Namaddu Troupe Group
…i (long drum) and Entongoli (6 string adunga). Song meanings “Lwaki Ndamba”: Why do I have to suffer? A woman can’t have a baby so her husband beats her and sends her to the witch doctor who ensures she gets pregnant. She then returns to husband, who has been off drinking, and they reunite. “Kwakira Wiita”: A song about eating new food, particularly millet, after the harvest. But the children don’t stay home and are out all the time, so they suffe…
Kangema Mwomboko Dancers Group
…o 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…
The Best of Singing Wells 2011 Album
…A collection of some of our favourite tracks from our trip in 2011. NOTE: some of the tracks on this album also feature on the release ‘The Batwa of Kisoro’ under different titles. …
Otieno Aloka Group
…In our session with the Ohangla group he plays the orutu, the second major instrument of Luo music. The orutu consists of a hollow wooden box that has monitor lizard skin stretched over one side. The string used to be made from fibers of the sisal plants but is now made from a variety of repurposed materials, including bicycle brake cables. When played with a bow, orutu creates different notes determined by finger pressure against the central stic…
Upendo Jazz Group
The group is from the Murangi Village in the Mara Region and their community is Wajita and their style is Vidogori. They were founded in 1999. Their instruments included: Ngoma za Budogori (drums, with a kick) and Njiga (shakers from gourds). It is worth taking a minute on the drums. They were typical African drums, but set up Western Style on a steel rack and they leaned one large bass drum against the rack. The drummer then built a separate woo…
Singing Wells Sampler 2011 – 2013 Album
This is a special sampler album put together, which contains some of the best recordings and tracks we have made as part of the project. It includes field recordings, influences recordings made in the field, influences recordings made in the Ketebul studio in Nairobi and a special collaborative effort between Abubilla Music and some of the musicians recorded by The Singing Wells project.
Umoja Wa Kusini Group
…he ‘girlfriend will come back.’ Rushwa Magic Moment 1: just vocals Magic Moment 2: percussion Malalanga: this is about being quiet because a performance is starting Magic Moment 3: Francis singing ‘Alelewani’ solo. Alelewani with full group Mikocheni Makongwe Malowe Magic Moment 4: Daudi Fernando Joseph plays the drums in style of Mzee Morris…
Adagha Nalya Drama Group Group
…e. “Waiswa Mugudde”: A Dance song. This is the name of a first born male twin and the song is about a proverbial Waiswa of old who used to shy away from women. It is a common folk song. “Omuntu Kyakola”: When someone is jealous about what someone else is doing; when some one works hard, others want to bring you down. “Yoyenda”: The one you love. The song invites everyone to show who they love to the rest of the community. Performed at introduction…
Bungoma Roots Band Group
…2005 when all the members were young men at the Kumugui Secondary School, in the Michimeru Village. Wilbert and his school friends formed a band and competed with other school bands. They were quite good and had all their school fees paid for. During breaks from playing at the school they took up ‘Marketing’ and showed up at any events that were being held. The band members held day jobs, mostly in construction, and then would gig in the evening,…
Gacharaigu Gitiro Women Group Group
…then recorde a magic moment of the ladies and their leg shakers (Kigamba) – we did this twice, once with and one without the ladies humming (they needed to hum to get the beat right)….
4 the Mzinga Group
…Music of the Mijikenda Kilifi, Kenya Group Leader: Alfonce Kazungu; performers: Kii Chone, Charehe, Karisa Sirya, Kokoro, Moser, Jeph, Salalabi, Malimbo wangoa, Esther, Kadzo, Agnes, Zaimaba, Halima, Kanza…
Kirundo Group
…je – Tradition after the harvest. New composition. Mjomba – Uncle, celebrating the good hunt. New composition Uye – Come Back Please, used at a wake after someone is buried. New composition. Uringe – Be Proud. Old Traditional song Kyaso – old traditional Zanzibarian song of celebration Mnyamwana – Respect for women. New Composition. They sang in a combination of Hehe and Kigogo, both languages from mainland Tanzania, as well as Swahili. They had i…
Busolwe Post Test Club Group
…IV/Aids “Bamiisi Muwulire”: Listen People “Daudi”: The song is about a boy in the village that is going astray. The singers advise him to get a job and settle down and find a woman. “Mabega Dance”: The song is about when you see someone who is happy and you know they have good fortune. But when you see them unhappy you know they are having problems. Magic Moment featuring the Tube Fiddle and Flutes. The flute (Omulelel) player is George Wandela. T…
Bakuseka Majja Matta Group Group
…p: The group leader is 76 year old Nathan Matta Nyende. Nathan started playing in 1952 and was blinded in 1958 with an eye problem. Their style of music is Kisoga which both educates and entertains. The group are Fred Tavakumuwa on the tube fiddle; Kisame Ndaba on the thumb piano; Kirunda Awali on the flute and Nathan Matta Nyende, the lead vocalist and also playing the thumb piano. Song Meanings “Abalimperekera Baliba Muganda”: When I die, those…
Ndagwa Msanga Group
…ommunity. The group was formed in 1994 to encourage the young of the Wagogo tribe to embrace and appreciate their culture. Their style of music makes up all the musical styles of the Wagogo community. Their instruments are all about percussion: Ngoma (Drums) and Kayamba (Shakers). These young performers are amazing and if they are a sign, then the future of Tanzanian music is alive and well!…
All field reports have now been published and provide links to youtube videos! Story
…You can now see all Field Reports for February 2018 trip to Kenya. If you want to link directly to youtube videos you can do in field reports or go direct here. A detailed account of the trip written by Kahithe Kiiru is available here….