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…the group (And sometimes the instrument itself!) the better! Muwewesi Xylophone Group Unsurprisingly for the Muwewesi Xylophone Group, the Xylophone is the star of the show. A giant xylophone lays across the floor, played by 8 musicians, alongside vocalists, pipe flute players and tube fiddle players. Based in Nakisenye, East Uganda, we visited the group in 2013, and when we arrived we found that the band had been there since morning preparing –…
The Birara Dancers Group
…Music of the Batwa Kisoro, Uganda Group Leader – Francis Sembagare; vocalists: Paskazia Nyirakarombo, Vastina Ayinkamiye, Jolly Naiti…
Day Four: Ikolomani to Amalemba Story
…s next to Crying Rock. We recorded the group Matende Culture Isukuti Youth Group, which is led by John Stone Khakabo Asutsi in 2006. There are 35 members of the group. The soloist is Stanley Liai. Their instruments include: The Isukuti Isatsa: The Big Bass Drum Mutibo: The bigger, ‘mother’, of the smaller drums Mutiti: The smaller, ‘son’, of the smaller drums Imbati: The horn Shirili: Single string instrument Tsichenjele: The rings The group dance…
Day Zero: February 15, 2020 – Assemble in Zanzibar Story
……She left her home village and met Al Muhsin of Nadilkhwani Safa, a taarab group indebted to the Sultan at that time. Muhsin…decided to teach her…at the time it was considered immoral for women to join taarab groups and sing in public… She helped …transform taarab to the point where woman are now usually the lead singers. …Between 1928 and 1950 she recorded over 150 recovers…It is through her recordings …that Taarab became widely accessible. L…
Fadhilee Itulya Staff Profile
…lays the drums and the chivoti. During gigs he is backed by the three-girl group, Karama. Tetu accompanies him on the djembe and Andrew Ngatia on bass. Together they call themselves Fadhilee&Friends. He has written over a hundred songs, but has recorded only five so far: ‘Jawabu’, ‘Dance’, ‘Um’beba’, ‘Tired’ and ‘Selfish’. He is working on eight more to complete his debut album. He has performed at the Mathewmatix House of Jazz, the Kinanda Festiv…
Obasie Palnyang Group
…The group was founded in 1958 by Obasie’s grandfather, Okomo. Obasie plays several instruments, including the Accordian, the Adeudeu and the single string instrument, the Eggereger (similar to the Orutu, but a deeper body). The drums are called ‘Atenus’. In addition the percussionist, Obasie is accompanied by a Etwo Aporutu player (gourd and pipe, or ‘Arupepe’). We recorded 8 songs, featuring each of the instruments….
Mumias United Group
…Mumias United was founded in 1997 by Francesca Odour. They have 38 members and 22 showed up for our performance. They perform in the Imbira style. They are part of the Wanga tribe, which is a sub-group of the Lua, known for their Kings (Nabongo). We performed next to the mausoleum where four kings were buried, dating back to 1700s….
Nyota Ze Meremeta Group
…ught music in Zanzibar and promotes other musicians. Other members of this group include: Ramadhan Muhidan (accordion), Ali Ibrahim Musa (Kanan or Qanun), Tatu Hamisi Amur (accordion), Asha Khemisi Amur (violin) and Malick Anas (fiddle). Malick is 75 and has played with the Professor since 1961. All songs were very Arab influenced by all the lyrics are Swahili. They played five songs: Bashraf Ilyas: An instrumental song written for the Professor’s…
Conclusion: Challenges and Recomendations Story
…ecording mission is quite satisfactory. Considering the limited time and a number of challenges encountered, I believe we managed to accomplish most of the set objectives and bring back an extensive amount of data and video/sound materials of very good quality. However, there is space for improvement. I think that team work was successful, although division of roles, more particularly on the data collection part on the project, was initially blear…
The Northern Tribes of Uganda Album
…Macedonia band, before the long drive back to Kampala. One night in Kampala was followed by a recording in Naguru, recording the Adungu Cultural Troupe and the Watmon Cultural Group, before heading back to the Entebbe Guesthouse to record more with the Watmon Group and Akello – our influences artist….
Kizazi Kipya Kidumbak Group
…teacher and is a teacher himself. at the DCMA. He met us at with the first group and brought us to this one. They sing and perform mainly for weddings and celebrations. Performers: (all male): Juma Fadhul Juma (leader and secretary but did not participate), Fadhili Faki (director and plays violin), Mohamed Khamisi (violin), Khamisi Vuai (bongos), Khamisi Bato (bongos), Ameri Sefu ( Sanduku – sinle string base), Ahmed Juma (sticks and table), Sheha…
Days 10 to 12 – Monday 10th July to Wednesday 12th July 2017 Story
…two masters taught by demonstration, each using a song of their choice, a group of 5 young generation nyatiti players of different proficiency levels: Judy Bwire, John Otieno ‘Rapasa’, Gabriel Oduor, Walter Koga and Meshack Okoth Okumu. Day 11 – Tuesday July 11th 2017 (as per team’s report): Studio recording of the two master players ‐ William Omondi Ogutu & Odondi Diel Matara and of Meshack Okoth Okumu; done at Ketebul Studio, GoDown Arts Centre…
Omong’oluk Traditional Dancers Group
…son of the founder of the dance group, Longinos Omong’oluk who started the group in the early 1990s. He died in 1998 at 87 years old. We first talked to Ibriam about the instruments and costumes used by the group; these included: Atenus: The bass drum Igelu: Shakers Akwara: Sticks Isiman: Jingles worn around the ankles Etwoo: A gourd that you blow into for a ‘bass’ beat. The dancers wore “Emukule”, skins of cows and more rarely, Cheetahs. One of t…
Namaddu Troupe Group
Dance Style: Namaddu The group belongs to the Bagwere Clan Band Leader: Ndoboli Ramathan Instruments include Ngoma (drums), the Mudiri (long drum) and Entongoli (6 string adunga). Song meanings “Lwaki Ndamba”: Why do I have to suffer? A woman can’t have a baby so her husband beats her and sends her to the witch doctor who ensures she gets pregnant. She then returns to husband, who has been off drinking, and they reunite. “Kwakira Wiita”: A song…
Zaire Ndindingwa Group
…Music of the Mijikenda Gede, Malindi District, Kenya Group Leader: Fundi bin Kalale; performers: Dali Baya, Reggaemaster wa mweni, Saumu Kadenge Shombo, Salame Kadenge, Alora Mbundo Ngoma…
Adungu Instrument
…d instrument we encountered in Northern Uganda. We also recorded an Adungu group in Kampala, as we passed back through on the way to Entebbe. It is an arched harp instrument with between 7 and 10 or more strings. They vary in size between smaller instruments, played close to the body and the larger bass adungu, on which the player can sit. The sound box is commonly covered in animal hide, and is also at times used as a percussion instrument –…