Central Uganda: Day 1 – From Entebbe to Kidinda Story
…next day, fixing equipment, backing up files, writing blogs, etc… and agreed to meet in the morning. Some of us enjoyed a wonderful spicy cheese burger. And Uganda French Fries and Nile Specials are always a welcome end of the evening….
Music Depositories and Archives around the World News
…’s recordings, with work currently being done to also make the Dave Dargie and Andrew Tracey Collections available for online access. There are over 12000 30 second recordings from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. The archive grants access to anyone who is interested and is not restricted to academic or research purposes. The physical archive at Rhodes University is open normal business hours, unless special arrangements are made. 2. Global Music Archive T…
A History of Recording East African Music News
…(students) some background and some context; they would be able to understand and go find out more by themselves […] My thinking is that a culture that doesn’t have a history is a dead one.” His recordings are available to play online, for anyone, in the Klaus Wachsmann Collection at the British Library. Copies of his recordings can also be found at the UCLA archive, but cannot be streamed online. David Fanshawe 1942 – 2010 David Fanshawe recor…
James Isabirye and Tabu Osusa Discuss East African Music News
…ned. I know that Hugh Tracy blamed Christianity. The churches came to the land and convinced the people that the old ways were evil. Traditional instruments with drums were part of the pagan culture and needed to be erased. Traditional songs about spirits, about witch doctors needed to be ended and replaced with Christian music. James: I think that explains some of it. But the church no longer does that and yet we still reject the old ways. I thin…
Preserving Threatened Heritage News
…ultural music heritage of the region and to help make this legacy relevant and fresh to today’s audiences.” And it is always great to hear of stories where others are attempting to do the same, especially in countries so close to our heart, such as Uganda. An article on the website of the Ugandan daily newspaper, New Vision, warns about the need to preserve ‘Bigwala’, the royal music of the Busoga region. Bigwala music is performed at ceremonies s…
The Birara Batwa Community Story
…rica music relevant to today’s artists and audiences. We want to celebrate and promote the music heritage of East Africa in a contemporary context. We are doing this with ‘Influences’. We were staying at The Traveller’s Rest Hotel in Kisoro and the staff kindly allowed us to set up the studio under the verandah and it was there that we recorded our first ‘Influences’ session – a fusion of Batwa music from the Birara singers and contemporary music…
The Key to Sustainable Aid in Africa? Perhaps we should follow the music. News
…me of the most beautiful music we’ve recorded – from the Batwa of Kisoro Uganda and to the Kel Kar Kwaro of Northern Uganda – was from extremely poor and disadvantage villages. But in both cases, the village structure was strong, the village elders were respected and the teenagers were actively involved in village life. Great music is a proxy for strong social cohesion, not necessarily affluence. One need not go farther than Kilifi Kenya, where th…
A quick summary of the Singing Wells Project News
…nd has returned to host villages of peace and music. We met the Macedonia band and the leader told us a long story, which I will do no justice to in a few words. During one of the rebel movements, the rebels came to his village. The typical mode of operation on these visits was to kill the adult males, seize the boys for fighters and hurt and abuse the women. The band leader tried to convince the leaders that he was a man of peace and music and hi…
73,603 views on YouTube News
…Is second place is a video from our field visit to Kisoro in south west Uganda where we met and recorded the wonderful Batwa people. The music is performed by Kamuntu ‘Tiny’ Moses accompanied by our Influences artist Winyo. And in first place with over 21,700 views is ’71 Hours to Monday’- a global track from Abubilla Music featuring musicians from Sao Paulo, Nairobi and London which was produced to support the launch of the Singing Wells pro…
The Influences Series from Singing Wells News
…e video of the new ‘Influences’ version, featuring musicians from Kenya, Uganda and the UK collaborating in this a unique song to celebrate and support Singing Wells. 71 Hours to Monday Our very first ‘Influences’ song was 71 Hours to Monday. An original song from Abubilla Music re-mixed to include percussion from Sau Paulo and vocals from Nairobi. (Read more about the background to this track here) For more videos from the Influences series…
Music of the Batwa: video playlist News
…ding a grant from the Institute of International Education….
Day 9 (AM): Ketebul Studio – Influences session for Cheri Story
…getting milked dry by Cheri Then we brought back Johnnie to do some lead electric guitar and called it a wrap for the day. This afternoon will be a new band and recording session. We’ll brief you later this afternoon. Jimmy (Ketebul)…
Day 8: Entebbe to Nairobi and Ketebul Studios Story
…n will be forced to pay whatever sum of money demanded by the offended husband and will even be expected to give up his shamba – the small plot of land upon which his family depends. As late as the 70’s, the other consequence is the offending husband would kill the adulterer. Whenever the song is sung today in the villages, some audience believes the song is pointing at them, accusing them… Kirori: This is the band leader’s song and is a song in t…
Hannah interviews Evelyn Ojok – Acet, Northern Uganda News
…e now in peace. Who taught you the music? My parents taught me how to sing and dance and all about Acholi culture. That has changed, now the children learn from school. I was born in Kitgum but I married in Gulu when I was 18. My children love school and never miss a day unless they are sick, which is unusual. They are also lucky because school is only 1.5 miles away, while many children have to walk half a day to get to a class at school. My youn…
Northern Uganda: Day 6 – Soroti to Kampala (a driving story) Story
…here’s a typically day of ‘file management.’ Nick starts by going ‘audio’ and Andy or Steve answers “rolling.” Then for some reason, due to Patrick’s strange way of talking, Nick then says ‘Camera 1?’ and Patrick answers “Camera 1 is speeding”. We have no idea why, but it means that Jimmy and Vicki have to respond with “Camera 2 (or 3) is speeding.” Now with all systems go Nick starts with ‘This is Macedonia with their fourth song Uganda Land of…
Northern Uganda: Day 6 – Soroti to Obuell-Lira to Soroti Story
…o or a drum and all claimed they were members of Macedonia. The Macedonia band and the song Uganda, Land of Freedom was known by everyone and served dozens of times to spare someone a fast execution as a collaborator. We then arrived at Joshua’s village. It was the most beautiful we’ve seen with four-five small thatched huts, each painted with patterns. There was a large clay oven in the middle of the village and the whole grounds were landscaped…