Happy new year from Singing Wells News
…s YouTube channel. Our channel features videos from our trips across Kenya and Uganda, including visiting the tribes of the Kenyan Coast, Central and Eastern Uganda, our work to share the music of the Batwa community and the Luo community. We’ve told the story of repatriating Kenya’s music heritage after 50 years and celebrated magic moments – where we’ve found an extra-special artist on our journeys and recorded their work. 7. We spoke to a young…
We’re discovering the lost music of the Ugandan Kingdoms News
…s field trip Interviews with the palace players and a great deal of information on the art of drum making You can also keep up to date with our latest news from the field via our Twitter and Facebook pages….
Singing Wells surpasses 500,000 YouTube hits! News
…world. Recording Nyerere Wa Konde Music Club perform in Gede, Kilifi, Kenya on our Singing Wells Pilot trip in 2011. A brief collage of the story of the recording of the music of The Batwa in Uganda and then back in Nairobi at Ketebul Studios. The Watmon Cultural Group, recorded in December 2012. The Elgon Ngoma Troupe sing about the circumcision ritual….
Meeting Ketebul: an interview with Tabu News
…y hip outlets. The main purpose of my trip, besides hanging out with the team and trying to absorb some of their street cred, was to chat to the main man: Mr Tabu Osusa. Sitting across from me in his office in his bright yellow patterned t-shirt and flat cap he looked laid back as he sipped his cool beverage. His easy smile broke every time I said something that amused him. Here’s our interview: Who are the most exciting modern artists you’re curr…
Ten More Singing Wells Stories News
…ant farming in scattered villages around Kisoro. They live on the poorest land, and in many cases this means land high up in the green hills of Uganda far from trading villages. Our visit to record the Batwa was supported by UOBDU. What we discovered in the Batwa was musicians of extraordinary talent and their music provides a soundtrack for the costs of all simple solutions; well-intentioned actions to protect an animal species have marginalised…
Current Leading Figures News
…East African music industry’, Tabu has been a promoter, producer, composer and band manager and, since 2007, the founding Executive Director of Ketebul Music. However, the projects in which he is involved reach far and wide, with his expertise and passion not just being limited to the invaluable work he does at Singing Wells and Ketebul Music. Tabu co-chairs the committee of the “Spotlight on Kenyan Music“ project – a video from the 2013 festival…
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
…recordings, and inspiring traditional English musicians, Ralph Vaughn Williams and Gustav Holst, at the Royal Academy of Music, who urged him to “discover every chord” of traditional African music, Tracey ran out of funding. He became a broadcaster, utilising every opportunity to promote African music. However, he could not stay away from Africa long, and in 1946 realised someone needed to fully dedicate their time to “appraising the social value”…
Tracey Instrument Collection News
…on the legacy their father, Hugh Tracey created; more information on the ILAM and Hugh Tracey himself can be found on the History of Archivists of East African Music (coming soon). Siilili bowed lute This is a lute of the Gishu (also known as Gisu or Bagisu) people, who mainly live in the Mbale district of Eastern Uganda, on the slopes of Mount Elgon. The skin stretched across the cylinder is held with small pegs and two metal strings go over the…
ILAM, Repatriation and Jimmie Rodgers/Chemirocha News
…spired by new things. We simply want to celebrate the evolution of music that innovates while building on traditional roots. We will update you on progress to design the July Pilots with ILAM; and we will leave you with a Jimmie Rogers song inspired by black-american music, inspired by African village music, inspired by… oh just listen: …
Ketebul Music: A Year in Review News
…a. My worry remains, however, to create content and then worry about sales and marketing. No point in arguing about marketing until you have deep and rich content. Our government is pushing for local content which is good, but my view is that we first have to have great Kenyan content and then our people will want it because it is good not due to regulations. Spotlight: We are also working on Spotlight on Kenyan music Volume 6, having released Vol…
Preserving Threatened Heritage News
…ns, funerals and, recently, other social events. It is the music of gourd trumpets and is accompanied by a specific dance. UNESCO cites Bigwala music as playing ‘a significant role in contributing to unity among the Basoga people’, as it narrates the history of the Basoga people, especially concerning their King. It makes important links to their past and cultural heritage, whilst also dealing with issues such as leadership, marriage problems and…
Report from Womex 2013 News
…of Independent Music. Horizons joined up members from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. We were pleased to be sited next to New Zealand across the way and next door were South Africa! Podcast Andy recorded a few snippets of audio for an upcoming podcast – which will feature on the site soon. The Team A big thanks to Mike and Louise who were marvellous evangelists for the project over the course of the 4 days. Here is a picture of us all at o…
SWP Uganda 2013 – our proposed itinerary News
…us sponsorship of the Singing Wells project this year providing us with a Land Cruiser and supporting our accommodation costs at the Guesthouse. Day 2: Entebbe to Masaka – Baganda music Our first recording day will take us to Masaka in Central Uganda about 140 kms south west of Kampala. Here we will record two Baganda music groups: Kika Troupe and Bukala Troupe (from the town of Rakai). These groups were identified by James Isabirye who will be ou…
The Birara Batwa Community Story
…st. Our encounter with the Birara Dancers did not end in Kisoro. We left Uganda and headed back to Kenya for a second week of field recordings (Music of the Luo) but we could not forget the beautiful voices of the Batwa music groups. So we decided to invite a group to the Ketebul Music studios in Nairobi to record more Batwa songs and others for the the Influences series. Since our visit to Kisoro we have been in regular contact with the local NGO…
The Batwa Community Story
…tional Park which was once their home. This short video produced by UOBDU explains about the current situation facing the Batwa people in Uganda And another short video promoting the Batwa Trail…