Bungoma Roots Band Group
…s, mostly in construction, and then would gig in the evening, often in clubs filled with drunkards. However, after years of hard work and managing to record multiple records, they needed to bring in other musicians to form a much bigger band. They then produced their third CD in 2013, Namusia, again with Soundcheck in Kisumu. They started performing all over Kenya. They are now very well established with houses of their own….
Fanuel Amimo Group
…ngle in 1964 with David Amunga as producer, in a studio owned by Andre Crawford and Betty Tete. His second record was produced by Sammy Osere for Lamore record label, while his third song led to his fall out with Polygram records in 1974. After that, he started producing himself and established his own label entitled African Beat. We recorded five of Amimo’s well known songs: “Safari ya Magadi”; “Ndeshera Omwana”; “Harusi ya Leah”; “Omwana Yenyang…
Kizazi Kipya Kidumbak Group
…h the first group and brought us to this one. They sing and perform mainly for weddings and celebrations. Performers: (all male): Juma Fadhul Juma (leader and secretary but did not participate), Fadhili Faki (director and plays violin), Mohamed Khamisi (violin), Khamisi Vuai (bongos), Khamisi Bato (bongos), Ameri Sefu ( Sanduku – sinle string base), Ahmed Juma (sticks and table), Sheha Makame (shaker= cherewa) Dancers and chorus (all female): Khad…
3. Background of the Naizungwe drums Story
…95 constitution. Each ethnic society had a way it was organized socially before the advent of colonialism. Most of the societies were and still are organized on clan system. One ethnic society has a number of clans where each clan has a leader – clan leader. Each of those clans had identifying regalia and one of them are drum rhythms that symbolize the general belief of that clan. The Basoga ethnic society from the Eastern region of the country is…
Day 1 – Saturday 1st July 2017 Story
…e tight, and some of the preliminary work had not been completed, we opted for a semi‐formal preparative interview with John Otieno ‘Rapasa’, a young nyatiti player based in Nairobi, yet from Alego area (Siaya County), who was a part of our team as a fixer and translator. The main objective of this semi‐interview was to define, at least, approximatively, the different stages of nyatiti making before arrival to the field in order to plan on filming…
Conclusion: Challenges and Recomendations Story
…th their description in an interview. If we had done detailed preparations for the field and a recce, we could have informed the makers of all the stages we wish to record and have them prepare several instruments at different stages of completion to facilitate and economise on filming time. From a methodological point of view, for us to be able to build on the original concept of the series and remain scientifically both pertinent and correct, a…
The Singing Wells podcast #3 Podcast
…Here is podcast number 3. In this podcast, we look at the development of Abubilla Music – one of the partners in The Singing Wells project – from initial idea, to music label. There are interviews with members of the SMCC, and music from the SMCC, Louise Calf, Gus Warriner, Tati Kalveks, Chris Kozlowski and Ketebul artist Winyo. Click here to download the podcast….
Day 9 – Sunday 9th July 2017 Story
…g to Hornbostel– Sachs(2), all four would be classified as composite chordophones, more precisely under the 321.2 category of: “Yoke lutes or lyres – The strings are attached to a yoke which lies in the same plane as the sound‐table and consists of two arms and a cross‐bar.” Through a group interview, we attempted to compare them in: size (size of resonator; length of arms and per extension of strings); materials of fabrication (types of wood); bo…
Mchele Mchele Sanaa Group Group
…This group, from the Sukuma community, was formed in 2010 and performs with a number of styles: Bukomia Lume, Buchheye, Wigashe. Their instruments are: Ng’oma (Drums), Pembe (animal horns, large impala), Firimbi (flute), and Njuga (shakers). …
Day One: The Iteso People and their Music Story
…eryone in the village is running out of vegetables, and in the song the performers ask the villages to look for vegetables along the river banks. They need find wild vegetables wherever they can. We asked him about the type of vegetables they can find and they include “Erenge” (dark greens) and “Amudokolo” (vines). During the drought, all the women do what they can to feed the village with their finds. Iikadete Kamairo: This is a song about a smal…
Fadhilee Itulya Staff Profile
…e has written over a hundred songs, but has recorded only five so far: ‘Jawabu’, ‘Dance’, ‘Um’beba’, ‘Tired’ and ‘Selfish’. He is working on eight more to complete his debut album. He has performed at the Mathewmatix House of Jazz, the Kinanda Festival, the Choices Thursday Night Live, Sarakasi Dome’s Forgotten Furahiday and The Treehouse Live….
Day two: From Sirisia to Mabuyole Falls Story
…d them next to Mabuyole Falls. Beautiful but hot. We were recording Webuye International Band. They played in the Tinkikti style. The group was formed in early 2000, when founder Webuye Juakali was a backup singer for separate band. In 2009 he became the main singer of the band. It has the following instruments: Shirili (Single String instrument) Litungu: multi-stringed instrument Chisasi: Shakers Luengere: Rattles Eng’oma: Drums They played five…
Kiplagat Edwin Kwambai aka Fifty Cows Staff Profile
…er” for the project. In 2014, the Singing Wells again called on Fifty Cows for the first Repatriation Project by the International Library of African Music, which was supported by the Singing Wells. This repatriation project involved retracing and locating surviving musicians who had been recorded and their music archived by ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey in the 1950s. Fifty Cows continues to be an active contact for the Singing Wells in the Rift V…
Watmon Cultural Group Group
…Eventually he had people coming to him asking to be a part of it, and from that point the group became an institution. In the fallout of the war against Idi Amin’s regime, many people were looking for an escape, and the troupe presented just such an opportunity. The group performed for President George Bush during a state visit to Uganda. They were also recorded in 2012 for the BBC’s World Routes album, presented by ethnomusicologist Lucy Duran. T…
Zam Zam Group
…ge 7 up to 40, ten all together today. They sing Islamic and secular songs for weddings and celebrations. It was mainly an acapello performance with one flute made out of a bamboo stick. The singers included: Ibrahim Ali Hassan (lead singer, flute ), Issa Ali Hassan (lead singer), Mlenge Ali Hassan, Othman Mlenge Ali, Afann Mlenge Ali, Iddi Abdallah Mohd, Abdillah Salum Juma (lead singer), Fesal Sleiman Mwalim, Saidi Simai Mkanga, Vuai Juma Vuai….
The Kalenjin of Kenya Album
…rs and the Kewamoi Women Dancers both featured. The latter – a nice addition to the lineup, as the field day coincided with World Women’s Day. Eddie Grey was part of the team for the recordings, and he joined a number of groups to join them for Influences recordings. Two of these have been included on the album – his guitar playing accompanying The Elimu Cultural Promoters and the Kewamoi Women Dancers….