Tim Rimbui (born 3 August 1981), better known as ''
Ennovator is a Kenyan
record producer,
sound engineer and
songwriter who has worked with many prominent
Kenyan and
East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa:
Due to the historical ...
n artists. He is generally thought of as one of the leading
music producers in
Kenya. With the foresight of being creative, innovative and unique he chose the name Ennovator, which would best describe his sound and approach to
music production
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
.
Musical background
Tim fell in love with music at an early age while attending Sunday school at Lavington United Church,
Nairobi. He later started playing the piano and keyboards at the age of 9. Tim was inspired early in his life to pursue music as a career after watching five alive – a Kenyan a cappella group that graced the Kenyan music scene in the early 1990s. He studied music in high school – at
Nairobi School and later a
St. Mary’s School, Nairobi He also received music training in theory and recording from
Wisseloord Studios an
The Rock Academyin the
Netherlands.
Growing career
Tim's first experience in music production was as an assistant sound engineer a
Rough Cuts Productionsand later at Samawati Productions as a sound engineer/producer. While at Samawati he began working under the moniker “Ennovator”.
In 2004 Tim Rimbui left Samawati to partner with
Kora Award
The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President H ...
winner and one of Africa's top
World Music artists
Eric Wainaina
The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization).
The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...
to for
Enkare a music studio and Production Company, where he still is today.
Tim's productions can be best described as a fresh urban sound. He specializes in
R&B and
Afrobeat. He has worked with renowned Kenyan artists such as Kora award winner Eric Wainaina,
Suzanna Owiyo
Susanna may refer to:
People
* Susanna (Book of Daniel), a portion of the Book of Daniel and its protagonist
* Susanna (disciple), a disciple of Jesus
* Susanna (given name), a feminine given name (including a list of people with the name)
Film ...
and Gallo Records’ artis
Valerie Kimani
Tim has produced 3
Kora Award
The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President H ...
Winning artists: Neema Ntalel – Best East African Artist Category (2005); Kaz – Most Promising Female Artist Category (2005); and DNG – Best Gospel Artist Category (2004). He has also received 5 nominations for the Producer of the year at the
Kisima Music Awards
The Kisima Music Awards is an annual awards program that recognises musical talent in East Africa. Despite being Kenyan-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominantly Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and incorporates a ran ...
.
In 2007 he partnered with Wandiri Karimi to for
Ennovatormusic Ltd a Production Company that undertakes writing, producing and recording for bands and solo musicians and recently entered music production for
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
,
radio,
television and other commercials. They later formed Ennovatormusic Publishing Company in 2008 after signing an agreement wit
Sheer Publishing Companyin
South Africa which handles all the intellectual property rights for published works as well as handling worldwide publishing agreements for other musicians keen to protect their original compositions.
Tim's influence and inspiration are drawn from
Quincy Jones’ work on
Michael Jackson’s Thriller, as well as
Ted Riley on Black Street. Producers such as Timothy Mosley (
Timbaland),
Kanye West and
will.i.am
William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas.
...
have also influenced him and so have
African musicians
Freshlyground, Lira,
Aṣa and
Richard Bona
Richard Bona (born 28 October 1967) is a Cameroon-born American multi-instrumentalist and singer.
Early life
Bona Penda Nya Yuma Elolo was born in Minta, Cameroon, into a family of musicians, which enabled him to start learning music from a y ...
.
Personal life
A second born to Thomas and Zipporah Rimbui. The Rimbui siblings,
Aaron Rimbui
Harun "Aaron" Kimathi Rimbui (born 15 October 1979) is a Kenyan pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, producer, festival curator and radio host. He is regarded as one of East Africa's finest pianists.
Biography
Aaron was born in Nairobi, Kenya. Rimb ...
an
Ruth Karimi Rimbui have been successful in Kenya's entertainment Industry.
Tim Rimbui is a father of two children born in 2010 and 2013 respectively.
Discography
Albums
* Well Seasoned, A Kenyan Christmas (2003)
*
K-South
K-South was a Kenyan hip-hop duo made up of "Bamboo" (Tim Kimani) and "Doobeez'" (Jerry Manzekele), now known as "Abbas Kubaff". Founded in 1995, K-South is among the most notable pioneers of the genre in Kenya. The name is an abbreviation of K ...
- Nairobism (2003)
Gospel Fathers – Sina Madeni(2003)
Kigezi Ndoto(2006)
*
Eric Wainaina
The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization).
The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...
– Twende Twende (2007)
* Atemi – Hatimaye (2008)
Action Aid Hunger Free Album (2008)
* Kinanda (2008)
Singles
Kayamba Africa(2002)
Mission Driven(2002)
*
Mercy Myra Mercy Myra Grundberg, better known as Mercy Myra, is an R&B musician from Kenya.
Biography
In 1996, she joined the ''Calabash Band'' but left it the next year to join the R&B group ''Destinee'' and in 1997 she joined a band called ''Black Ice''. ...
– Imagine, Soul Satisfaction (2003)
Neema– Jiwe (2005)
* Pam – Dhahabu, TearDrops, Nieleze (2005)
* Kaz – Malaika, Nakupenda, Tamara, Muziki (2007)
* Atemi - Hatimaye - Speechless, Happy, Machozi, Imenibamba, Fire, Cant make you love me (2007)
*
Eric Wainaina
The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization).
The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...
�
Twende Twende– Subhaa (2007)
* Valerie Kimani – Baiskeli – Ndoto Langu
(2008)
Live Recording and Mixing
Nairobi Chamber Chorus- (Recording and Mix Engineer) 2008
* Mavuno Worship Project- (Recording and Mix Engineer) 2007
Kigezi Ndoto(2006)
*
Valerie Kimani - Baiskeli - Too late now (2007)
Corporate projects
* Born To Run �
Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon Anthem(2004)
Kigezi Ndoto(2006)
(2007)
Endemol Tusker Project Fame(2007)
* Arc Works �
(2008)
* Coca-Cola – Minute Maid (2008)
Action Aid Hunger Free Album (2008)
*
Warner Bros. Pamoja Mtaani Video Game(2008)
Mission to Earth- Watly - Nyado
Filmography
*
Sincerely Daisy
''Sincerely Daisy'' is a 2020 Kenyan coming-of-age romantic comedy film produced and directed by popular actor Nick Mutuma. The film stars Ella Maina, Brian Abejah, Sam Psenjen and Mbeki Mwalimu in the lead roles. The film was released in Netfl ...
- Soundtrack
(2020)
References
*
Tusker Project Fame
''Tusker Project Fame'' is an East African reality-singing competition show sponsored by 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 with Universal Mu ...
* http://mwafrika.com/content/view/521/112/
* https://web.archive.org/web/20100506031847/http://www.kenyangospel.com/news/ennovator-s-kinanda-press-release.php
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKScaFsRZ2M
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l60NRAjfgM
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rimbui, Timothy
Kenyan record producers
1981 births
Living people
Alumni of Nairobi School