Adungu Instrument
The Adungu is a stringed instrument we encountered in Northern Uganda. We also recorded an Adungu group in Kampala, as we passed back through on the way to Entebbe. It is an arched harp instrument with between 7 and 10 or more strings. They vary in size between smaller instruments, played close to the body and the larger bass adungu, on which the player can sit. The sound box is commonly covered in animal hide, and is also at times used as a…
Uganda: Music from the Central and Eastern Region Gallery
…Images from the Singing Wells field recording visit to Uganda 2013. Our journey took us from Entebbe to Kampala, Kidinda, Bukada, Mbale, Jinja and the small village of Idudi near Iganga where we recorded music of the Baganda, Bagisu, Bagwere, Basoga and Banyoli. We were fortunate to receive sponsorship from The Mara Group and Gorilla Tours for this visit and many of our photos feature our thank you message to both organisations. …
Day Zero: 6 March 2022 – Travel To Stream Story
…ew offices at the GoDown Arts Centre on Kayahwe Road off Dennis Pritt by 9:00am. It took us an hour to load the van with the equipment and our personal effects. On our team was Tobias Odhiambo (or Shunkyz as he is known in the music circles) as soundman in charge of the technical aspects of the recordings. Shunkyz was assisted by Fiston Lusambo, a Briton of Congolese origin and guitarist with the London-based Afriquoi Musical group. The video sect…
Day Four: 10 March 2022 (Rongo) Story
…at he has become, gave an exemplary performance without any re-takes. By 7:00pm his session was completed and he was on his way back to Kisii County. The next group was Otacho Young Stars who began their performance at 8:00pm. Otacho Young Stars were also no strangers since we recorded them in 2011 as part of the Singing Wells project. These musicians are now in their 30s and no longer answer to the name Young Stars and are appropriately simply kn…
Uganda: Music of the Northern Tribes Gallery
Images from the Singing Wells trip to Northern Uganda, Kampala and Entebbe where we recorded the music of the Acholi, Alur and Iteso tribes. The journey started in Entebbe where we collected two vehicles to take the team to towns and villages in the north of the country including Gulu, Pakwach, Nebbi and Soroti. After 5 days recording in the north we returned to Kampala to record two more groups based near Naguru which perform in the traditional…
3. Background of the Naizungwe drums Story
…m which they come: Where do they originally come from and who played them? Uganda has about 65 ethnic societies according to the 1995 constitution. Each ethnic society had a way it was organized socially before the advent of colonialism. Most of the societies were and still are organized on clan system. One ethnic society has a number of clans where each clan has a leader – clan leader. Each of those clans had identifying regalia and one of them a…
Influences songs from Singing Wells Group
…recording visit we are joined by a talented musician who works with us on ‘Influences’ songs. They work with us in the field and also in the Ketebul Music studios in Nairobi to produce this new material. We believe our Influences series will refresh the origins of East African music and make it discoverable to a new generation of music fans….
Kidinda Cultural Group Group
…Music in the Kidinda style using the Amadinda, a 22 slab xylophone which was historically an instrument which could only be played in front of the King. Original group founders are: Sulayiman Sserubiri and Kiwuwa Buruhan The group are from Kidinda, Uganda…
Hannah Calascione Staff Profile
…the all important context for the songs and dances we will be recording in the field. …
Victoria Denison Staff Profile
…ublicity and social media and website development. She has a passion for photography and has joined all three Singing Wells trips to Uganda (in 2011, 2012 and 2013) as a volunteer photographer & videographer….
Day Three: February 18, 2020 (Stonetown, Mpendae, Maungani) Story
…rom Zanzibar) with Singeli (a new tribal rhythm). Taarab came from early 1800’s as Egyptian music. In Zanzibar the Mother of Taarab, Siti Binti Saad, made Taarab more popular in the 1920’s to 1950’s. We spoke to Hassan Mahenge, the assistant director of this band. He is a teacher at the DCMA. He teaches the Oud and plays the saxophone. All the students at the DCMA study traditional music such as Taarab as well as Western music. Members of the grou…
Patrick Ondiek Staff Profile
…really love tribal music. So when the Singing Wells project offered him a new opportunity to discover the music roots of East Africa, Pato jumped at the chance. Why? “First, I love the exposure to different cultures – even my own. I have never heard a lot of the tribal music, even around my own villages. Our trip to Nyanza in November blew me away. I have never heard music like that. My favourite performance was by Okumu K’Orengo. I was so moved….
Field Recording Report by Kahithe Kiiru Story
…trative areas of Samia district. Ekhunjwe ya Abasamia was formed in April 2008 with common focus on using music as a tool for community development. The group promotes traditional African values and acts in both education and local economy. Members also engage in traditional crafts like basket weaving and jewellery making for exhibition and sale. Their chairman, Mr. Bwire, also chairs the County Culture Committee and says he is “biased towards eth…
Day Two: 8 March 2022 (Ilesi) Story
…g session was finally figured out the actual recording started at about 17:00 hours. The three sisters and their two brothers have pleasantly matured musically and it was really encouraging to see them helping to keep their father’s legacy alive. All was done a few minutes to 8:00pm. After the routine photo shoot the Obasie Palnyang brothers and sisters were off to their serene village in Kodedema, close to the Kenya-Uganda border. After the long…
Waroco Tewaro Group
…Music of the Acholi Paibona Tugu village, Awach, Northern Uganda…
Likembe Instrument
…band. The Rubanga Kingom Awach Boys are a full likembe band, with about 8-10 likembe players in each performance. Their likembes range from 6 to 20 inches, with the largest played on an over turned tub so that the bass notes resonate. They play songs about war and disease which so often affected their communities in the recent past. We next came across the likembe when we encountered the Macedonia Band, also with 8 likembe players. Their bass like…