Singing Wells Youtube Channel hits 2.5Million views News
…Club. This was filmed back in 2011, on the very first day of the Singing Wells pilot trip to Kenya. Seeing the generations of Nyerere’s family performing together was a special moment (his son Mr Bado is also a musician). We captured a great fusion of old and new https://youtu.be/-MU13FLg_io You also need to check out the Elgon Ngoma Troupe, performing a traditional circumcision ritual dance. Please keep following our channel – with new videos g…
Musisi’s Story, Part 1: The Fall of the Buganda Kingdom Story
…t point, so had a key to one of the Throne Rooms. So I said I had this key and knew the King was hiding in the room. They told me to take them to the King. Well, we were very close to that Throne Room, but I didn’t want to get there fast. I needed them to calm down and me to think. So I took a long path, around all the gates and through the primary school in the palace. We came to one gate and there was the gatekeeper on the ground, shot. His guts…
The Return of Bigwala News
…seems to be a promising future for this important thread in the tapestry of Uganda’s cultural history. Sources: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ugandan-music-bigwalahttps://ich.unesco.org/en/news/uganda-young-ugandans-mobilized-for-safeguarding-bigwala-music-and-dance-00251https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1333991/bigwala-busoga-royal-music-dance…
Rediscovering the lost Royal Drums of the Buganda Kingdom: Day 1, Uganda Story
…g closely with Albert and Shaban, a professional drummer who now leads the new band, they built a new set of Royal Drums, recruited a team of passionate drummers to learn how to play the drums, learned to tune the drums and ultimately learned to play new music. Over the course of their studies, the new drum students (most of whom are actually highly accomplished drummers and professors of music) starting calling Musisi ‘The Professor.’ Left: James…
The Entenga Drums: Part 1 Story
…ther to revive the drums. They worked with Shaban, a professional drummer, and John and Albert Ssempeke, who have kept many royal instruments alive, to relaunch the drums. Essentially, this took four major steps: Rebuild the drums: they needed to re-assemble the drum kit, building each of the 15 drums and re-making the Enga, the sticks used to play the drums (named after the swamp plant). Tune the drums: they had the old recordings and Musisi’s 50…
The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music Story
…shore people. Traditional Luo dance forms and songs were fused to produce new and distinct guitar-generated beats and riffs. The foreigner’s instrument was slowly becoming an indispensable part of the leisure and entertainment of the local community. The ex-soldiers and their students particularly liked to play the guitar next to a granary. These traditional food stores were often erected a distance away from the main houses, the better for naugh…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11: Ketebul Studios, Nairobi Story
…yer who was the first ‘secular player’. He often visited Wanganangu’s homeland and recruited Wangangangu to pursue a musical career. We recorded 6 songs with Wangangangu over two sessions: Cal Wa Kadogo Ngurumo ya Saba Saba Muhiki Nyakairo Maito Njeri Rocine Kerokp Muumboro Osumba Rateng We first worked with Osumba during our trip to Nyanza in 2011; he is the founder of the Sega Sega band and ‘Flora’ remains a Singing Wells favourite. He is one of…
Naizungwe Drums News
…is endeavours and will be posting about the project’s development, which has been under way for a month now. We will be documenting the progress of these drums with pictures and videos here, and more details about the project and the instruments themselves are to follow soon so you can stay updated….
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…on the choice of circumciser. . Barwimbo: Lead singers are Mukumbu Saberio and Jacob Newarimi. Refers to a friend of the opposite sex. It is sung when Ameru are celebrating harvest and having a good time. They sing in male/female pairs to celebrate the harvest season. Kirarire: Lead singers are Jacob Karia and Laui Mwiti. The tradition song before circumcision. Exit Song: Authi style, lead singers are Francis Rithaa and Cyrus Kirigic. Again, pre-c…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 2 – Muranga to Kangema to Nkubu Story
…team picks the site (for best visual impact, performance area, quietness) and then audio and video set up as a single team. Song Recording The interview team then gives the gives ‘Mr Clapperboard’ the song list and introduce the group to the audio/video team. Mr Clapperboard then confirms each song with the group leader, writes down all group/song/take information, and kicks of song. In order, audio, then Video 1, 2 and 3 confirm they are ‘speedi…
Entenga: Performing twice for the king of Buganda News
…se who used to play at that time…” The players were then invited to shake hands with the king, and upon learning that James knew ethnomusicologist Peter Cooke, the king invited them to the palace to perform. They performed the song “Ganga alula”, a version of which we recorded during our visit in 2016. James played the Kyawakati and Entemyo, John Ssempeke played the Nakawombe and the younger boys played the rest of the drums. This is a wonderful s…
Central Uganda: Day 7 – A Magic Day in Entebbe Story
…er time with us about hearing the sounds of African music. Last night, she and Andy played together, with Andy working out a guitar part. So first, we recorded the two of them. Then, we decided that if she was writing about hearing the sounds of African music, she should hear the sounds. So James worked with Jovah on a beautiful line, where she sang about the Batwa people being driven from the parks. Then Passy worked on a separate melody line fol…
A Tanzanian Effort to Salvage the Music of the Past News
…There’s ethnographic information about the tribes and the history of the bands, and some tracks even include the recommended dance steps that go with them. There are still bands performing in the muziki wa dansi style, which enjoyed something of a resurgence with the 50th anniversary of independence. One is King Kiki, who has been playing rhumba-inspired music in the Tanzanian capital, Dar-es-Salaam, for over 50 years. But he admits that this mus…
Central Uganda: Day 6: Kampala to Entebbe Story
…n’t trust their neighbors is a witch. Ssewaswa: This is about twins Wasswa and Kato and praising twins. Anamwinganga: This was apiece composed by his father in 1945 and recorded in the 1960’s. It talks about who will attack the king. He has all the security and people are there to protect him so he should be safe. N’agenda Kasana, Instrumental Ssematimba: Magic moment instrumental Tweyanze: It is an appreciation song to say thank you. James Isabir…
Discussions with Peter Cooke: ethnomusicologist and Ugandan music expert News
…James at Kyambogo to implement our entenga restoration scheme to preserve and promote this traditional instrument for future generations. Students practice entenga drum-chime at Kyambogo in 1968 (Musisi is furthest from the camera) Peter’s research into African music is extensive. “It all began in 1964, a few weeks before travelling out to begin teaching in Kampala, Uganda,” says Peter. “On the stage of the Prince’s Theatre, London, I received my…
Central Uganda: Day 3 – From Mbale to Iganga to Jinja Story
…d like a dance off between the ‘male dancers’ standing in the back of the band and the xylophone players, urging them on with faster and faster beats. One by one the dancers would jump over the xylophone players to perform in front of them. The players would give the dancers fantastic beats and eventually they would retreat and another dancer would join. All great fun. James Isabirye says, “This area, where they come from is known for the Xylophon…