Field Recording Report by Kahithe Kiiru Story
…ings conducted between Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega and Vihiga Counties in the Western Region of Kenya in the period from 17thto 25thFebruary 2018. DAY 1 – Saturday 17th February 2018 The first day of recording for “Rhythms of Western Kenya” took place in Busia County, in the Samia sub-county. This sub-county was named after the Samia sub-group of the Luhya ethnic community who make the majority of its’ population. In Nanguba village of Agen’ga loca…
Day Five: February 20, 2020 (DCMA) Story
…ul, dynamic fusion of Taarab, Traditional African rhythms and contemporary Western and African sounds. Performers: Tarajazz: Suleiman Makame (keyboard, director), Hassan Mahenge (Saxophone, assistant director), Mahsin Basalama (contra base), Christopher Weston (Cajon and high hat), Regina Juma (singer). There was supposed to be a violin player but unfortunately he couldn’t make it. Kirundo: Lukoa Nenes (sticks), Joshua Muyumovela ( shakers), N…
Winyo Staff Profile
…ame ‘Winyo’, which is a Luo word (a tribe from the Lake Victoria region of Western Kenya) for “a bird”. The reason for this becomes apparent once you hear him sing. His voice has been likened to that of a singing bird. He is a singer/songwriter of great sensitivity and an acoustic guitar player, backed by his 5-piece band of accomplished musicians. Winyo derives his music and musical strength from his fore fathers whose African music was rich in m…
Day Three: February 18, 2020 (Stonetown, Mpendae, Maungani) Story
…the students at the DCMA study traditional music such as Taarab as well as Western music. Members of the group: Suleiman Makame (keyboard, director), Hassan Mahenge (Saxaphone, assistant director), Mahsin Basalama (contra base), Christopher Weston (Cajon and high hat), Regina Juma (singer). There was supposed to be a violin player but unfortunately he couldn’t make it. Songs: Alamina Dura – The orbit of the Gods Pakistan – written by Siti Binti…
Day One: The Iteso People and their Music Story
…ee now. His full name is Fadhilee Itulya. He was born in 1988 in Kakamega, western Kenya, but raised in Nairobi. In his words, Fadhilee’s dream is to “unveil the authentic Kenyan sound that will be a bridge between what has been there and what is going to come”. His love affair with the guitar started with the three chords he was taught by his mother on her guitar. From there he advanced on his own, becoming a nuisance in their house in Saika Esta…
Day Two: January 19, 2019 From Tarime to Buturi to Bariadi Story
…taking a minute on the drums. They were typical African drums, but set up Western Style on a steel rack and they leaned one large bass drum against the rack. The drummer then built a separate wooden kick pedal, so he could play all the drums with his hands and kick with his feet. We had not seen this before and it meant the group has a very traditional sound but a very modern feel, with contemporary beats. We recorded six songs with them: Omweko…
Kahithe Kiiru Staff Profile
…University of Paris X Nanterre and is currently finalising her PhD in Anthropology (ABD) at the same university. She was recently appointed Head Choreographer for Bomas of Kenya, a national dance troupe tasked with the mission to preserve, promote and showcase Kenyan traditional music and dance worldwide. She has been a scientific advisor with Ketebul Music since 2015 and worked on Ngoma Zetu(2016) and Singing Wells Masters of the Nyatiti(2017) a…
The Luo of Kenya Album
…corded as part of the Singing Wells trip to record the Music of the Luo in Western Kenya. The album begins in Rang’ala village – with The Sega Sega band led by Osumba Rateng, and then a Dodo group led by Ogoya Nengo. We next move to Aluny Village – with performances from The Joginda Boys, Otieno Aloka and the late Okumu K’Orengo and his Nyatiti Group. The Kochia Traditional Dancers gave a very visual performance, and one of their tracks, recorded…
Introduction: Project overview and objectives Story
…n is of a narrative nature and does not focus on the details of collected data, which will be presented in a finer ethnographic report to follow. “Masters of the Nyatiti” focuses on the nyatiti, an 8‐string lyre originating in the Luo community on the shores of Lake Victoria in Western Kenya. Most of the field recordings this report is based on were thus conducted in Lake Region of Kenya, notably in Kisumu and Siaya Counties. The details of these…
Nyangile Instrument
…A resonating box – hit by the player with a wooden stick, who often holds ongeng’o rings in their hand and feet to add more rhythmic potential. We heard the Nyangile, also referred to as the Sanduk (Swahili for Box), played by a member of the Otacho Young Stars, when we recorded them at Dinkys Resort Club, Rongo, as part of our field trip to record the music of the Luo in Western Kenya….
Day One: 7 March 2022 (Shikangania and Mukumu) Story
…nya regularly performs in Kakamega town but his popularity goes beyond the Western Kenya region and is frequently invited for shows in Nairobi city. Other members of the Super Phoenix band are Henry Khavuchi (percussions), Catherine Khavayi (vocals), Justice Akumali (vocals) and Bernard Liseche (guitar). Julius is married to Joyna Khamayi and the couple reside with their six children in Chesere village in Kakamega County. During this live show, th…
Fadhilee Itulya Staff Profile
His full name is Fadhilee Itulya. He was born in 1988 in Kakamega, western Kenya, but raised in Nairobi. Fadhilee’s dream is to unveil the authentic Kenyan sound that will be a bridge between what has been there and what is going to come. His love affair with the guitar started with the three chords he was taught by his mother on her guitar. From there he advanced on his own, becoming a nuisance in their house in Saika Estate in Nairobi’s Eastlan…
Ketebul Music Group
…ablished in early 2007 with the ambitious vision to carry out research and promote the diverse fusion of traditional sounds of Kenya and East Africa through the documentation and archiving of the work of musicians who have shaped the various genres of music from the region over the past six decades. In broader terms, intensive research carried out by Ketebul Music involves the musicians themselves, their families, industry players such as producer…
The Sega Sega Band Group
…Music of the Luo Rang’ala, Nyanza province, Western Kenya Lead Vocalist: Osumba Rateng…
Day Three: 9 March 2022 (Kisumu) Story
…o style is one of the oldest forms of music performed by the Luo people of Western Kenya. Olith Ratego is a self-taught musician who plays a musical instrument fashioned by himself. It is a replica of the nyatiti (an eight stringed traditional lyre), which he calls okoddo and is modified to the pentatonic scale. Olith Ratego’s recording session went uninterrupted and was completed shortly before 6:00pm. The last group to be recorded was the newly…
Day Two: 8 March 2022 (Ilesi) Story
…a little time to play in sync with the polyrhythmic beats of the Iteso of Western Kenya. When the tuning session was finally figured out the actual recording started at about 17:00 hours. The three sisters and their two brothers have pleasantly matured musically and it was really encouraging to see them helping to keep their father’s legacy alive. All was done a few minutes to 8:00pm. After the routine photo shoot the Obasie Palnyang brothers and…