Global Influences Project: Loop Library Page
…ach in Northern Uganda. They formed thirty years ago and their goal is ‘Edu-Tainment’, helping African children learn key life lessons through song. You can find out more about the band here. You can watch the full visual performance of this song on our Youtube channel by clicking here. Download the loop Watmon Cultural Group – 154BPM Watmon Cultural Group are based in Kampala, Uganda. They are a collective of musicians led by Amone Watmon Matthew…
FAQ’s Page
…elp of the Abubilla Music Foundation trustees and UK Project Managers. How long have you been working on the project? We made our first field recording on the Kenyan coast in March 2011. The Abubilla Music Foundation was granted charitable status in June 2011.We are currently preparing for our 10 year anniversary, and are doing a countdown of our Top 20 Singing Wells moments here. How do you discover the music groups? To find talented and inspirat…
What We Do Page
…nce then we have completed more field visits in both Kenya and Uganda. Our long term goal is to visit each country in East Africa and research, document and record the music and dance of the major traditional music styles of each region. Click on the following links to read our field reports from each of our visits: Music of the Mijikenda – Kenya’s Coastal Region Music of the Luo – Nyanza Province, Kenya Music of the Kalenjin, Great Rift Valley, K…
Liwambwe Group
…called the Siganga. They also had a pair of drums called the Likuti and a long drum called the Msondo, and a very long thin drum called a Neya. In the dance they had a character in a mask called a Lipiko, who wore a vest called a Mjuga. They played five songs: Malala Kujunga: Essentially means ‘be calm and quite, we are about to perform and need you to be quiet’ Nchakacha: A dance with the Lipiko (masked character) Tumpete Mwana: ‘Soothing the ba…
Day One: 7 March 2022 (Shikangania and Mukumu) Story
…n part of the Singing Wells project for many years. Hence, it did not take long for our sound team to determine the best site for the stage within the well-groomed homestead and in less than an hour we had the mobile studio all set. Normally, our preferred device for capturing sound on these trips is the Zoom digital recorder, having started with H4 before upgrading to Zoom H6. On this occasion we opted to record directly to the laptop. All record…
Privacy Policy Page
…ask you, but sites like http://www.bbc.co.uk do – and you will notice them asking you about it. The ruling was passed a few years back, and they gave a grace period which expires on the 26th May 2012- hence we’ve waited as long as we can before adding this info. Any Questions? If you have any questions on the policy then please email us at info (@) abubillamusic.com Thanks!…
Day Four: Ikolomani to Amalemba Story
…d leader Julius Intenya. The musical style is Mutibu. They played roughly 8-10 songs, including several goes with our influences artist. These songs included: Shapeless: A song about a women who lost her shape, lost her curves. Alusiola: A song about a neighbour that gave his cow to someone else. But the receipient then took care of the care and it had calves. The original owner than seized by the cow and all its calves with no warning. Alusiola i…
Culture Musical Club Taarab Orchestra Group
…on instruments. It was clear that this orchestra had played together for a long time and were well rehearsed. They have a total of 45 people in their orchestra. They usually play with about 25 and we saw 15. Instruments in this orchestra we saw: 4 violins, 1 oud, 1 base, 1 qanun, 1 accordion, 2 drums and 1 tramboline. They produced a wonderful rich sound. Performers: Taimour Rukuni Taha (secretary general, accordian), Maulid Haji Mkadam (musical d…
Mariene Traditional Dancers Group
…ree magic moments: Arabamba Mwarone Mpandi mautine Kirarire: Song about pre-cirumcision; they are calling out to all that can hear that they boys are ready. Wikiri Mariri: Song is about herding… He asks a woman for thin porridge which is kept in the gourd during long trips away. He meets someone else that wants the gourd and dies with it. In the song he calls for those who will really listen to what he has to say (this is the wonderful refrain at…
Group 2: Sophie Nzayisenga Story
…ey there. The palace said to him that he could have power over his area as long as he didn’t attack the throne. But he did, and that is how he died. A story of hubris that we’re going to learn more about when we visit the museum later this week. Nyangezi – this is a song about happiness and funny moments, about a character called Nyangezi. Nyangezi: Magic Moment Kamananga: Magic Moment For more recordings, here’s a link to Antonovka Records record…
Group 3: Makanyaga Abdul Story
…diro – meaning Someone Loved Hashize Iminsi – about lost love. It’s been a long time looking for and waiting for my love but never seeing her. Ngwino Mukunzi – meaning Come my Love Nagera Muri Bari – meaning When I get to the Bar Rubanda – means People. This song is about telling a woman not to listen to the people, they say bad things. We ran through the songs with a smaller group and then larger, so the videos you can see are first with the smal…
Day Five: February 20, 2020 (DCMA) Story
…ional instruments such as the Tanzanian drums, Kaliba, shakers and sticks along side more Western instruments such as the piano, saxophone, cajon and high hat. Culture Musical Club Taarab Orchestra – this culture club is one of the oldest Taarab orchestras in Zanzibar founded in 1965 after independence. Generations of musicians have played in it. It plays traditional Taarab music with all female solo singers and male singers on instruments. It wa…
Day Four: February 19, 2020 (Maruhabi Palace) Story
…r, Kinganga – a short medium sized drum, a Bati – a high hat, a Chapuo – a long narrow drum held under the arm, a Dutu – a smaller version of the Chapuo and Masewe – shakers worn on the legs. The most notable instrument was a type of horn made out of a gourd. Performers (all men): Shaaban Mwasi Sekimbuke (leader, plays he Bati -high hat), Haji Mtumweni (drums), Mohamed Faki (chapuo), Hussein Fereji (horn), Juma Nasoro (dancer with shakers on legs…
Day Zero: February 15, 2020 – Assemble in Zanzibar Story
…e purpose of the trip. First, Zanzibar is an island off Tanzania, with a long colorful history. Before it was ‘controlled’ by the Portuguese in 1503, it was a base for traders between the African great lakes, the Arabian Peninsula and India. In 1698 it came under the control of the Sultan of Oman. Areas were developed to grow spices and this area, which includes Pemba, became known as the Spice Islands. The main trading was in spices, ivory a…
Day One: The Iteso People and their Music Story
…e you tube video) we were recording; they were: Omuian’gi: A song about ‘in-laws’, where the in-laws are always complaining about the cooking of the daughter in law. They are never satisfied. Imadede: The name of a man with horrible manners. He gossips. He poisons neighbours if he is jealous of their success. In the song, the performers ‘call him out’, letting the whole village know this is a man of bad character. Achaung Kakolong: This is a song…
Day 5 – Wednesday 5th July 2017 Story
…at his home in Nyahera location, not far from Kisumu town, and conducted a long yet free of form type of interview. Although a Luo himself, Ayub had never learned how to play the nyatiti in a traditional setting. He picked it up later in his career and studied from a player/teacher at the national cultural centre of Bomas of Kenya in the 1980s. He remembers he had gone for 6 lessons (at a 100 shillings) only and then continued practicing and exper…