Day Zero: February 15, 2020 – Assemble in Zanzibar Story
…ands joined the Mainland Tanganyika and were subsumed to form Tanzania. Today, the population of the islands is over 98% Muslim. Second, one of our main partners for our trip was the Dhow Countries Music Academy. The “Dhow” is a traditional sailing vessel. We saw many on the waters around Zanzibar. The “Dhow Countries” are all the countries that have blown to Zanzibar and left their musical instruments, styles and influences. The Dhow C…
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…continue on for the next 10 years so that this music continues to inspire new artists and new audiences. Discovering “The Voice”: Jovah With this in mind, we come to our favourite Singing Wells moment: discovering the voice of Jovah. Jovah is a singer as part of the Mperwa Dancers, a group of Batwa people who were unfortunately forced to leave their forest home. We met Jovah on our field trip to Uganda in 2013 and were instantly blown away by her…
Group 5: Ababeramuco Group Story
…ing who needs clothes and tells the people to find the animals to make him new clothes made of leather and fur. There’s a distinctive action in the song that means: “I’m finished, it’s done!” This is sung like a story being told. In the first take he threw a bell shaker on the ground with an exclamation of “It’s done!!” In the final take the bell throwing was taken out as it interfered with the vocals but the intention is still obvious. The songs…
Field Recording Report by Kahithe Kiiru Story
…group called “Webuye Jua Kali” up to 2009, when he founded his own group. Today the group counts 5 members who play the following instruments: LITUNGU – a 7-string traditional lyre; ISIRILI – a one-string fiddle; LUENGELE– a percussive idiophone, they use a wooden stool struck with wooden sticks; ENG’OMA – a generic term for drums, they use a plastic water container also struck with wooden sticks; CHISASI – shakers made out of gourds. We recorded…
Pius Wafula Group
…group called “Webuye Jua Kali” up to 2009, when he founded his own group. Today the group counts 5 members who play the following instruments: LITUNGU – a 7-string traditional lyre; ISIRILI – a one-string fiddle; LUENGELE– a percussive idiophone, they use a wooden stool struck with wooden sticks; ENG’OMA – a generic term for drums, they use a plastic water container also struck with wooden sticks; CHISASI – shakers made out of gourds. We recorded…
Tarajazz Group
…rican rhythms such as Msewe and Kyaso (both from 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…
Group 4: Urugangaze Ballet Story
…y known as the Batwa). All regions have their own variation on this dance. Today’s was smooth, expressive and with the performers (all men) giving it 100% with face as well as body movements. Intore (“Warrior Dance”) – another traditional dance that we saw with the Inganzo Ngari group, this warrior dance had plenty of fun solos as the warriors showed off their skills to one another, chatting in between so it had the feel of a scene, not just a dan…
Day One: January 18, 2019. Assemble in Tanzania Story
Today is a travel day. The main Ketebul crew (Steve, Patrick, Drix) left Nairobi early to drive to Kisumu, while Tabu flew with Jimmy and Hunter to Kisumu (Jimmy and Hunter arrived from London on the 17th. We all met at the Kenya/Nairobi border and after two hours, cleared the border and drove to Tarime, where we met Jackline Odhiambo Aringo (Jackie Akinyi), a Tanzanian musician who helped organize our trip (see our interview with Jackie here). W…
Group 3: Makanyaga Abdul Story
…Hamdan, Mak Junior, joined him in the performances. The entire band we saw today consists of: Makanyaga Abdul – singer and guitar Fataki Hamdan, Makanyaga Jr – singer Wenga Abdul Karim – singer and percussion Tabana David – guitar Nizeyimana Abed – guitar Akimana Methoucela – percussion Ngarukiyintwali Jean de Dieu – singer Lutagengwa Francoise – singer and dancer Songs we heard today: Urukundo rurambuye – meaning Endless Love, a love song Garuka…
Kidedeya Group
…Freestyle Magic Moment: Omusingero again…
Day Zero: 6 March 2022 – Travel To Stream Story
…n. Travel to Stream After one week’s training and familiarization with the new software and equipment, we took the road to Western Kenya on the morning of Sunday, 6 March 2022. The Ketebul Music team met at our new 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 circle…
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…n and celebrate the extraordinary cultural music heritage of the region and to help make this legacy relevant and fresh to today’s audiences.”…
Group 9: Impara Band Story
…for women getting married. Telling them not to cry, that they will have a new life and will create a new family. Traditionally marriages were arranged and the bride would meet her husband for the first time on her wedding day. She would be scared and sad to leave her family. Ntugasaze, “Never Get Old”. Traditional song about the appreciation of the elders and all they have done in their lives. Nyiramariza, a girl’s name. Traditional song about a…
Zam Zam Group
…, in Rahaleo. All male group ranging from age 7 up to 40, ten all together today. They sing Islamic and secular songs for weddings and celebrations. It was mainly an acapello performance with one flute made out of a bamboo stick. The singers included: Ibrahim Ali Hassan (lead singer, flute ), Issa Ali Hassan (lead singer), Mlenge Ali Hassan, Othman Mlenge Ali, Afann Mlenge Ali, Iddi Abdallah Mohd, Abdillah Salum Juma (lead singer), Fesal Sleiman M…
Group 6: Sudi Mavenge Story
…om Cuba. He is mainly known for his love songs, some of which he performed today. We had a quick chat with Sudi’s son Shukran, who told us he’s been playing guitar with his father since he was twelve (and indeed was taught by him to play), but who also sings and today he played percussion. Sudi’s other guitarist also used a set of drumsticks as his own percussion, tapping them together for a beat. We recorded the following songs: Ku Minini – this…
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