Day 5: Recording the Mperwa Dancers Story
…set up the mixing desk while Patrick and Steve place the mics… The group gathers in place and the lead vocalist starts her captivating performance.. This older gentlemen joins the performance and takes the lead in most dances… While spectators from every generation take a seat for the performance… Here are the videos: https://youtu.be/zFjbdw9j1io https://youtu.be/W_VV8xEYziM https://youtu.be/t8Ui32w_NbI https://youtu.be/QHo5Eb2Az20 https://youtu….
Day 4 (later): Recording for ‘Influences’ with the Birara Dancers Story
…rtists work with a sub-set of the tribe to create a new song. This is an altogether different way of recording and something very new and often scary to the tribal artists. They have to wear headphones to hear other instruments we recorded earlier. They have to sing into a mic. Often they are asked not to clap. Often they are asked not to dance while they sing. We do it to focus on sound quality, but we are fully aware that we are putting these fa…
Day 4: UOBDU and the Birara Dancers Story
…Uganda (UOBDU), where we met Henry Neza, the Capacity Development Co-ordinator, and Alice Nyamihanda, Tourism Officer and the first University graduate amongst the Batwa communities. They are to be our hosts and translators for the two days – we were lucky to be joined by Precious as well, Alice’s five month old daughter. Patrick photographs Alice and Precious with Winyo and Steve. And the SWP team pose at UOBDU proudly wearing our Singing Wells…
Day 3: From Nairobi to Kigali to Kisoro Story
…ugh heavy rains to the Rwanda-Uganda border crossing near Kisoro. After a rather lengthy crossing, we then drove on to our final desitination – the Traveller’s Rest in Kisoro. Five quick things: Rwanda: Beautiful country known positively for its gorillas, green hills and beautiful lakes. What strikes you immediately is the deep terracotta of the soil, which covers the roads, and seeps up the foundations of the houses, combined with the deep green…
Day 1 & 2: Preparing to leave for Kisoro, Uganda Story
…oms and we were greated by Tabu Osusa. Checked into Fairview, had the obligatory fries in a chip basket and crashed. Day 2: 11.11.20 Day in Ketebul Studio: Jimmy and Andy meet the SWP team at Ketebul Studios to coordinate all the gear and prepare for our trip the next day and, importantly, to set out the 2012 Fund Raising Song, which will be a follow up to 71 Hours to Monday, which was our 2011 Funding Raising Song. Here’s a reminder of 71 Hours………
Photos from the pilot phase Story
…We promised a final set of pictures and some further reflections. And we deliver. …
Kenya (Coast): Day 4 – the road back to Nairobi Story
…: Yes it is relevant and it is working. We’re a good team and like working together (sometimes even without Tuskers). Ketebul knows the music, has a feel for the artists, has full access to people that know the best communities to work with. We have none of that. But we bring different musical backgrounds and that helps. TO: Yes it works. And we’ve got a lot to do to prepare for the next phase! Good team. Diverse team. But a shared passion for mus…
Kenya (Coast): Day 3 – our final recording day Story
…back of the truck as the studio as often as we set up the tent. Folks are gathered around for the second group. Birds were pretty much everywhere….. Folks are intrigued with Pro Tools 9…. …and life went on as we recorded… Zigidigi Cultural Troupe The group is led by Matano Mwachiti, featuring the Kivolti, a lovely flute. The leader of the social centre and a key member of the Zigidigi Cultural Troupe.. https://youtu.be/KSzaveOB7SA https://youtu.be…
Kenya (Coast): Day 2 continued…. Story
…hat seemed to wait until we pressed record)… and very beautiful. As 100’s gathered to watch us, we realised all our fears were misplaced … another wonderful village of East Africa, simply loving their music. Supaki Kalazi Our first group was Supaki Kalazi led by Katana bin Kalama playing in the Mwenzele style. Wonderful dancing, costumes and percussion… Katana bin Kalama, with beautiful costume of shells… The Group prepares for their performance……
Kenya (Coast): Day 2 – recording in the village of Kibarani Story
…nded by 50-100 kids… Behind the Scenes We have good routines now: We set up our little tent (right) We set up mic stands We set up mics and while folks are setting up, Pato interviews the group leaders That’s it. We’ll follow up with this afternoon’s action in the next blog… Jimmy…
Day 1: The very first field recording day for Singing Wells Story
…mics. Andy ran the desk, supported by Jessie, Steve and Willie. Jimmy and Pato handled video, Winyo did a lot of photography and Tabu and Maddo watched (having retired after driving 10 hours the day before). Mwenzele – Nyerere wa Konde Music Club The group is led by Nyerere wa Konde in the Mwenzele style. The group featured a wonderful percussion trio, with the Lungo (broken glass moved in a big bowl) and Ndema (2 brass rings played in ringing and…
On the eve of our very first field recording trip….. Story
…abu had arranged at Sippers. The music was fantastic and brought to life what the Singing Wells Project is all about. Let’s focus on the music. After all, it is all about the music and the concert that Tabu organised to celebrate the best in East African Music. This was the concert (actually Tabu called it a ‘meeting’ to celebrate the partnership of Ketebul and Abubilla): Kothbiro: Ayub Ogado. This is the song everyone remembers from the Constant…
A Year in Review March 2011 – March 2012 News
…audio equipment kit was extremely good, including when working with a generator. B) but we needed to raise additional funds to significantly upgrade our video capabilities. In this early pilot, we did a very good job of ‘preserving’ the cultural heritage of the region, but also discovered the importance of what we called ‘Influences’ sessions, where we work with local tribal artists to create more contempory songs. Read more here. The first video…
Lake Turkana Cultural Festival 2011 News
Last week, a four man crew from Ketebul Music travelled to the 4th Lake Turkana Cultural Festival to collect new audio and visual material for the Singing Wells project. The Abubilla Music Foundation (AMF) was pleased to be able to provide the funds to allow them to undertake the trip to this remote area of North West Kenya, 800 km from Nairobi and home to the Turkana and Samburu tribes and the original ‘singing wells’. When Steve Kivutia (Ketebu…
More Ketebul voices…Steve reports from the field News
…him off with a stick to keep him away from his (Jimmy’s) Canon 5D camera. Pato was drooling all over it, and we had to pry it off his hands with a crowbar! Pato on Day 1 Shoot… The second four wheeler for the road trip was delivered, and Maddo, chairman of Ketebul Music board of directors, had to drop off the owner who intended to test Maddo’s skills behind the wheel. Tabu took off with Jimmy and Andy and headed to Sippers for drinks and dinner an…