radio, launching her music career with releases empowering listeners to connect their Malawian identity as a way to realize their own power.  The attitude resonated, Keturah earned the nickname “local girl” as she rose to the status of Malawian celebrity. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHer talent soon caught the eye of  French Honorary Consul Luc Deschamps, who runs  the Jacaranda Foundation, a Malawian school for AIDS orphans and its cultural center. He recognized her potential and connected her with Harlan Steinberger, director of Hen House Studios, an independent music label and recording studio, churning out roots world music in Venice, California. Jacaranda arranged for Keturah to travel to Los Angeles to record at Hen House in July of 2022. She arrived with voice notes featuring roughly sketched melodies over lo-fi guitar and let Harlan mold things from there. He hoped to elevate the demos into anthems by calling in Playing for Change co-founder Mark Johnson and surrounding Keturah with an all-star cast of musicians, including the rhythm section of the Playing for Change Band (Jason Tamba and Mermans Mosengo),  bass player Kaveh Rastegar (John Legend, Bruno Mars), Magatte Sow (Senegalese drummer featured on the Black Panther soundtrack), seasoned Kora player Prince Diabate, Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson's long-time harmonica player), The Doors drummer John Densmore (percussion), soul singer Chris Pierce, Zimbabwean guitar legend Louis Mhlanga and the young Stones Throw pianist Jamael Dean. The album journeys through a dynamic blend of genres, from the lively, upbeat afro-folk-funk rhythms of \"Kwanumkwanu\" to the emotive ballads of \"Sukulu\" and \"Chimbalame\", the Americana inspired “Nchiwewe” and more lighthearted tracks such as \"All The Way from Africa\" and \"Ku Nyumba.\" Keturah's exceptional songwriting and powerful vocals are elevated by intricate percussion, melodic guitar lines, subtle backing vocals and horns, creating an eclectic album that showcases her talent as an African songstress ready to make a global impact. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTrack list:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Ku Nyumba (5:52)\u003cbr\u003eDrums: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eCongas, shaker: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic guitar: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. Mvula (3:46)\u003cbr\u003eDrums, shaker, background vocals: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eSurdo, conga: Harlan Steinberger\u003cbr\u003eDjembe, talking drum: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic \u0026amp; electric guitar: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. Kwanumkwanu (5:11)\u003cbr\u003eCalabash, bass drum, background vocals: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eSabar Drums: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eShaker: John Densmore\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic guitar: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic lead guitar: Louis Mhlanga \u003cbr\u003eLead vocals, shaker: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4. Nchiwewe (Ode to Willie Nelson) (2:56) \u003cbr\u003eDrums: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eTambourine: John Densmore\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003ePiano: Chris Tuttle\u003cbr\u003eHarmonica: Mickey Raphael\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic guitar, background vocals: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eBackground vocals: Chris Pierce\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. All the way from Africa (3:34)\u003cbr\u003eDrums, background vocals: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eConga, shaker: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic \u0026amp; electric guitars, background vocal: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e6. Sukulu (5:42)\u003cbr\u003eCalabash, background vocals: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eCongas, shaker: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic guitar, background vocals: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eKora: Prince Diabate\u003cbr\u003eViolin, viola, cello: Jake Falby\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. Udzafele Zina (3:30)\u003cbr\u003eDrums, tambourine, shaker: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eConga: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic guitar, banjo: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eTrumpet with plunger: Mark Pender\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e8. Samala (3:57)\u003cbr\u003eDrums, background vocals: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic guitar: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eKora: Prince Diabate\u003cbr\u003eSaxophone: Matt DeMerritt\u003cbr\u003eBackground vocals: Bella Mosengo, Simone Mosengo, Satchita Mosengo, Meagan M Ryck\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e9. Chimbalame (4:30)\u003cbr\u003eDrums: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eSabar drums, talking drum: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic guitar: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eKora: Prince Diabate\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e10. Wewe (3:26)\u003cbr\u003eCalabash, cabasa, clave, shaker: Mermans Mosengo\u003cbr\u003eSabar drums, talking drums, bell, djembe, conga: Magatte Sow\u003cbr\u003eBass: Kaveh Rastegar\u003cbr\u003eAcoustic \u0026amp; electric guitars, background vocals: Jason Tamba\u003cbr\u003eBackground vocals: Chris Pierce, Kara Mack\u003cbr\u003ePiano: Jamael Dean\u003cbr\u003eLead vocals: Keturah\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll songs by Keturah (BMI), Jason Tamba (ASCAP) and Harlan Steinberger (ASCAP) except song “Wewe” by Keturah, Jason Tamba, Harlan Steinberger and Kaveh Rastegar (ASCAP).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Harlan Steinberger and Mark Johnson\u003cbr\u003eEngineered by Harlan Steinberger\u003cbr\u003eMixed by Mark Johnson\u003cbr\u003eMastering by Stephen Marcussen\u003cbr\u003eAlbum design by Nikita Sorokin\u003cbr\u003eAlbum photos by Victor Praise Mkandawire and Randi Malkin Steinberger\u003cbr\u003eStoryteller Jeremy Steinberger\u003cbr\u003eRecorded at Hen House Studios in Venice Beach, California\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpecial thanks to: Luc Deschamps, Marie Da Silva, The Jacaranda Foundation and Playing For Change\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCopyright 2023 by Hen House Studios LLC., All rights reserved\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Hen House Studios","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44895248449845,"sku":"HHS034","price":44100.0,"currency_code":"MWK","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1996\/7285\/products\/59E34C3E-5070-4908-8C8C-0399C382DC06.jpg?v=1681682293","url":"https:\/\/hen-house-studios-2.myshopify.com\/en-mw\/products\/keturah-cd","provider":"Hen House Studios","version":"1.0","type":"link"}