Kenya Baker
For bookings call:
650-279-8310
About Kenya Baker
Eric V. Baker (a.k.a. Kenya) began playing the guitar at the age of 7. He grew up playing in church for the service. At 16, after playing on the local gospel quartet scene, he got his first gig touring throughout the US with a well-known gospel group, the East St. Louis Gospelettes.
At 19, Kenya began playing on the R&B and Blues scene in Oakland, San Francisco and around the greater Bay Area. At that time, he was playing with some of the most sought after R&B musicians in the industry. These were the musicians who played with the artists that put Oakland on the map, including Sly, Larry Graham, Frankie Beverly and Maze, The Whispers, Tony! Toni! Tone! and many more.
After being immersed in the Oakland/Bay Area R&B scene, Kenya began a career in music production. He placed a number of songs with artists including New Edition, Somethin’ for the People and MJG & Eightball. Among his most notable achievements are production and vocals on his original song "Top of the World" featured on the "Menace II Society" soundtrack (under the name Kenya Gruv), for which he earned a gold album, and on Tony! Toni! Tone!'s "Revival," for which he earned a platinum album, and his work on Tupac's "So Many Tears." For the next several years, Kenya was involved mainly in production.
Beginning in the early 1990's and continuing into the next decade, he toured with Tony! Toni! Tone!, Lucy Pearl, Digital Underground and others. From 2006 to 2010 Kenya toured and wrote songs with Joss Stone, the Grammy Award-winning British singer/songwriter. Touring all over the world, he played for dignitaries and celebrities including President Clinton, Steve Martin, Bernie Mac, and Rickey Lee Jones. One of the highlights of touring with Joss Stone was playing at the memorial concert for Princess Diana in 2007 at Wembley Stadium. The concert was attended by 63,000 people and broadcast worldwide. Kenya was privileged to meet Prince William and Prince Harry. (See the Video Links page to view a video of this performance.) In 2011, Kenya took an interest in Zydeco music, playing with a Bay Area band and exploring that genre. In 2012, Kenya played with well-known saxophonist, Kim Waters, at an event for Quincy Jones in Sacramento.
Kenya recently gained custody of his two sons and can no longer tour extensively. He is now concentrating on opportunities locally in the San Francisco Bay Area. He continues to do session work, playing the guitar, bass and drums, as well as music production. Kenya lives his passion creating great music and is especially at home playing for live audiences.
For bookings call 650-279-8310 or email
music.kenyab@gmail.com
Watch this video to get to know Kenya.
Click below to hear Kenya's original song from the Menace to Society II soundtrack
