We drove to Gikondo in the morning to record Abutazi. Abutazi are a group of two artists, Akayezu Jean Patient on the inanga and Fox Makare the energetic rapper. They are supported by their drummer Samy Iradukunda kut. Abutazi have been together since 2019 after meeting in music school. Jean Patient’s mother Sophie Nyasisenga (the…
You can now see all Field Reports for February 2018 trip to Kenya. If you want to link directly to youtube videos you can do in field reports or go direct here. A detailed account of the trip written by Kahithe Kiiru is available here.
DAY 3: Wednesday, 09 March 2022 Act One Artiste: Peter Akwabi Genre: Omutibo Location: Dunga Hill Camp – Kisumu. Field Notes: We left Khayega for Kisumu at 10:00am and made a quick stop at Kiboswa ‘city’ on our way to the Lakeside city. This historic center, inhabited by the Luo, Luhya and the Kalenjin tribes of…
The second group we recorded at Jado’s studio in Kigali was the Impara Band, one of the pioneer bands of Afro-Cuban music in Rwanda. Impara is Rwandan for Impala. The band was founded in 1975 and originally had 9 members. They lost 7 of their members during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The two remaining…
It is February 17, 201b8 and we are assembling in Kisumu to begin our sixth Singing Wells Field Visit in Kenya (12th Field Visit overall). Steve, Patrick, Drix and Kahithe Kiiru have driven up from Nairobi, while Tabu, Jimmy and Hunter have flown in. Jimmy and Hunter flew from London to Nairobi the day before. …
DAY 4: Thursday, 10 March 2022 Act One: Ontitri Bukundo Genre : Obukano Location: Treat House Resort – Rongo Field Notes: It was a smooth drive all the way from Kisumu to Rongo using the newly re-carpeted Katito-Kendu Bay road. We reached our destination in no time, given the vastly improved road network in the…
