Meeting Ketebul: an interview with Tabu News
…into the market very well at the moment. We need to look for a platform to promote our stuff, whether it’s online, digital radio, TV – we need to make the music more accessible to all. Why is Singing Wells important? Singing Wells is important because we’re trying to capture our East African heritage. Many of the musicians we record from remote tribes are old and we run the risk of the traditional music in Kenya dying out, we don’t want to see tha…
From African Twist to Benga News
…was to record some of the most important ‘bridge’ artists in Kenya – a group of musicians who have built a connection 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…
The repatriation of Kenya’s music heritage News
…50s by English ethnomusicologist, Hugh Tracey. The repatriation of these recordings began in August, during a two-week pilot project in Kenya’s Rift Valley led by Prof Diane Thram, Director of the International Library of African Music (ILAM) in South Africa and the team from Ketebul Music, supported and funded by The Abubilla Music Foundation as part of the Singing Wells project. Read Bill Odidi’s article about the August project here….
Singing Wells is on Bozza! News
…to discover and listen to traditional East African musicians and music groups recorded by Singing Wells. Head over to our Bozza page here. About Bozza “Bozza is a plug & play solution for musicians, poets, photographers & film makers to promote and sell their digital products to their fans throughout Africa. The platform is available to emerging and established artists from around the continent and can be easily accessed by visiting www.bozza.mob…
Ten More Singing Wells Stories News
…at is another story for another time). Below, we give you two good news groups, where the young are central to the music, one in Uganda, one in Kenya: Uganda We are struck by how many young people remain involved in village music in Uganda. Here’s an example and show how we do ‘Magic Moments’ where we ask performers to do a ‘one minute’ performance of their favourite bit of song or dance. Kenya In contrast to Uganda, Kenya’s musical groups are agi…
Current Leading Figures News
…kadodi drum. From only two members with drums, Julius now oversees two groups made up of 160 members, of which 100 are performers. With the youth centre, although Julius primarily wishes to provide a stable support system and income for his previously disadvantaged band members, he also prioritises preserving traditional Ugandan music. “We perform as Africa’s Dancing Encyclopaedia. In Africa, written words did not exist thus Africa’s cultural his…
Music Depositories and Archives around the World News
…can music can be found in the History blog – in 1954. What is particularly significant about this African Music archive is that it is actually in Africa; on its website, it boasts the accolade of ‘The Largest Archive of African Music in sub Saharan Africa’. When it was originally founded by Tracey, it was located in the Gauteng province of South Africa but, when Tracey died in 1977, private funding had dried up. His son, Andrew Tracey, took over a…
Archiving Guidelines News
…ed but growing.”[1] The second is FEDORA. However, it is clear that to set up an online data repository, to be used as an archive, substantial technological knowledge is needed – but this guide is most definitely a great help for gaining understanding of all the issues needed be considered when setting up an online music archive. Storage of Audio Materials Guidance for the care, handling and storage of audio visual materials can be found on the Li…
A History of Recording East African Music News
…an out of funding. He became a broadcaster, utilising every opportunity to promote African music. However, he could not stay away from Africa long, and in 1946 realised someone needed to fully dedicate their time to “appraising the social value” of traditional African music, otherwise it would disappear. Tracey would have to step up and be that someone, especially at a time when African radios wanted to broadcast in their own regional vernaculars…
Tracey Instrument Collection News
…yres and fiddles. Endara log xylophone The xylophone is 263.5cm long, made up of 16 roughly cut keys and tuned to a pentatonic scale. It is played using one beater, which is attached to the xylophone by string and can be played by up to five people at one time. This frame was actually made by Hugh Tracey, after he collected it in 1950, though the original frame was made of two banana stalks with loose keys, not attached by nails. It is also of the…
ILAM, Repatriation and Jimmie Rodgers/Chemirocha News
…ny the very essence of music, which is to evolve organically as the musicians are inspired by new things. We simply want to celebrate the evolution of music that innovates while building on traditional roots. We will update you on progress to design the July Pilots with ILAM; and we will leave you with a Jimmie Rogers song inspired by black-american music, inspired by African village music, inspired by… oh just listen: …
James Isabirye and Tabu Osusa Discuss East African Music News
…do I want to hear t hem cursing about the police in Los Angeles that beat up a gang banger? Tabu: We have a dozen musicians a week visit us at Ketebul wanting to ‘do what we do.’ Some have been on Project Fame, or have signed to some label to record a hip hop album. They go nowhere. All their instincts are wrong. But after they’ve failed for a while, they hear about us, they listen to Makadem or Winyo and they say, ‘Wow. That is so good.’ And the…
Ketebul Music: A Year in Review News
…ed Doadoa Uganda, where I played the Jovah CD, and the audience cried. I travelled to Zone Franche in Marseille and MaMA in Paris France. “ Thanks for the update Tabu. Ketebul continues its amazing work to preserve East African music. …
Report from Womex 2013 News
…. It has been calculated that music is their biggest export and so has set up the African Music Forum to make it easier for musicians to make a living – from visas and flights to financial support. It is an exciting time, and seems to chime in with what Eddie Hatitye announced for Music in Africa. Members of the Music Producers Guild led a discussion on ‘What do producers actually do?‘ – the answer seems to be ‘everything’. The role of producer ha…
SWP Uganda 2013 – our proposed itinerary News
…ut 140 kms south west of Kampala. Here we will record two Baganda music groups: Kika Troupe and Bukala Troupe (from the town of Rakai). These groups were identified by James Isabirye who will be our local liaison contact while we are in Uganda. Steve met James following a chance meeting with an old friend while in Kampala for the ‘recce’ trip. Here’s an extract from Steve’s notes: “I had a chance meeting with an old friend from Addis Ababa, Teshom…
Group of the Month – Otacho Young Stars News
…all – the grass at the rear of the hall forming a natural arena for our groups – one of which was the Otacho Young Stars. We later met the group again, when we invited them to record as part of the Influences series at the Ketebul studios in Nairobi. They recorded two tracks in the studio with Jessie Bukindu. We recorded 5 tracks with the group in the field – one of which was ‘Charles Manager’ sung in English -about the arrival of a new manager to…