Pete, reed player in CSJB, grew up in Kenya at the Friends' School, Kamusinga, which was founded by his father in 1956. Pete returns to the school every two years or so to join in with various activities and do a little teaching. Pete happened to mention to Dave, trumpet player with CSJB that he was going out in March 2008 and Dave asked if he could tag along. Unfortunately, March was not such a good time in Kenya so the visit was postponed until Sept 2008. On previous visits Pete or his sister Ruth had taken instruments and other equipment to the school and on this occasion with Dave, three brass instruments, two trumpets and a flugel horn, were taken. The students were very adept at playing these instruments and so a little jazz was introduced. You might say what were Dave and Pete doing in introducing jazz to the offspring of Jazz ancestors,  whatever the reason the students simply loved the music.  Within a week the students were playing competently, Tin Roof Blues and Nagasaki.  When Dave and Pete and the students played to the whole school,  the assembled students were ecstatic. A fun time was had by everybody and what a wonderful  experience. 

To get some perspective on the musical abilities of  FSK, they won the Kenya Music  Festival and also the Kenya Drama Festivals this year. Friends' School Kamusinga is one of the top secondary schools in Kenya, and is one of the only rural schools to consistently remain in the top ten for academic results, sports and arts. The ethos of the school remains much the same as when it was founded and is currently very effectively lead by Mr Simon Nabukwesi, the present Headmaster.

If any visitors to this site have musical instruments that are in reasonable/playable condition and would be happy for them to go to a good home namely Friends' School Kamusinga, please email us on the website.