Akello sings ‘Influences’ songs for Singing Wells News
…ography Akello is an African contemporary and urban music performer who sings in most popular languages like Acholi, Luganda, Swahili and English..After years of working with a few of Uganda’s leading contemporary and world music greats such as Kaweesa, Susan Kerunen, Myko Ouma, Tshila and Kinobe Herbert..she is indeed a rare talent with a rich textured organic voice. Akello begins a new journey of performing her own music compositions that she…
Day 8: Entebbe to Nairobi and Ketebul Studios Story
…ngo (broken glass moved in a big bowl) and Ndema (2 brass rings played in ringing and muted tones). In the Rift Valley, where the people are more pastoral, we really focused on their voices and I wanted some one to play the burkandit (a handmade guitar). In Nyanza, we focused on the Orutu, the Nyatiti and the Ohangla (drums). In Kisoro I didn’t know what to expect from the Batwa and was schocked by how musical they were – amazing vocal harmonies….
Day 7 (pm): Recording at the Airport Guesthouse, Entebbe Story
…rning recording, we arrived in the afternoon to set up for a final session in Uganda, recording three members we particularly liked of the Watmon Cultural Troupe. Matthew Watmon, their leader, is a very well known player of the ‘Nanga’ (pictured) and instantly we could see he was incredibly talented, so we brought him with us to the hotel in Entebbe with his son, Odika Constantine. Recording at the Airport Guesthouse, Entebbe It was a lovely after…
Promotion of Batwa cultural music: UOBDU report March 2013 News
…ctivities such as working as a group on people’s gardens as well as entertaining people at a fee when invited. Some group members are improving their standard of living through purchase of house hold items such as bed sheets and saucepans. The recorded CDs/DVDs and albums for Batwa dancing groups are in place for anyone interested. The CDs/DVDs have started generating some income so far UGX 70,000/= has been raised through sales. Through Albums an…
Hannah interviews Evelyn Ojok – Acet, Northern Uganda News
…ow spread to four different parishes, this gives me strength and hope. Working in this group has influenced women, they now have guidance and work to earn money for themselves. It is not only a musical group but a community for women to grow. The reason we love it is because the music helps us heal and forget about the pain we experienced during the war. Many of us are widows or have had children taken into the bush. My husband died in the war 15…
Day 7 (am) – back to Kampala: Naguru to Entebbe Story
…nslates to ‘how much is left’ referring to how the war hasn’t taken everything in the North, they still have happiness. The next song was called ‘Yom Chunya‘ is of a similar style, and it means ‘my heart is happy’. They then sang a song in part English and part Swahili, called ‘Pearl of Africa‘. This was actually written by Jimmy Adokwun around five years ago, but it uses traditional styles to convey their message of national pride. Here is the vi…
Northern Uganda: Day 6 – Soroti to Kampala (a driving story) Story
…ht. We must be heading south right now and we must be being rewarded for bringing the story of Macedonia to you. You’re most welcome. But we digress. A group of us is in file management mode and this is worth a brief discussion (well, mostly because we are driving on the road in pitch black to Kampala and are using this blog to distract ourselves from the terrors occurring outside!). Behind the scenes, Singing Wells is all about finding the right…
An Evening with Mserego Mwatela Group News
…tomorrow for the last day of this trip. We have asked the leader and his grandson back tomorrow for more discussions given they represent exactly what Singing Wells is trying to achieve. Until tomorrow then… Jimmy (Ketebul Studios)…
Northern Uganda: Day 6 – Soroti to Obuell-Lira to Soroti Story
…ional songs, gospel music and ‘education songs’. This was in the top 5 of Singing Wells moments: great songs, in a spotless village, by a band with such an extraordinary history. Their first song was Akwapuna, a gospel song which tells of the troubles of life on earth and the promises of peace and happiness in heaven. https://youtu.be/csdralhwXyA The second song was Lubang’a Ber, which is essentially ‘God is Good.’ https://youtu.be/salvEHTKDjE Thi…
How music archives can help communities News
…a good time to reflect on the importance and relevance a project such as Singing Wells. Why should we record and archive traditional music? Our objectives are not about archiving music for the sake of it. We do not see ourselves as ‘fossil collectors’, merely recording the music and dance performances of traditional groups and then archiving it in sound libraries where it might become largely inaccessible to most audiences, including the…
Northern Uganda: Day 5 – from Pakwach to Soroti (a road trip) Story
…ing a ride to supplement the drivers income. Then there are the ‘taxi’s’ – in Uganda, these are the white vans with English names, ferrying folks up and down the highway. They are fun because each is covered with decidedly random words, like Gorgeous, Amen, Big Mama, Jesus Love, Go! Go!, etc… Motorbikes are everywhere, mostly on the side of the road with someone lying beneath them repairing something. In Uganda,, on most of the roads we travelled,…
Northern Uganda: Day 4 – night recording at Fort Murchison Story
…shoppers to fairly intimidating beetles. Our recording sessions were part Singing Wells and part BBC wildlife documentary. We reassured ourselves that at least the bugs that whacked into you were unlikely to be mosquitos. But the night gave us a new insight as well. Many of the songs we record were written for the camp fire. The dances go around a campfire, the characters lurch in and out of the fire light, and the flickering flames add mystery an…
Northern Uganda: Day 4 – Pakwach to Widiang’a, Nebbi Story
…h every instrument imaginable: The Flute (yep, a flute) The Ndara (the amazing Ugandan xylophone) The Rigi-Rigi (similar to the Kenyan orutu) The Agwara (trumpets) The Adungu (the harp we’ve encountered every day now) The group was formed in 1993 and is professional, touring Kampala and other parts of Uganda, sponsored by NGO’s and typically campaigning for things like HIV Awareness, Cultural preservation, etc… Except for the fact they wear clothe…
Reporting back on recording trip to Kisoro, SW Uganda News
…d in doing so learned a great deal about their history and their lifestyle in Uganda today. The following week, we invited ten of the Batwa performers to the Ketebul Music studios in Nairobi to record more songs, and in particular, collaborate with contemporary music artists to generate new material for ‘Influences’ – a series of new songs influenced and inspired by traditional themes. Our aim is to provide a lasting benefit for the Batwa communit…
Northern Uganda: Day 3 – from Gulu to Awach to Pakwach Story
…Here’s a video of their ‘magic moment’: Their first song was Kica Watimon Nining, which is a song of forgiveness. Two men start the song fighting (and it is a pretty good tussle) before they are encouraged by the band and woman dancers to calm down, solve their differences and forgive. Given the recent wars in Uganda and given that we are in formally held Kony territory, this song is pretty important. https://youtu.be/_u4-hVbcVV0 In the same vein,…
A day in the field with Singing Wells News
…rthern Uganda, Andy reflects on a typical day in the field as part of the Singing Wells team. Andy’s notes are also published in our new book ‘Singing Wells – The Story So Far’, newly available in hardback. Click here for more details. A typical field recording day A Singing Wells day in the field usually starts with an early breakfast after which the team assembles at the vehicles with the mobile recording equipment. Typically the team is ten…