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Extra Golden Biography

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A cross-continental collaboration, Extra Golden began with Ian Eagleson's documentation of the Benga music of Kenya and Nairobi for his doctoral thesis. Starting in 2000, Eagleson was assisted in his work by Kenyan musician Otieno Jagwasi, who played in a band with drummer Onyango Wuod Omari called Orchestra Extra Solar Africa. Eagleson returned to Africa in 2004 for further study, but this time, he brought a portable studio along with him. In April of that year, Eagleson's bandmate from Washington, D.C.'s Golden, Alex Minoff (also of Weird War), decided to visit Nairobi and Extra Golden were born. A truly collaborative effort between African and American musicians, Ok-Oyot System was recorded (for the most part) in a single afternoon at a nightclub in Nairobi. Sadly, Otieno Jagwasi passed away in May of 2005 due to liver failure. In 2006, inspired by Extra Golden's recording, Thrill Jockey Records suggested that the remaining members release a follow-up. Soon after, Otieno's brother Onyango Wuod Omari and Benga star Opiyo Bilongo teamed up with the group, and after a five-day recording session in a Pennsylvania home, the group emerged with Hera Ma Nono in October 2007. Extra Golden followed it up with Thank You Very Quickly in early 2009. ~ Sean Westergaard, Rovi

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