While the story of Konono No. 1 sometimes seems to overshadow their music, it will be impossible for the story of Extra Golden not to overpower the sounds from the limited number of recording sessions the cross-continental collaboration put together, which are documented on the album Ok-Oyot System. As evident from the band's name, Extra Golden is an offshoot of the DC band Golden. Golden member Ian Eagleson's research in ethnomusicology and specifically the guitar-based Kenyan music benga led him to spend a year in Kenya, documenting local bands on his 8-track. Benga musician Otieno Jagwasi had been assisting Eagleson with his research since 2000, and while Eagleson was there, the two managed - despite countless run-ins with crooked Kenyan officials - to collaborate on the music on this album, with help from Ian's Golden bandmate Alex Minoff and Jagwasi's Orchestra Extra Solar Africa bandmate Onyango Wuod Omari.
The album is a true fusion between the two styles, bringing Golden's guitar style into the soul/dance-based benga music. Of the six songs, two are jam sessions between the four musicians, two are benga songs Jagwasi had begun that were added to by Eagleson, and two are rock songs Golden had begun that were added to by Jagwasi. All the music follows benga's rumba-like beat, including the rock songs, which makes the rock songs sound much more like soul music and give the album a very steady flow. These Golden-started songs are the least successful. Golden is a band I always enjoyed - from their Rhythm Beats and Jazz experimentation to their comic full-on ZZ Top blues rock riffery. However, without Jon Theodore and Phil Manley around to power things, "It's Not Easy" is too vocal driven, shoehorned into the rumba beat, giving off an Anthony Hamilton-like vibe - lazy, sunny soul music that is pleasant but drags. The guitar shows a lot more moxie in the other Golden-started song "Tussin' and Fightin'," however the song still seems slow.
The thee more collaborative songs don't suffer as much from tempo problems. Album opener "Ilando Gima Onge" really sizzles. An Otieno original that was adapted to Golden's chord progression, the song reminds me a bit of Fela Kuti and afrobeat with its dancehall-worthy beat and spiritual vocal melodies mixed with bursts of jazz, substituting Eagleson's guitar for Kuti's sax. The two true collaborations are similarly engaging. The title track is very spirited, full of the type of overzealous guitar bridge you'd expect from a Golden record. Ian and Otieno sing alternating verses, Ian in English, Otieno in Luo, echoing the problems with poverty and corruption of living in Kenya ("ok oyot" translating to "it's not easy"). "Osama Sach" is a bit lighter, almost like tropicalia, giving the group a chance to highlight Otieno's easygoing vocals.
Reaction to this album among rock listeners will probably run hot and cold. The beat and vocals make this music more rock-tinged African soul music rather than the ethnic-tinged rock music Golden was known for. However, if you've reacted positively to Konono No. 1 and the recent Terp Records discoveries, this is equally pleasant and intriguing. Unfortunately, the story behind the music has a bit of a tragic end. Otieno Jagwasi long suffered from kidney and liver problems, further complicated by HIV, and died last May. However, Eagleson's trip and documentation of Otieno's music simply seems that more timely, helping his music reach minds around the world it could not have reached otherwise.
