Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 3, Part 2 – Interviews with Musicians of Uganda’s Royal Palaces Story
…fer to musicians as the ‘last surviving’ musician. This is based on James’ best reckoning, having tried for years to find others. Neither James nor the musician involved wants the title of ‘last surviving’ and we would love to be proven wrong. Musisi is looking for more drummers and the ones we talked to today are desperate to find others that played with them. Richard Ssewannyana We first travelled about an hour from Mukono to the village of Bamu…
Ketebul Music presents Shades of Benga Online News
…ode 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 waltz to Afro Cuban Rumba and how they helped mould new music st…
Recce to Tanzania for our 2020 Field Visit News
…e Singing Wells team has been travelling through Tanzania in search of the best groups to record during our upcoming field visit in February. We are struck once again by the amazing talent this country has to offer, and can’t wait to capture some amazing moments with these artists when we visit again with the full team in a few weeks time. Thanks to the good people at Dhow Countries Music Academy for helping us with the information and contacts fr…
The Entenga Drums: Part 1 Story
…essentially plays the melody, but not the bass notes. He is generally the best drummer and we were blessed to have Shaban as our Omukoonezi, a life-long professional drummer who led the group. He also admitted that learning the Entenga was the hardest drumming role he’s ever had. To the left of the ‘starter’, is the OMUNAZI, who plays the 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th and sometimes 5th. And yes, you’ve now noticed. The drummers overlap, playing the drums of…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11:An Interview with Gregg Story
…olks roads, modernise them. But Singing Wells has discovered in fact – 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…
The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music Story
…ere EMI and CBS, and these attracted artists from as far away as the then Zaire. But the activity at these multinationals could never rival the volume, spirit and camaraderie that reverberated from the independent studios on Nairobi’s River Road, which nurtured raw talent and threw together new bands in the flash of a recording session. Musicians from far and wide across the country would congregate at these River Road studios, sometimes recording…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11: Ketebul Studios, Nairobi Story
…famous Kikuyu accordion player, who played in clubs like the Roasters in Nairobi in the 70’s. The musicians were very influenced by American Country music, and one of his songs was the ‘Yoodle’ which he recorded with Merciiria. He was heavily influenced by Gacungi wa Kamau, a pioneering accordion player who was the first ‘secular player’. He often visited Wanganangu’s homeland and recruited Wangangangu to pursue a musical career. We recorded 6 so…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…en asked that they move it from our shot and the local team ‘pulled’ the chair from the ground and moved it to a new location. The boys decided to get an ‘arty’ picture with the chair. From the lovely views in Ruthumbi Forest, we then travelled back to Nkubu hotel to record three additional groups (our route is below). The first two we recorded in the main court yard and the last we recorded near the outside pub, where Gregg later served as a DJ….
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 2 – Muranga to Kangema to Nkubu Story
…in 2000, but the original Mwomboko style was started in 1943. This is a ‘pairing’ dance style, inspired by colonial masters but adapted locally. Mwomboko, Peter Mwangi is the lead singer and plays the accordion. George Kinyua plays the Karing’aring’a (the metal ring). The group played 5 songs plus one magic moment: Mwomboko Ndongomothi Kariara Rumba Jeki Magic Moment: The group then focused on a minute of Wendire Mugunda Ndaiga Muchiri Ndaiga Muc…
Central Uganda: Day 7 – A Magic Day in Entebbe Story
…m with guitar and backing vocals. Here’s their music: Group 3: The Entebbe Airport Guesthouse Ensemble Okay, we’ll work on the name. But this is our first super group. The Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young of East Africa. We had Passy, Jacinta, Maita, James (our musical leader in Uganda and co-founder of Nile Beat Artists) and Jovah, the wonderful female singer we first listened to in Kisoro and then again in Nairobi. We will talk more about Jovah be…
Central Uganda: Day 6: Kampala to Entebbe Story
…s a collection of traditional grass thatched huts from throughout Uganda. Fairly surprised museum guests stopped to watch us. A slightly miffed grass cutter politely agreed to hold off on his duties. We set up the band in front of one of the huts. Oh, and there were no trees. Oh, and it was sunny and hot. We cooked. Buganda Music Ensemble The Group was founded in 2004, led by Albert Bisaso Ssempeke Jr. Son of Dr. Albert Senior, a legend. Music sty…
Central Uganda: Day 5 – Jinja to Kampala Story
…t’s car on the way (it was unclear if the car held the President). We returned to the Kampala Imperial Hotel and some of us were delighted to find a English football match on the TV (Arsenal vs. Southampton). And we were greeted by Air Conditioning which is most welcome by those of us from the North but feared and mistrusted by those of us from Nairobi. We look forward to recording tomorrow in Kampala. Apparently there is a marathon. We shall prov…
A Tanzanian Effort to Salvage the Music of the Past News
…muziki wa dansi is music that practically forces spectators out of their chairs. When you hear this music in concert, says Rebecca, everyone will be dancing. But the music itself wasn’t always meant to be pure entertainment. True to his socialist roots, Nyerere wanted his songs to carry messages as well. Most of these bands were set up by the government, who employed the musicians and paid for all their instruments. Some of their songs are actuall…
Central Uganda: Day 4 – Jinja Story
…ed a few beers and stayed in one of the cottages telling stories about our best Singing Wells moments, only some of which had to do with the music. The group then divided roughly along age lines on the fundamental issue of fish vs. sleep. Tabu, Jimmy, Andy and Vicki voted sleep and we had food delivered to our cottages, ate and went to bed early. Steve, Patrick, Jacinta, Nick and Robert voted fish and went off the local casino for ‘the best fish i…
Central Uganda: Day 3 – From Mbale to Iganga to Jinja Story
…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 spectacular. Our search for the best xylophone players in Uganda is declared over! What a group. Obutasoma (Education), with lead singer Muniru Ayubu Obwiire Bukyeire (The Time Has Come), with lead singer Kisubi Eliasa Magic Moment: W…
Central Uganda: Day 2 – Kampala to Budaka Story
…l skins. Their members included: Zabula Hunguna and Aggrey Gwari . Their chairperson was Musa Malinywa. Their instruments were: Ekongo: Thumb Piano Embaire (13 slab xylophone) Endingidi: Tube fiddles Omulere: Flute Engoma: Drums Efumbo: Long drum Engalabi: Shorter drum, but still ‘long’ Ensasi: Shakers Ekwanzi: Pan Pipes They performed four songs: Olumbe Namuna: This was a song about aids, beautifully but mournfully sung. You could feel the sense…