Harun "Aaron" Kimathi Rimbui is a Kenyan pianist, keyboardist,

bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a dance band, rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhyth ...

, producer, festival curator and radio host. He is regarded as one of East Africa's finest pianists.

Biography

Aaron was born in

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

, Kenya. His father would play music ranging from Stevie Wonder records to

Henry Mancini Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flutist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Awards, ...

and take him to local restaurants where he heard the music of groups like

Les Wanyika Les Wanyika is a prominent band with Tanzanian and Kenyan members based in Nairobi, Kenya. It was formed in 1978 when drummer Rashid Juma, guitarist Omar Shabani, bassist Tommy Malanga, saxophonist Sijali Salum Zuwa, and Phoney Mkwanyule left the ...

, Maroon Commandos and

Samba Mapangala Samba Mapangala is a Congolese singer and bandleader who has spent most of his five-decade musical career in Kenya, where he notably created and led Virunga, which has been one of the most popular bands in East Africa for more than 35 years. He ...

. This had a significant influence on how he developed his sound in later years. Rimbui's individual expression in music continued to form in his high school years. It is at this time that he picked up the piano. Rimbui began to gravitate toward jazz as he listened to the music of

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American alto saxophonist. He worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age o ...

Joe Sample Joseph Leslie Sample (February 1, 1939 – September 12, 2014) was an American jazz keyboardist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Jazz Crusaders in 1960, whose name was shortened to "The Crusaders" in 1971. He remained a p ...

, Yellowjackets and

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and later,

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

and

George Duke George Martin Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and as ...

. Rimbui served as head of the

Tusker Project Fame ''Tusker Project Fame'' is an East African reality-singing competition show sponsored by Tusker (beer), Tusker Lager. The show is similar to American Idol and Project Fame South Africa, musicians compete to win cash and a one-year record deal wit ...

band.

Professional career

Rimbui started his career as music director playing for Eric Wainaina He then recorded his first album Keys Of Life. Rimbui then began his festival outings with Jahazi Jazz Festival and later Dar Jazz Event Rimbui recorded his sophomore record Alfajiri Rimbui continued his festival performances at Safaricom Jazz Festival and Winter Jazz Festival Copenhagen In 2016, Rimbui released his third record ''Deeper''. Rimbui also began a series of concerts titled ''All That Jazz''. Rimbui with Eric Wainaina composed the theme music and score for the television series ''

Tinga Tinga Tales ''Tinga Tinga Tales'' is an animated children's television series based on African folk tales and aimed generally at 4 to 6-year-olds that ran for two seasons (2011–2012). It was commissioned by the BBC for its CBeebies channel. Named afte ...

''.

Discography

* 2005 Keys Of Life * 2009 Alfajiri * 2016 Deeper * 2017 Kwetu

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rimbui, Aaron Kenyan musicians Living people Year of birth missing (living people)