John Amutabi Nzenze was a celebrated Kenyan musician and guitarist, born in the Muthurwa area of Nairobi in 1940. His musical interest began in his youth, drawn to his father's guitar, a father who was a member of the railway company band. Nzenze started playing the guitar around the age of twelve, teaching himself to find rhythm on the strings. After leaving high school, he worked as a waiter, notably at the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, where he met and bonded with fellow musician Daudi Kabaka. The two started an informal musical career together, with their early collaborations being hits like "Safari Tanganyika" and "Nyumba za Tobacco," which were released by Jambo Records.
Nzenze's career is most strongly associated with popularizing the Kenyan twist music genre, a style often performed with an unforgettable dance trend he introduced. His breakthrough came with his most famous song, the 1961 single "Angelike." At the height of his success, Nzenze formed the Air Fiesta Matata Band, which included musicians from Kenya and Congo. The band achieved international recognition, winning the "Best Band in Africa" award from the BBC World Service in 1971. This recognition led to tours in countries including the UK, US, Germany, and Japan, and they even performed with Miles Davis in Germany.
Throughout his career, Nzenze was known for his sincere and mature lyrics, with songs like "Julieta Rudi Tuone" and "Habari za Nairobi (Nairobi twist)" becoming popular. He retired from active music in 2016, though he continued to receive accolades for his contributions to the arts, including the Head of Commendation Award from then-President Mwai Kibaki in 2009. John Nzenze died on May 30, 2020, at the age of 80, in a hospital in Kakamega, Kenya, a month after undergoing surgery. He is remembered as a pioneer who laid the foundations for modern Kenyan music, with his work remaining an iconic part of the country's cultural legacy.