Day 1: Saturday, 2017 February 18th Story
…the last breaths. In Mission 1, we are purists – recording the village performances as they have been traditionally performed. This includes the background noises of ‘chicken and children.’ Generally we become surrounded by village children by the end of each field session and we celebrate that their voices create a lovely background in our recordings. We are also here to try to bring this music to new artists and audiences, to show how it can in…
A Report by Professor James Isabirye – Indigenous music learning in contemporary contexts: Nurturing learner identity, agency, and passion News
…n 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 analysing how indigenous learning can inform modern schooling, in which Singing Well’s gets a featured mention as collaborators within his project. You can read more about that here: https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/XGBCQ8EJIVZXHMMGUZ2V/full James Isabirye is a lecturer of music and mus…
Fundraiser for Matthew Watmon News
We are sad to say that a special talent, and a dear friend of Singing Wells, Matthew Watmon is currently in a critical condition in hospital. We are urgently trying to raise funds to support him and his family in this difficult time, and we hope that some of our followers may be able to help us. If you are based in East Africa, please get in touch with Matthew’s brother, Constantine Odida ((MTN) +256-782-236-742 and (Airtel) +256-704-261-037). I…
Our journey to the Royal Drums: in the words of James Isabirye Story
…itional music. From a government perspective, it is the music you roll out for foreigners, like the Pope, or on some special occasion. But otherwise you ignore it and don’t value it. We don’t support it and we are losing the myths, the dances, and the songs that define us. If you lose that sense of identity how can you know where you’re going as a society? If you don’t know your roots, how do you know who you are? This matter has concerned a circl…
Singing Wells Approaches 5 Million Views News
…s is a project worth showing people! We can’t wait to bring more songs and stories to the world. Keep an eye out on the Singing Wells Youtube channel for the footage and recordings from our field trip to Zanzibar and Pemba….
Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 3, Part 2 – Interviews with Musicians of Uganda’s Royal Palaces Story
…t he tried to play and failed to learn. But he pretended to play at all performances, acting like he was blowing the flute while his band-mates played. My father was in the palace pretending to play the flute and desperate to replace my grandfather but time was running out. Over time, the other players realised he couldn’t play. So they asked him to lead the next song, to be the starter. But he failed. So they then asked him to play any song of an…
Musisi’s Story, Part 1: The Fall of the Buganda Kingdom Story
…ound. I loved my life and felt so proud being a drummer. I remember one performance where the King loved our song so much that he gave a bull just to the drummers to enjoy in a big feast. And then he asked us to play the song again and again. And this beautiful life all ended in a single night. I was sleeping on May 24th and sometime in the middle of the night [the morning of May 25th), I woke up to the sound of gun fire. At first, I wasn’t too sc…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Days 5-11:An Interview with Gregg Story
…ading party, singing the whole time as we exited the site. It was not a performance. It wasn’t even really thanking us. It was simply their joy. It was very deep. And it made me think back to my village life. When we gathered for big celebrations, the entire village took to the road to walk for miles to a central location. We walked all night. And we sang all night. The old people walking with the children, all of us singing. And now we have a nic…
The History Of Benga Music: A Report by Ketebul Music Story
…by the modern Benga lead guitar upon which the music rides, is considered by many as the single most crucial link between that instrument and modern benga. The tempo of the nyatiti playing along with the sound produced from the rhythmic thumping of an iron ring harnessed to the toe of the lyre player is the rhythm and percussion respectively in modern Benga. The nyatiti which had been made popular by musicians like Otuoma Ogolo, Mbui Jachur and l…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 4 – Nkubu to Mukuuni to Nairobi Story
…too much loved by women because they end up becoming foolish and unable to manager their manly affairs. [Think back to the ‘circumcision lessons.’] Medley of Mware, Ukiona, Wenda: We then did a medley of their songs to keep the energy – Mware was led by Gitai Thura, and Wenda Kuthii by Eustace Njuki and Gitar Thura. Mware is about an uneducated woman who wants to be married to an educated man. This song challenges the woman to get an education in…
Central and Eastern Kenya: Day 3 – Nkubu to Mariene to Murungurune to Nkubu Story
…is was our route: It was a lovely location, deep in the trees, with the performance area nestled between the church and a small 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…
Central Uganda: Day 7 – A Magic Day in Entebbe Story
…e produced Inyange. We played it back to her and she danced with her new baby, Gerald, for the full song. She said that her heart was so deep with joy she had no words – and she chose to dance. And she danced and danced. And that’s how we ended this trip. An artist that we had discovered in our first field trip to Uganda, listening to her vocal she had recording during her trip to Kenya to record in a studio (which had then been produced by an inf…
Central Uganda: Day 6: Kampala to Entebbe Story
…nt for us and he is only one of 3 master players. It was played in solo performances and the Ennanga player was the advisor to the king, as people would bring him messages for the king that he would turn to song. Mulirwana: it means neighbor and the song is about people who don’t trust their neighbors and they believe that anyone that doesn’t trust their neighbors is a witch. Ssewaswa: This is about twins Wasswa and Kato and praising twins. Anamwi…
Central Uganda: Day 5 – Jinja to Kampala Story
…nted to do. We are not doing badly and have a comfortable life from the performances. Some musicians who didn’t even have a bicycle not have houses. We are showing you can have a musical career. We are growing our knowledge and getting better at representing the culture. Now we have city in Sweden that is starting to partner with us to advance cultural exchanges.” Tabu asked James, “Why did you want to do traditional music?” James answered, “We lo…
Central Uganda: Day 4 – Jinja Story
…as the legendary Siragi Kirimungo, who very kindly offer to give a rare performance for us. Their lead female dancer was Ndhote Prossy. The group was made up of dancers/singers, drums, pipe flutes and Siragi Kirimungo also played the thumb piano. They performed 5 songs for us; these were: Ababusoga Nga Tukungaine: When people assemble they agree on issues and speak one language. Waiswa Mugudde: A Dance song. This is the name of a first born male t…
Before They Pass Away News
…mburu people in Northern Kenya as they travelled across the land searching for new plains for their cattle, and the Maasai in Tanzania. Singing Wells too has travelled extensively across Kenya, meeting remote tribes like the Pokot Tribe, the Marakwet Tribe and the Ameru Ethnic Community. In a Ted Talk, he shared some of the fascinating rituals that he came across on his travels. Nelson’s objective, he says, was to reveal ‘beauty’. “I believe that…