Day 6: Recording the Tugen & back to Nairobi Story
…ey had no lights). They made it. The second jeep soldiered on to Nairobi, trusting our now loved GPS to take us ‘home.’ The Equator We passed the equator four times in this trip – well at least some of us did. The working jeep (which had the flat tire in morning), had just crossed the equator heading home when the first van called for help. So we got to cross again to arrange rescue and then again went crossed to head back to Nairobi. That brings…
Day 5: Recording the Marakwet Story
…an runners train here and the roads are filled with athletes training for London 2012. In addition, over 300 foreigners train here, mostly from Europe. We went to the main training centre and interviewed a project manager about why so many people travel all this way to train on the red dirt roads around Iten. She answered: “First, the altitude (roughly 2300 meters) is perfect – right at the peak of natural altitude where you can still train hard,…
Day 4: the Pokot Tribes Story
…Kalomoywa We recorded 8 songs with them and a magic moment of wonderful chorus. The songs were: Kinyakar, Kamatakar, Chepo Nandi, Kamitoi, Kaperwo, Chemining Tie, Chepo Chepkai, Kimnakiy Mitinge, Kisech. Click here to go to Song Translations Everything Else Everything else from today can be divided into three key events. First, we survived the drive. There were a few scary moments, the first being driving to the village for the shoot – straight up…
Day 3 continued – an interview with Steve Kivutia Story
…l the cows were soaked. 50 Cows was soaked. A deluge. It meant we had to abandon the day, leaving a separate village and two groups stranded and wet. As we write this we are working out how to see them this week. Chelagat Lebo – ‘Chela’ Finally, we have been joined by Chela. She’s amazing and was there taking down the tent during the deluge. It should be noted that most of the Singing Wells crew were in the vans by this time. Chela is a profession…
Music of Northern Uganda News
…ganda in the creative arts; resuscitate local arts, crafts and arts education and recover, heal and develop local cultural traditions. With Joyce Laker Director TAKS Centre in Gulu Although Steve and Patrick were not able to meet any local music groups while they were in Gulu (it was planting season so everyone was in the fields planting their crops), Joyce gave them many recommendations for villages to visit on our December trip. She mentione…
Day 3: Kitale to Kapsokwony, Kenya Story
…guitar somewhat resembling the Nyatiti of the Luo. He was joined by a percussionist who played the karachimek, which is essentially two sticks on the ground played by two sticks. Tabu first met Ben in 2007, when working on Spotlight on Kenya Music Vol.4. He sang a song called ‘Kiseete’ on the album. (Interestingly, our second group today, Chebonet, played Kiseete, which is clearly a communal song of this community). Ben recorded 8 tracks with us,…
Singing Wells – Origins News
…ms to preserve, celebrate and share the unique music traditions and heritage of East Africa. Jimmy Allen, Founder Abubilla Music and Trustee of the Abubilla Music Foundation …
Day 2: Nairobi to Kitale & an interview with Pato Story
…olved in music. “No, but from high school I knew I was going to be working on videos. And music is my life. I started listening to Joseph Kamaru when I was growing up in the Ngara Estate, another part of Nairobi. He was the biggest Kikuyu artist around and would walk around our area with a guitar and play to all the little kids. My brothers all love salsa music and I grew up listening to Ochieng Nelly, a huge Benga star”. Singing Wells…
Day 1: In Nairobi, packing and talking to Tabu Story
…am and getting organised we headed back to the hotel to get a good night’s sleep before tomorrow’s long drive North. Kathy Allen Trustee, Abubilla Music Foundation…
Victoria’s reflections on the music of the Batwa Story
…g trip was a last minute one. Kathy, one of our Abubilla Music Foundation trustees, had to pull out of the trip quite suddenly which left a gap in the team’s resources. Kathy was due to be videographer on ‘Roving Camera 2’ and also document the names and meanings of songs we would be recording. On Tuesday Jimmy asked if I could make any part of the trip to take on that role; on Wednesday we changed the flights into my name and on Sunday I found my…
Return of the Batwa @ Ketebul Music Studios Story
…the Batwa in Nairobi unless he was included. Gasoda Yohanadj Mbirikimu Mbarushimana – “Challenger” The magic bass player (beat boxes into a pot) with Tiny Moses. Great backing vocals as well. Mbirikimu Mbarushimana Gaudancia (and baby Stella) A wonderful singer from the group ‘Togetherness’ who we recorded in the empty (good news) refugee camp outside of Kisoro. She sang with each of the groups over the weekend. Gaudancia Kampire And here were th…
Day 4: Discovery of the Young Stars… Story
…he went to university in Moscow. So he and Jimmy had a great time talking Russian the whole time as the others looked on slightly mystified. He played five tracks and you have a pretty good idea of the roots of Bob Dylan… https://youtu.be/iRQlHbyzoKM https://youtu.be/9Qx_vs2Uw-U https://youtu.be/bmFyePat-VY https://youtu.be/HRXyT1czwG8 https://youtu.be/4jnrLn92SxA And with the Jose recording, we officially finished our November field trip, which…
Day 3: Homa Bay and the Kochia Dancers Story
…n full dance: One of the dancers plays the Tung’, the Luo horn: Note how beautiful the long head-dress is. After the dancing, we completed an influences session with Winyo and Jesse on guitar: And that concluded the afternoon with the Kochia Dancers. The Singing Well Team 30 November 2011…
Day 2: Focus on the Nyatiti, Orutu and DRUMS! Story
…guys in middle). And a view from the field showing Jimmy on Camera 2 filming Organda Joginda: Andy resting after setting up microphones: And Steve working as chief engineer on this session (Macbook Pro and two Motu audio interfaces on top of our trusted Pelicase, which acts as storage for all equipment, chair and table….in the back of the truck that will see us throughout Western Kenya: Finally, here’s Willie setting up a lapel mic for Okumu Kore…
Christine Kamau – “The Jazzist” News
…on.com/christinekamau …
Day 1: The music of the Luo – starting at Rang’ala Village Story
…e/-uRDY4G3_mo https://youtu.be/Z8N3nkdSB5g The Dodo Group Featuring Ogoya Nengo. The group sings in the Do Do style. Ogoya has exremely strong vocals and there are four ‘shaker’ players and amazing drummer and a set of dancers. https://youtu.be/k3vA-sSgurw https://youtu.be/VOhmHrO8E7s https://youtu.be/jQsCd_U717c https://youtu.be/FOj8jQDOqhI https://youtu.be/qfB0NCW5v-0…