The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music Story
…African countries—Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania—covering an area of over 68,000 square kilometers. The Luo who live around its shores in Kenya speak a western Nilotic tongue distinctly different from their Bantu neighbours to the north and south, and their Kalenjin distant cousins to the east. The Luo comprise close to 3 million people. Their forefathers migrated south from the Bahr al Ghazal region in what is today know as Southern Sudan in a stead…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11: Ketebul Studios, Nairobi Story
…Osala on guitar and Enos Okola on percussion; they played throughout the ’60’s and ’70’s. Their style was linked to three part harmonies, two finger picked guitars and a ‘fanta bottle percussionist.’ In the 80’s, Shem formed a new band, Les Bunyore , before reforming Abana ba Nasery in the ’90’s. We recorded six songs with him. Muhanna Mulando Obuyanzi Kali Munda Olubo Mary Queen John Nzanze One of the founders of “African Twist”, John enjoyed a m…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…stream. The Music Groups Mariene Traditional Dancers This group formed in 2003 and is led by Simon Munuki. They are from the Ameru Ethnic Community. Their musical style is Kirarire and Authi. The lead singer wears Murungi, an ornament on both sides of the arms which is worn by the initiator/circumciser; it signifies a man of respect and authority. Their costumes include Lesos, necklaces, face painting, spears, fly whisks, gourds, and head gear, ca…
Naizungwe Drums News
…our revival of the entenga royal drums of the Buganda kingdom starting in 2015 and contacted Singing Wells with the hope that we would support him with funding for his new project. We are excited to announce that we have agreed to support James in his endeavours and will be posting about the project’s development, which has been under way for a month now. We will be documenting the progress of these drums with pictures and videos here, and more…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 2 – Muranga to Kangema to Nkubu Story
After a quick breakfast, we loaded up and departed at 09:00 for a 10:00 session in Kangema. Here’s our map: Our first joy was the site of Mount Kenya as we hit the road. We met our local contact, Jane Kagai, and then travelled to the KCC area, a lovely field about 100 meters below the road. While a lot easier than the hill we faced in Kisoro (SW Uganda), we nonetheless had to take our 44 bags down to the site. We set up under a tree and recording…
Entenga: Performing twice for the king of Buganda News
…e then invited to shake hands with the king, and upon learning that James knew ethnomusicologist Peter Cooke, the king invited them to the palace to perform. They performed the song “Ganga alula”, a version of which we recorded during our visit in 2016. James played the Kyawakati and Entemyo, John Ssempeke played the Nakawombe and the younger boys played the rest of the drums. This is a wonderful story for the Entenga players, and it is really enc…
Central Uganda: Day 7 – A Magic Day in Entebbe Story
…no better than the other Batwa so I thank you for choosing me. I am happy 1000 times over. My message represents the rest of the Batwa people. I listened to the recording of my song – it was so nice, so sweet.’ But we had one last special treat of music. We then played for Jovah an influences session with Eddie Grey, where he produced Inyange. We played it back to her and she danced with her new baby, Gerald, for the full song. She said that her h…
A Tanzanian Effort to Salvage the Music of the Past News
…about the music of the past, so they will like it.” With an estimated 250,000 hours of material on reel-to-reel tapes and vinyl records, some of it in an advanced state of decay, the task of the Tanzania Heritage Project is certainly a daunting one. But Benson is convinced that once it’s made available, his fellow Tanzanians will rediscover their love for muziki wa dansi. Nor is it just about Tanzania; Benson also has a bigger point to prove abou…
Central Uganda: Day 6: Kampala to Entebbe Story
…sunny and hot. We cooked. Buganda Music Ensemble The Group was founded in 2004, led by Albert Bisaso Ssempeke Jr. Son of Dr. Albert Senior, a legend. Music style: Kiganda. Dr Albert Ssempeke, father of Junior was a legend. He was a palace performer for the King. Albert Jr’s grandfather was a palace gatekeeper and flute player in the palace. Albert Junior started to play at 10 years old and his father taught him all the main instruments – he plays…
Discussions with Peter Cooke: ethnomusicologist and Ugandan music expert News
…Peter’s work to record the King’s musicians of the Buganda Kingdom in the 60s and 80s. You can listen to some of those recordings here. Here, too, is a full list of Peter’s work on African music. We asked Peter to tell us a little more about his time working with Musisi in the 60s. “In 1967, as head of Music at Kyambogo and at the suggestion of the wonderful young musician Bulasio Busuulwa, one of the former royal flute players, who was already wo…
Before They Pass Away News
…ing weeks or months immersing himself in the tribe’s way of life. In Papua New Guinea, for example, Jimmy met with the Kalam tribe who decorate themselves with masks, wigs and plants to scare off potential enemies. In Vanuatu, he witnessed the traditional dance ceremonies that tribal people believe is crucial to gaining wealth. In Papua New Guinea’s highlands, he recorded how the Huli people shave their heads when they become a man, and continue t…
Central Uganda: Day 3 – From Mbale to Iganga to Jinja Story
…the local mountain) Ngoma (generic term for drums) Troupe and starting in 2009 played all sorts of functions that would bring money in to support the band members, all of which live on the premises. Shortly after, a friend of Julius’s donated some brass instruments and Julius started a brass band, called the Elgon Hero Brass Band. When you combine the two bands, the traditional and the new brass sound, Julius says, they blew audiences’ minds. As t…
Happy new year from Singing Wells News
…e Singing Wells project overall. Here’s Tabu’s interview. 6. We surpassed 500,000 YouTube hits! In September 2015 we were delighted to see we had surpassed 500,000 hits on the Singing Wells YouTube channel. Our channel features videos from our trips across Kenya and Uganda, including visiting the tribes of the Kenyan Coast, Central and Eastern Uganda, our work to share the music of the Batwa community and the Luo community. We’ve told the story of…
Central Uganda: Day 2 – Kampala to Budaka Story
…he best choral singing we’ve heard at Singing Wells. The group started in 2001 and perform in HIV sensitization sessions twice a month and other ceremonies such as weddings, introductions, and Cultural Competitions, the most well-known of which is sponsored by the beer Senator. Their trainer is Paul Mwima and they originate from Bunyole, Butaleja District. Their style is Mabega Dance. Their costumes were the Gomesi, Ebikooyi, and then they had ski…
Central Uganda: Day 1 – From Entebbe to Kidinda Story
…Nandi Kulamudde: This is the story of the older, dead king, talking to the new king. He offers to help the new king but complains that first someone will need to wake him up. The Amadinda percussion reminded us a lot of the Likembe bands of Northern Uganda— very soothing and seductive rhythms. For the last two songs they were joined by Passy Nassonko the lead female singer of the Kika Boys Cultural Troupe (our second group). We talked to James Isa…
Rediscovering Afropop and its influences News
…nal musicians it makes our work even more poignant. For example, in March 2014 2014, Ketebul Music and The Abubilla Music Foundation came together to record some of the most important ‘bridge’ artists in Kenya – a group of people who have built a connection between the music of their villages and modern music. These were the founders of Benga, among other genres. Just as Daudi Kabaka’s Benga music influenced Sauti Sol, our hope is that by recordin…