Central Uganda: Day 5 – Jinja to Kampala Story
…011. Musoke Meddy: He is a senior member of Nile Beat and the treasurer in group. Meddy was voted the best dancer in the Uganda in 2004 and in 2008. The Group performed five songs: Ikobo Kobo: The name is a type of herb. It is a song about a girl who is very bitter because her mother will not let her play with her friends freely. The mother explains to her that she was barren but the spirits helped her to conceive. The spirits set the condition, h…
Interview: fusion band Ndoto Afrika News
…and listen to stories. So we will have to transmit these stories to their iPhones and iPads in the form of music, the universal language. Where are you from? From Kenya, in the East of Africa. To be more specific, we hail from a small village in Siaya County where most of the renowned Luo musicians come from. Ever heard of Otieno Aloka (the famous Ohangla artist)? He is our next door neighbour back at the village. We borrow each other’s salt from…
Central Uganda: Day 4 – Jinja Story
…we have to get the solution.” Here’s their music: The Bakuseka Majja Matta Group Our final group was also a stand out act, with the legendary performer (yes, as Tabu said we had two legends of Ugandan music visit us today) – Natha Matta Nyende performing for us with his band the Bakuseka Majja Matta Group. Nathan is 76 years old and has been blind since 1956. He formed his group in 1952. They play in the Kisoga style and are from Kasokoso in Igang…
Discussions with Peter Cooke: ethnomusicologist and Ugandan music expert News
…re, London, I received my first lesson in playing the Kiganda amadinda xylophone from the South African musicians Andrew and Paul Tracey before their evening show Wait a Minim.” “My work in Uganda led me to begin exploring that country’s traditional music initially with the aim of collecting useful materials for teaching purposes. That exploration has continued since then, apart from during the chaos of the periods of the rule of Amin and the Seco…
Central Uganda: Day 3 – From Mbale to Iganga to Jinja Story
…nder the bass notes to ensure real depth (and literal depth). Muwewesi Xylophone Group The band consisted of about 8 musicians on the xylophone, 5 female singers in beautiful matching outfits, a set of pipe flute players, a tube fiddle players and a men’s choir with alternating lead vocals. Their style is Embaire, which is the xylophone. Their instruments were: Embaire, Xylophone Endigidi, tube fiddle Enkwanzi, pan pipes The performance was simply…
Before They Pass Away News
…indigenous cultures and remaining tribes, before it’s too late. To find out more information about Jimmy’s work visit http://www.beforethey.com/. Do you know of a music group that Singing Wells should be working with? Tweet us or Facebook us with your ideas. Photos: by Jimmy Nelson…
Central Uganda: Day 2 – Kampala to Budaka Story
…rancing and general throw-abouts. Lots of fun. James Isabirye said of this group, “This is group is the culture symbol of Namaddu – everything they do is a ritual. They will never perform without a drummer, without a specific conflict during the ritual. They must bring out props and everything means something. Everything is hugely symbolic. While there are many people performing, there is always only one person singing AND they must also be to pla…
Central Uganda: Day 1 – From Entebbe to Kidinda Story
…second group). We talked to James Isabirye, our musical expert, about this group. “This group does not perform formally anymore, because they have no platform. The King invited them to play but no longer does. They have great songs, they have a great history but today they are silent. No one asks to listen to them. This is so sad. How do we revive demand for what was one of the sixth great ensemble bands commission by the king to play exclusively…
Singing Wells surpasses 500,000 YouTube hits! News
…ip 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….
Central Uganda: Day 0 – Nairobi/London to Entebbe Story
…pful. But it took almost 1.5 hours. By that time we were caught up in a UN group that passed very slowly through customs. We made it to the hotel at around 1630. It was great to see our old friends at the hotel. We had a quick dinner and a few free drinks (we had charmed some flight attendants on the plane to contribute to Singing Wells with a few whiskeys). Most of us then went to bed for the night, deciding to have one final evening free of our…
Our top Singing Wells songs for April News
…araigu Gitiro Women Group, Kimunya We recorded the Gacharaigu Gitiro Women Group in Kangema, Kenya in 2014. The group, formed in 2006, is led by Fidelia Nyambura Mwangi. Their songs are dedicated to self-help. Its style is Ndumo, an old women’s dance purely for entertainment and preservation of culture. For all their songs, the ladies used the Kigamba (leg shakers). 2. Kaniini Kaseo, Kolleji Kaniini Kaseo is an all women group led by Mumbi Wambua,…
Rediscovering Afropop and its influences News
…ogether to record some of the most important ‘bridge’ artists in Kenya – a group of people who have built a connection between the music of their villages and modern music. These were the founders of Benga, among other genres. Just as Daudi Kabaka’s Benga music influenced Sauti Sol, our hope is that by recording and preserving this music it can continue to inform, inspire and influence a new generation of artists to carry the traditional music of…
Our top 5 Singing Wells songs for March News
…ve been lost forever. 3. Mariene Traditional Dancers – Mpandi mautini This group was formed in 2003. They are from the Ameru Ethnic Community and their musical style is Kirarire and Authi. The lead singer wears Murungi, an ornament on both sides of the arms which is worn by the initiator/circumciser; it signifies a man of respect and authority. This one made it onto the top five because of the incredible clothing and dance moves. 4. Kumbuka Asee –…
From African Twist to Benga News
…oal was to record some of the most important ‘bridge’ artists in Kenya – a group of musicians who have built a connection between the music of their villages and modern music. They were the founders of Benga, the African Twist, Luhyia ‘Omutibo’ and the ‘Yoddeling’ sound adapted by the Kikuyu musicians of the ’60s. We dedicated six days of studio time at Ketebul Music in Nairobi to record this set of legendary musical artistes, all of whom are now…
Singing Wells discovers ‘the voice’ Story
… This is Jovah Nyiramajoro. She is the leader of the Mperwa Dancers – the music group of the small community of Mperwa Batwa living on the outskirts of Kisoro, SW Uganda. She is a beautiful woman, full of joy and passion for the traditional music of her fellow Batwa tribes people. But wait until you hear her beautiful voice – we were blown away……..
Ten More Singing Wells Stories News
…vourite bit of song or dance. Kenya In contrast to Uganda, Kenya’s musical groups are aging and dying out. But we found one extraordinary ‘boy’s group’ and their energy is seductive. They told us the full story of Male Circumcision rites, which this performance shows, here. A word about brass bands: It isn’t every day you discover a brass band in the middle of Africa, but it isn’t every day you meet Julius, an orphan determined to save orphans. Cl…