Global Influences Project: Artist Submissions Page
…track per the prompt.” If you want to hear more of Yohanan’s work, head to www.blackbuddhasounds.com or follow him on instagram @blackbuddhasounds Want to get involved in the Global Influences Project? Head to singingwells.org/global-influences-project Mkostii Beats & Collo Skyzan x Joginda Boys This joint submission from Mkostii Beats and Collo Skyzan is a brilliant demonstration of how these traditional beats can inspire something truly unique a…
Video playlists from Kenya 2018 Story
…e.com/watch?v=JtkGVQFNoPw&list=PL6jxUA468Mq-RUCpUdIrKZrrZyRF216Mz Pius Wafula https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUa3LzYZ8G8&list=PL6jxUA468Mq-JL9a_FMhl3js2eQdqUBVn Shem Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cewr4zGeAXo&list=PL6jxUA468Mq_qagUS8lrS4ItNX84ceQc_ Peter Awkabi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn-XGp22MhY&list=PL6jxUA468Mq8jxHLbNS6k_pYHTbUBBZMz Fanuel Amimo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz1eILZlyLE&list=PL6jxUA468Mq-FBWk0X39BrJvKiw8sblnH J…
Day Four: 10 March 2022 (Rongo) Story
…ural and peri-urban based musicians to migrate their shows and concerts to online platforms in order to reach wider audiences and create new revenue streams. As we headed back to Nairobi on Friday, 11th March 2022, we had lively discussions on ways and means of empowering these marginalized creatives and on how to assist them to access global markets. They need a conducive environment that would enable them to showcase their individual musical tal…
Day Zero: 6 March 2022 – Travel To Stream Story
…homes via live streaming. In doing so, they created new income-generating platforms, as some of these online acts allow audiences to support the musicians via M-pesa and Pay-Pal contributions. Another possibility was to sell tickets with the use of online access codes that admit ticket holders into the virtual performance. The result was that a number of live streaming studios where performers book sessions to perform and stream their concerts spr…
1. Introducing the Naizungwe drums Story
…spite his best efforts, James has been unable to locate any surviving old players who can facilitate a similar education. As a result, he is hoping to work alongside Haruna Walusimbi of Nile Beat Artists to reconstruct the performances directly from the recording he received from Peter Cooke. James tells us: “Nile Beat Artists is a semiprofessional group of musicians that include highly talented musicians. We will also add other musicians selected…
Fundraiser for Matthew Watmon News
…s may be able to help us. If you are based in East Africa, please get in touch with Matthew’s brother, Constantine Odida ((MTN) +256-782-236-742 and (Airtel) +256-704-261-037). If you are based elsewhere in the world, we have created a GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-mathew-watmon The donors of Abubilla Music Foundation, who support the Singing Wells project, will match these contributions up to £1000 so we greatly appreciate you…
Ketebul Music presents Shades of Benga Online News
…r partners and friends Ketebul Music have just launched Episode 2 of their online series Shades of Benga Online, to go alongside their book ‘Shades of Benga: The Story of Popular Music in Kenya 1946 -2016’. You can watch the latest episode below, and also find out more at their website here. Shades of Benga: The Story of Popular Music in Kenya delves into the foundations of modern Kenyan music, examining external influences from the English walt…
The Revival of Ohangla Music! News
…e Ohangla artists, Otieno Aloka. Giving A Trendy Sound To Traditional Ohangla Music Traditionally played at weddings and funerals, the music is having new life put into it by young artists like Otieno who use electronic production, combined with incredible musicianship, to create a whole new genre. Otieno’s song Kanungo Eteko is massive on Youtube, and we were lucky enough to record him in one of our sessions in Nyanza here: https://www.youtube.co…
Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 3, Part 1- Drum Making and Palace Players Story
…in our village. But for royal drums, our drum makers were invited to the palace to make the drums on site, next to the King.” He said that every child in his village loved to make drums and viewed it as a good trade to create pocket money. “If you ever need money as a child, you helped the drum makers and learned the craft.” Abass did this and was a casual drum maker with a friend of his. But then his father passed away and he need to start a care…
Support for the Elgon Ngoma Troupe News
…undme page here! And you can watch one of their brilliant performances, recorded on our 2014 field trip, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkyDtBXfunI Watch Julius, the leader of the group, explain who the Elgon Ngoma troupe is, and their mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Wk0YnbByk&fbclid=IwAR27BBeDBEx-5jMqkKxFTL9vtS5NxBwun0psDF9hCNmfQe0PQodki2Cns3U…
Remembering Our First Ever Influences Session 8 Years Ago News
…ng as his family and Winyo performed this great improvised session. Stay tuned for exciting announcements about the 10th anniversary of Singing Wells! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8zR1Hq0VXc&lc=z232gt5hrrr5jbjpz04t1aokg3gsm0mrvnsg3wkih113bk0h00410…
The Return of Bigwala News
…over 100 students have been trained in building the instruments, and have played at two royal celebrations. There 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/bigw…
Rediscovering the lost Royal Drums of the Buganda Kingdom: Day 1, Uganda Story
…Entenga to be very unlikely, because we thought all the drummers who had played in the palace before 1966 had died. But in 2015 James discovered the sixty-something Musisi, possibly the last surviving drummer. Musisi was just a teenager at the time of attack and barely survived the night of the attack itself (more on this here). James met him and realised that together they could begin to build the drums. Working closely with Albert and Shaban, a…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11:An Interview with Gregg Story
…act – the best sustainable development is to keep folks rooted in their villages and the best villages are those with a vibrant musical community. This puts the soul, the software at the top of the developmental agenda. Have folks realised this? SW: What is your advice to us? GT: In the context of the vital importance of this, I ask myself ‘what is the future of this?’ What if there was no Abubilla Music Foundation then what happens to this projec…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 4 – Nkubu to Mukuuni to Nairobi Story
…riginal’ to their name. They are Ameru, of Tharakanithi County. The group plays on all occasions, during harvests, births, weddings, marriages. The play the Mwinjira (Drums) and Biringi (Whistle). This was a tricky set to record because they are such vibrant performers, racing all over the place. When we tried to contain them to get good vocals, we lost the explosive force of the drums. When we let them run wild it was pretty difficult to get a go…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…and video instruments are running and then he announces the song/take and claps the clapperboard. He must brief the group to allow him to get off camera before they start this song. We have tried multiple briefings on this and find the best is to simply ask them to wait for Nick to say he’s ‘off camera’ before they begin. But still, we have a lot of Video 1 footage of Nick racing off camera while the group starts. For this reason Video 2 always ma…