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…s and songwriters to show how this “traditional” music is still relevant into today’s modern world. Below you will find links to the musical loops we have selected that are available to download for the project, If you are interested in joining the Global Influences Project, you can download the project brief here or get in touch with us with any questions you may have. SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS PROJECT ARE NOW CLOSED. Click here to access the Global…
FAQ’s Page
…either volunteers or are personally funded. No third party donor money is used to support their expenses). Who owns the Singing Wells recordings? The ownership of the original songs remains with the performers who receive a performance gratuity from Singing Wells. They give consent for us to publish the material on the Singing Wells website and other digital media which is free to access. Any money received from the sale or commercial use of Sing…
Day Two: February 17, 2020 (Stonetown) Story
Our second day we drove into Stone Town. We recorded the first two groups at the Emerson Spice Hotel along the seaside. This hotel is an Arab style hotel, reminiscent of the rhiads in Marrakech with lots of small courtyards. In the Emerson Spice Hotel we filmed the first two groups in a courtyard usually used for meals in the hotel. While it became very hot as the sun hit the stage for the second group, the overall setting was beautiful –…
Field Recording Report by Kahithe Kiiru Story
…est hits, songs that any Kenyan can easily identify with: “Kweli Ndugu”; “Mtoto si Nguo”; “Sengula Nakupenda”; “Kunywa Kidogo” and “Watu Wanasema Uongo”. Fadhilee’s reaction to this last session was worth the wait, as he discovered the author of “Kweli Ndugu”, a song he had done a cover of years ago. Therefore, we recorded one last Influences with Fadhilee playing the song alongside Mukabi. The day was closed with a photo session ringing together…
Global Influences Project: Artist Submissions Page
…more of the genre.” We love that this project is inspiring modern artists to use these traditional rhythms, sounds and beats to influence their upcoming work. You can follow Kimani on instagram at @devonte6749 BEATS BY MAGGY X RUBANGA KINGDOM AWACH BOYS This week’s submission for the #GlobalInfluncesProejct is another amazing track that makes you want to get up on your feet! We love this submission from Beats by Maggy, a producer based in Nakuru,…
Day Five: January 22, 2019 Mwanza Continued Story
…We recorded four performances: Wachumba Walya: A song about someone who is too mean-spirited to support his community even though he has lots of money, it is about a man “who eats along, without his brother’ Ntelela Engoma: A song about living with respect to traditional ways Basigazi Fura Emyende: A song about overcoming all of life’s challenges by working together Mwije Tuzane: We filmed this freestyle, where the group encourages the audience to…
Day 6: Thursday, February 23rd, 2017 Story
…Victoria Park After a late night at the concert, we got up early and drove to Victoria Park to record Umoja Wa Kusini, lead by Francis Daudi Njawa (Chichi). Victoria Park is similar to a park we used in Kampala. It contains many village huts built in many styles. Umoja Wa Kusini is about 13 years old and is a very experienced dance troupe of the Mdomdu style. They are originally from the village of Msanga and the Wanyamwezi. All the dancers where…
Day 3: Monday, 2017 February 20th Story
…here the porters who were carrying massive loads to be shipped finally got to stop and rest. Near Bagamoyo is the village of Kimara Ngombe where we recorded Toroka Uje, a drum and dance band. Toroka Uje Toroka UjeWe arrived just as they were tuning their drums, by fire, and quickly interviewed a band member, Steven Jonas about drum names. Steven is also known as “Tomato”, a name given to him because he fits so well in any band he joins, like a tom…
A Report by Professor James Isabirye – Indigenous music learning in contemporary contexts: Nurturing learner identity, agency, and passion News
…estoring the Royal Entenga Drummers, and is currently working on a project to restore the lost lyre, the Entongooli. You can read more about this project on our website here. We are very grateful to be partnered with such a visionary for the future, and protector of traditional East african music and instruments. We know that generations to come will be grateful for the work he has put in to continue these traditions. He has also written a report…
Our journey to the Royal Drums: in the words of James Isabirye Story
…layed the music, no new musicians knew the trumpets, farmers had forgotten how to grow the gourds used to make the trumpets, and the seeds were lost. That conversation started everything. We needed to revive these trumpets. I got UNESCO support, I got Singing Wells support and gradually, we formed a group. Singing Wells filmed them in 2013 and helped us tell their story. We also invested in the farmers – James Lugolole is coordinating them to grow…
Ketebul Music presents Shades of Benga Online News
…modern Kenyan music, examining external influences from the English waltz to Afro Cuban Rumba and how they helped mould new music styles across Africa. Rumba was brought to Eastern Africa via the itinerant Congolese musicians Edouard Masengo and Jean Bosco Mwenda who’s intricate guitar-picking styles largely shaped the present Kenyan sound, with the Benga playing a dominant role. Currently, you can get advance copies from Ketebul Music Studios or…
Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 4, Part 1 – Reflections Story
…re not empowered to create, to lead rich musical lives, to become artists, to use the palace as a stepping stone to develop their art further. They were brought into these palaces as young boys, and all they did was play music. In most cases they received no other education and in most cases they played until they could play no more and their ‘retirement pension’ was the salaries of the sons or grandsons they were able to train and bring into the…
The Revival of Ohangla Music! News
…icle about the revival of traditional Ohangla music from nation.co.ke, featuring one of our favourite Ohangla artists, Otieno Aloka. Giving A Trendy Sound To Traditional Ohangla Music Traditionally played at weddings and funerals, the music is having new life put into it by young artists like Otieno who use electronic production, combined with incredible musicianship, to create a whole new genre. Otieno’s song Kanungo Eteko is massive on Youtube,…
Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 3, Part 1- Drum Making and Palace Players Story
…g drums, short for short drums. Then you bore the hold into the log,” (the tool used is Ekifumu) “you then let the wood dry in the sun.” Here Abass showed us a wooden ‘pail’ that had the rough outline of a small drum, but needed to be hollowed out. He did this by carving deeply into the wood with a large scraping tool that he used to carve wood from the centre. 2. Cutting the wood to size “You then cut the wood to size” (the saw used is called a M…
Rediscovering the lost Royal Drums of the Buganda Kingdom: Day 1, Uganda Story
…a new set of Royal Drums, recruited a team of passionate drummers to learn how to play the drums, learned to tune the drums and ultimately learned to play new music. Over the course of their studies, the new drum students (most of whom are actually highly accomplished drummers and professors of music) starting calling Musisi ‘The Professor.’ Left: James, Right: Musisi And that is why we found ourselves under beautiful trees on the campus, facing t…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…advises. Steve says that his ‘good cop’ was advising Steve and his cousins how to survive the day, while the ‘bad cop’ was essentially shouting that each boy probably lacked the courage and would humiliate his village. Ukaugiria irugu, led by Charles Kinyua. Means ‘do not tell anyone what you will meet or feel.’ And is sung before the circumcision. He is to keep the experiences to himself. “Whatever you encounter, only you and you along has the ri…