From African Twist to Benga News
…tion between the music of their villages and modern music. They were the founders of Benga, the African Twist, Luhyia ‘Omutibo’ and the ‘Yoddeling’ sound adapted by the Kikuyu musicians of the ’60s. We dedicated six days of studio time at Ketebul Music in Nairobi to record this set of legendary musical artistes, all of whom are now in their 60s and 70s and are critical to Kenyan music history. We are very proud of this unique album and hope you en…
Music Depositories and Archives around the World News
…funding had dried up. His son, Andrew Tracey, took over as Director and Rhodes University, in the East Cape province of South Africa, agreed to host the ILAM. Its aims are ‘to discover, record, analyze, and archive the music of sub-Saharan Africa, with the object of establishing a theory of music making in Africa and assessing the social, cultural, and artistic values of African music’ and, as it is owned, with the exception of the instrument coll…
A History of Recording East African Music News
…al richness – was worth preserving. Hugh Tracey 1903 – 1977 Arriving in Rhodesia – now Zimbabwe – in 1921 with his brother, who had been awarded land after his efforts in World War 1, the young man of only 18 years old had the foresight of a wise elder. He was surrounded by disdain for African culture from the Christian missionaries, who forbade the playing of the mbira, due to the pagan themes of ancestor worship and the insurrectional ideas glea…
Promotion of Batwa Culture/Music: UOBDU report Nov 2013 News
…res used by UOBDU tourism committee that executed the work of purchase and designing the costumes and instruments for all the six groups. On 7th January 2013 the team identified the two service providers who were used by the organized before to design T-shirts and wrappers clothes for UOBDU dancers. On 18th January 2013 both service providers delivered their work to UOBDU and receive their payments. Each Batwa group were able to receive 12 T-shirt…
James Isabirye and Tabu Osusa Discuss East African Music News
…I think another reason is we were all taught to aspire to a “White Man’s identity.” This goes way back. I remember by Grandmother used to always greet me saying ‘Welcome back from school.’ It was very important that I went to school and she could say loudly in the village that her grandson was home from school. She used to ask me how my English lessons were. I would have to say, ‘Hello. Thank you. Please’ and she didn’t understand a word but she…
The Birara Batwa Community Story
…e young ones in order to promote and preserve the Batwa culture which includes music and dance.” Listen to the music of the Birara Dancers This is a song recorded for the Influences series – Francis singing Inanga Nyamunini accompanied by Jesse Bukinda from Ketebul Music on guitar This is the song ‘Uganda’ performed by the Batwa women and recorded in the Ketebul studios: How you can help the Birara Batwa Community The Birara Batwa continue to be a…
The Batwa Community Story
…hunter-gatherers, are widely acknowledged to have been the first human residents of the forest areas which stretch across much of what is now Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC. In recent history however, the Batwa have become a displaced and largely forgotten ethnic group and their traditional culture and way of life is threatened with extinction. The Batwa community first became fragmented as other ethnic groups populated their homelands, cutting b…
The Key to Sustainable Aid in Africa? Perhaps we should follow the music. News
…ce the village has broken down, and you are supporting people on the move, desperately seeking camps to get urgent care, you are facing, by definition, unsustainable aid. You are solving critical and urgent needs, of course, but these solutions are not sustainable. Rather than encourage the drift to cities, maybe we should be encouraging families to thrive in healthy villages. As one writer on the topic concludes: Critical factors in the relations…
Alice’s story Story
…d to sponsor her through her first year at secondary school. Another NGO, the Bwindi and Mgahinga Impenetrable Forest Conservation Trust, then supported Alice to the end of Senior 4. During her A Level studies she was supported initially by UOBDU and then ADRA once again. Finally, Alice attended Bugema University near Kampala where she gained her diploma in Development Studies and became the first university graduate from the Batwa community. She…
The Influences Series from Singing Wells News
…Singing Wells team embarks on a field 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. Newly released Influences song – Missing March 2013 saw the release…
The origins of Singing Wells Story
…generations dancing together in their village. Andy Patterson, who helped design the mobile studio, noted, ‘I’m a sound engineer and used to recording in professional studios, but I must say, my favourite studios are the ones we create in these villages where even the chickens that wander on to the set add hugely to the essence of the recording.’ So, we piloted the project on Kenya’s Coastal Region around Malindi and Mombasa and have now travelle…
‘Missing’ – Singing Wells fundraising song for 2013 News
…March 2013 saw the release of an original track from Abubilla Music, re-mixed for the Influences series. The song is called (The only thing that’s) Missing and it was first recorded for the Abubilla Music album Misery Marmalade and other Spanish Jams. Here is the video of the new ‘Influences’ version, featuring musicians from Kenya, Uganda and the UK collaborating in this a unique song to celebrate and support Singing Wells….
Meet our ‘Influences’ artists News
…c begin long before he first touched an instrument. He was born in what he describes as an ordinary family in a modest country side setting. Coming from a musical family, he spent most of his childhood enjoying the influences of jazz, soul and pop artists at the time. His greatest influence was of course Michael Jackson, not only for his musical composition but for his unique sound. Find Eddie Grey on Facebook here. Eddie Grey recording with Ben K…
Day 8: Entebbe to Nairobi and Ketebul Studios Story
…have been replaced by chicken feathers. Traditional axesa are now cheap wooden replicas. This is not the performers fault – the traditional costumes are expensive and hard to access sustainably. This requires government intervention and while we say committed performers it is clear they are struggling. On the positive side, I was incredibly impressed with how well the village elders have engaged the next generation. Every village had a group of yo…
Promotion of Batwa cultural music: UOBDU report March 2013 News
…members met six Batwa dancing groups from different communities which includes among others Birara, Mperwa, Kanyabukungu. Mikingo, Gatera and Kabahenda from Kisoro district. This report therefore shows various progresses from different Batwa groups. Monitoring Monitoring was done by UOBDU staff who were designated the Singing Wells Project. The two staff (Neza and Alice) worked hand in hand with a committee of tourism in UOBDU to make sure that al…
Day 7 (pm): Recording at the Airport Guesthouse, Entebbe Story
…Map) Introducing the band… Nyeko Newton, the youngest, is a 19 year old student and Acholi, born and raised in Kampala. He talked of his life at high school, playing rugby and studying ICT, Finance and History. He played percussion and the Likembe (thumb piano) very well during the course of the evening, and has enjoyed playing music his whole life. He accompanies Watmon’s group which plays Acholi style music (as they are from the North). Whilst t…