The Entenga Drums: Part 1 Story
…essentially plays the melody, but not the bass notes. He is generally the best drummer and we were blessed to have Shaban as our Omukoonezi, a life-long professional drummer who led the group. He also admitted that learning the Entenga was the hardest drumming role he’s ever had. To the left of the ‘starter’, is the OMUNAZI, who plays the 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th and sometimes 5th. And yes, you’ve now noticed. The drummers overlap, playing the drums of…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11:An Interview with Gregg Story
…sustainable development is to keep folks rooted in their villages and the best villages are those with a vibrant musical community. This puts the soul, the software at the top of the developmental agenda. Have folks realised this? SW: What is your advice to us? GT: In the context of the vital importance of this, I ask myself ‘what is the future of this?’ What if there was no Abubilla Music Foundation then what happens to this project? My advice i…
The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music Story
…lso received numerous musicians eager to experiment with Kenyan styles and Western-based researchers anxious to locate a local music archive. Melodica produced Juma Odundo, Adams Nyahone and Ochieng’ Kabaselleh, a Luo pop artist who occasionally teamed up with Laban Juma Toto, formerly of the Hodi Boys band, to produce some of the best rumba melodies sang in the Luo language. Kabaselleh’s love for rumba saw him adopt the name of Congo’s celebrated…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…lapperboard’s’ job (Nick’s) is to ensure that all audio and video instruments are running and then he announces the song/take and claps the clapperboard. He must brief the group to allow him to get off camera before they start this song. We have tried multiple briefings on this and find the best is to simply ask them to wait for Nick to say he’s ‘off camera’ before they begin. But still, we have a lot of Video 1 footage of Nick racing off camera w…
Latest Field Trip – Kenya 2018 News
…We’ve returned from our latest field trip, this time to western Kenya. Field reports coming soon….
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 2 – Muranga to Kangema to Nkubu Story
…sical styles. While this is being done, the video team picks the site (for best visual impact, performance area, quietness) and then audio and video set up as a single team. Song Recording The interview team then gives the gives ‘Mr Clapperboard’ the song list and introduce the group to the audio/video team. Mr Clapperboard then confirms each song with the group leader, writes down all group/song/take information, and kicks of song. In order, audi…
Central Uganda: Day 7 – A Magic Day in Entebbe Story
…Our best day. We never leave the hotel but create new music with wonderful vistors: Matia Kakumirizi, Passy and Charles from the Kika Boys Cultural Troupe, Jovah and Jacinta….
Central Uganda: Day 6: Kampala to Entebbe Story
…rp, where there are only 3 master players) and the endongo (Bow Lyre). His best moment was playing for Ronald Mwenda Mutebi’s wedding in 1998. The band members include: Kigozi Daudi: Emburtu (big drum) Steven Ssebuufu: Amadinda and endingidi Kyakonye dodovic: Engalabi (long drum) They played seven songs: Ggangalwa: A king servant tried to play with the princess. All women in the palace, however, are controlled and possessed by the king. He was pun…
Central Uganda: Day 5 – Jinja to Kampala Story
…g her school life she was best dancer in 2007 and 2010 in high school, and best dancer in her university in 2010 and 2011. Musoke Meddy: He is a senior member of Nile Beat and the treasurer in group. Meddy was voted the best dancer in the Uganda in 2004 and in 2008. The Group performed five songs: Ikobo Kobo: The name is a type of herb. It is a song about a girl who is very bitter because her mother will not let her play with her friends freely. T…
Central Uganda: Day 4 – Jinja Story
…ed a few beers and stayed in one of the cottages telling stories about our best Singing Wells moments, only some of which had to do with the music. The group then divided roughly along age lines on the fundamental issue of fish vs. sleep. Tabu, Jimmy, Andy and Vicki voted sleep and we had food delivered to our cottages, ate and went to bed early. Steve, Patrick, Jacinta, Nick and Robert voted fish and went off the local casino for ‘the best fish i…
A Tanzanian Effort to Salvage the Music of the Past News
…allen out of fashion in recent years, with most Tanzanian youth preferring Western imports. “My music is no longer on the radio. That’s why people don’t know about it anymore”, he laments. “There needs to be more of an effort to teach young people 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…
Central Uganda: Day 3 – From Mbale to Iganga to Jinja Story
…anzi, pan pipes The performance was simply spectacular. Our search for the best xylophone players in Uganda is declared over! What a group. Obutasoma (Education), with lead singer Muniru Ayubu Obwiire Bukyeire (The Time Has Come), with lead singer Kisubi Eliasa Magic Moment: We loved the xylophone and asked the group to replay a minute of Obwiire Bukyeire, with only the xylophone. We asked Vicki to climb in next to the bass notes, so she could get…
Kenya’s Amazing Musical Instruments News
…p called The Young Stars in the village of Rongo, not far from Homa Bay in western Kenya. Watch them here: Burkandit The Burkandit is a type of home-made guitar that features in Kalenjin music. We saw one being played in 2012 by the masterful Ben Kisinja in Kapsokwony, not far from Kitale. At the time Ben was joined by a percussionist playing the karachimek, which is essentially two sticks laid on the ground and played by two more sticks. Of cours…
Central Uganda: Day 2 – Kampala to Budaka Story
…about this group were the beautiful vocal harmonies; this was some of the 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 Mabeg…
Who’s looking at you? Story
…This little fan joined us along Lake Victoria to record some of the best Nyatiti players in Kenya in November 2011….
Rediscovering Afropop and its influences News
…ts – particularly some musical instruments and recording techniques – from Western music. Last week I was in a taxi driving through Nairobi’s Westlands and talking to a girl about Sauti Sol – one of Kenya’s most popular bands. She described their music as ‘Afropop’, a contemporary music genre that combines traditional African music and Western popular music. Afropop influences The Sauti Sol band members have named a musician that influences them a…