SAHARA
After seven years as the frontman of Sila and the Afrofunk Experience, Kenyan-born singer Sila Mutungi no longer wants to play it safe. His 2010 New Year's resolutions include boldly exploring new musical directions beyond the Afrofunk template he did so well with SAFE and venturing out into more experimental, and creative forms: not just Fela Kuti-influenced Afrobeat and James Brown-inspired funk, but an eclectic mix of Brazilian, Kenyan, Nigerian and Ethiopian grooves, as well as Afro-rock and Afro-regga.

He's also got a plan to hone his creative process, by working out new material live, with all-new musicians, on a regular basis with a weekly residency Thursdays in January at San Francisco nightspot Coda Live. The night is called "Sahara," a diverse, multicultural journey into Africa and the Mediterranean, which also features Foxglove Sweethearts, a tribal gypsy bellydance troupe led by Jill Parker, an authority and teacher on Belly dancing

With "Sahara," Sila envisions a month's worth of free-flowing, groovy jam sessions which will coalesce into tight, solid songs by the time he's ready to record his next project (scheduled for April 2010). "The Coda live shows are live rehearsals where we will share new materials with fans and use their feedback on what ends up on the album," Sila explains.

The impetus for his evolution? A desire to shake things up and expand his parameters as a musician, as well as a planned solo album under the moniker S.I.L.A. -- an acronym for "Sounds of Inspiration and Liberation for Africa." Sila has already traveled from a remote village in Kenya to the capital of Nairobi to Washington, D.C. to San Francisco (where he currently lives), so it's only fitting that his musical journey reflects his personal journey.