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…
The Entenga Drums: Part 1 Story
…much get the whole tune. The other drummers have specific roles, but not independent of these two parts. The second most accomplished drummer takes on this role and we were blessed with Mwondha. To the left of the Omunazi, we have the OMWAWUZI, playing 7th, 6th, 4th, 5th and 3rd. The Omwawuzi is directly linked to the starter, the Omukoonezi. When Shaban describes this he refers to the starter as 1 and the Omwawuzi as 3 and points out that in a so…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11:An Interview with Gregg Story
…e. It wasn’t even really thanking us. It was simply their joy. It was very deep. And it made me think back to my village life. When we gathered for big celebrations, the entire village took to the road to walk for miles to a central location. We walked all night. And we sang all night. The old people walking with the children, all of us singing. And now we have a nice road that probably gets us to that site in 20 minutes by car. But what have we l…
The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music Story
…cuum in the leadership of the Luna Kidi band which he founded almost three decades earlier. By the mid-1970s, studio recording in Nairobi and a handful of other towns was big business. Big studios like Andrew Crawford and Polygram had set up shop in the capital. Polygram, which was based in Nairobi’s Industrial Area, later held record-pressing monopoly. Other big music labels locally were EMI and CBS, and these attracted artists from as far away a…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 4 – Nkubu to Mukuuni to Nairobi Story
…ook lots of final pictures, including of three children, practically our only children from the trip! We packed for a final time and departed for Nairobi. We made pretty good time to Ketebul music, where we unloaded our gear. Then we headed for the Fairview, a 20 minute drive that took about 90 minutes due to traffic! We all crashed early knowing we had almost a week in the studio starting tomorrow morning!…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…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. Muturi Wa Wandindi His actual name is Geoffrey Mutwiri, Mbara…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 2 – Muranga to Kangema to Nkubu Story
…the groups have heard themselves over speakers and will be the first recording they have. We then breakdown final mixing desk and depart….
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 1 – Nairobi to Kiongwe to Muranga Story
…is typically ‘super zoom’ or actually a wide angle shot to get a feel of the recording site. Typically, a final mix will be 90% Video 1, 8% Video 2 and 2% Video 3….
Central Uganda: Day 7 – A Magic Day in Entebbe Story
…working out a guitar part. So first, we recorded the two of them. Then, we decided that if she was writing about hearing the sounds of African music, she should hear the sounds. So James worked with Jovah on a beautiful line, where she sang about the Batwa people being driven from the parks. Then Passy worked on a separate melody line followed by James. So Andy started, Jovah then sang her line for a while and Passy joined followed by James. And t…
A Tanzanian Effort to Salvage the Music of the Past News
…recorded between the 1960s and 1980s, which has been literally rotting for decades in the moulding archives of the Tanzanian Broadcasting Corporation. Some has already deteriorated to the point where it’s unplayable, and the rest will suffer the same fate if nothing is done. The music they’re trying to save, called muziki wa dansi (“dance music” in Swahili), is not just catchy and danceable (although it certainly is); it’s also an essential part o…
Central Uganda: Day 6: Kampala to Entebbe Story
…grown to love. Students walked everywhere with packs. We set up in the garden of James’s class room, under big trees, in tall grass. It had rained the night before and morning so everything was glistening. The Music Groups Bukaala Twesitule Troupe Their Leader is Charles Ikula and they were started in 1991, with over 200 members, 50 of whom are active. Musical style is Baganda. Group performs in different areas, mainly engaged in advocation and s…
Central Uganda: Day 5 – Jinja to Kampala Story
…that she should never play in the rain. Amagombe: This is a song about the death of the leader’s father. He wrote it after his father’s death. 95% of the song is about what his father told him before he died. Ebibira: This song talks about the dangers of deforestation. The forest is where the spirits of the fore fathers can rest. If you destroy the forests, you destroy their homes so they will be loitering around and the living won’t have any peac…
Interview: fusion band Ndoto Afrika News
…t’s just home’. A home we have known all our life. So, for us, it’s the pride we derive in the motherland that makes us focus our effort in restoring the almost-lost glory of our cultural music. We just want our great grandchildren to have an idea of what it was like in the days of their grandparents, and hope that is not too much to wish for. Who are your musical influences? Right now, it will have to be Eric Wainana, Otieno Aloka, Gee (The Gambi…
Central Uganda: Day 4 – Jinja Story
…ry purposes is to restore the Bigwala, the big Ugandan trumpet, to Ugandan musical culture. According to our local musical expert, James Isabirye, it was close to dead, but a Unesco project has helped to draw attention to the group by pointing out the instruments and its players are threatened with extinction. He also says there is a horn shortage because people don’t grow the right kind of gourds in the right shape – so he has a standing order th…
Before They Pass Away News
…nities face: constant threats of displacement from their land, potentially deadly diseases brought by newcomers, and loss of the habitat on which they rely. It’s now more important than ever to understand, respect and celebrate the world’s indigenous cultures and remaining tribes, before it’s too late. To find out more information about Jimmy’s work visit http://www.beforethey.com/. Do you know of a music group that Singing Wells should be working…
Central Uganda: Day 3 – From Mbale to Iganga to Jinja Story
…tually visited his brother in law who was jealous of him as a chief. So he decided to poison him. Sinairi Mukhana: The person who killed Paul was a Wanyera. He had killed a chief because he was jealous of him. During the burial he pretended to be sad, but the family members of Paul recognized what was going on and organized to murder him. It’s a song about retaliation. Tabu said of Mazune, “I think he is amazing. He has one of those older traditio…