Fadhilee Itulya Staff Profile
…Relations and Diplomacy. His first break in professional music was at the 2008 edition of Spotlight on Kenyan Music, where he represented Nairobi with his song ‘Jawabu’, which features on the compilation album. Other than the guitar he also plays the drums and the chivoti. During gigs he is backed by the three-girl group, Karama. Tetu accompanies him on the djembe and Andrew Ngatia on bass. Together they call themselves Fadhilee&Friends. He has wr…
Winyo Staff Profile
…for this becomes apparent once you hear him sing. His voice has been likened to that of a singing bird. He is a singer/songwriter of great sensitivity and an acoustic guitar player, backed by his 5-piece band of accomplished musicians. Winyo derives his music and musical strength from his fore fathers whose African music was rich in melody and traditional harmonies. His musical style ranges from traditional Luo melodies infused with witty story l…
Makunga Group
…ways from the land, never migrated into Tanzania. The group was formed in 2018, but was built on a much older group. They perform in the Wuyina style. Their instruments/costumes include the: Ndulele (Horn), the Nindo (Shakers), the Mbega: (Animal Skins), the Muheme (Drums), the Kabati (Shakers), the Kalimba (Thumb Piano), the Zeze (Orutu), the Izeze (5 string large instrument), and the Muhongwa (Wooden water troughs, played on ground like calabash…
Ekhunjwe Musical Group Group
…strative areas of Samia district. Ekhunjwe ya Abasamiawas formed in April 2008 with common focus on using music as a tool for community development. The group promotes traditional African values and acts in both education and local economy. Members also engage in traditional crafts like basket weaving and jewellery making for exhibition and sale. Their Chairman Mr. Bwire also chairs the County Culture Committee and says he is “biased towards ethno…
What We Do Page
…on, our Abubilla Music sound engineer. The first field visit was in March 2011 when we travelled from Nairobi to the Kenyan coast to record the music of the tribes of the Mijikenda. Since 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…
Day One: February 16, 2020 (Ngawala Hotel) Story
…o (accordion) and Fatima Yuma (bongos). The group has been together since 2009 and play traditional Taarab. All songs are about love (love lost and gained) and all secular They usually perform in Kisawandui. They played five songs:Bashraf of Alia: Instrumental Usione Chaelea: Means that you don’t really see the subtlety in something. Mbiyo Za Sakafuni: This is about too much haste and costs of being too fast (literally it translates as ‘speed on t…
Days 6 to 8 – Thursday 6th July 2017 to Saturday 8th July 2017 Story
…ed in the form of short notes: Day 7: Recording of the making of obokano, an 8 string instrument from the Kisii ethnic community demonstrated by Dominic Ogari, a music instructor at Kenyatta University in Nairobi. Day 8: Saturday 8th July 2017: Recording of an in‐depth interview with John Otieno ‘Rapasa’, our fixer who had previously travelled to Lake Region with us. In this interview he explained his personal journey to becoming a professional ny…
Mumias United Group
…Mumias United was founded in 1997 by Francesca Odour. They have 38 members and 22 showed up for our performance. They perform in the Imbira style. They are part of the Wanga tribe, which is a sub-group of the Lua, known for their Kings (Nabongo). We performed next to the mausoleum where four kings were buried, dating back to 1700s….
Day Five: February 20, 2020 (DCMA) Story
…Tatu Khamis Haji (singer) Songs: Chungu – means Pot, composed by Said Ali 10 years ago Usikhofu – means “Don’t Worry” Composed by Rajab 8 years ago Pendo Langu Ledhibiti – means “Keep it Well” No 7 Instrumental – traditional old song of the community. Taksim – Improvisation on the Qanun by Rajab Suleiman, magic moment This group performed very well together. Rajab Suleiman played the Qanun to a very high level and Fum Faki got an amazing amount…
Victoria Denison Staff Profile
Victoria joined the Abubilla Music team in September 2010 to help establish the Singing Wells project. In order to support the project, Victoria set up The Abubilla Music Foundation, a company limited by guarantee, and then managed the application for charitable status with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. (Charitable status was achieved in June 2011). As well as acting as administrator to the Trustees, Victoria is the UK Project Man…
Culture Musical Club Taarab Orchestra Group
…and male singers 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…
Bigwala Instrument
…Bigwala during our field visit to Central and Eastern Uganda in December 2013. While staying in Jinja we invited a local Bigwala group, the Bigwala Cultural Group, to perform for Singing Wells. Click here to read our report from the field. Here is an extract from the UNESCO website, explaining about the Bigwala which was inscribed in 2012 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding: Bigwala music and dance is a cult…
Day Two: January 19, 2019 From Tarime to Buturi to Bariadi Story
…roup: Our first group, from the Mara Regio (Roria District) was formed in 2012. They are from the Abhasimbete community. Their style is Rirandi and they play the Zeze/Endongwe (a one stringed instrument similar to the Kenyan Orutu and Ugandan Rigi Rigi), Rirandi (a giant horn, similar to the Uganda Big Wala, but made with 6 gourds, not one), Ekeborogo (flute), the Ekedomwa (drums), Ama’ghorro (huge leg shakers), and Firimbi (whistle). They wore Am…
Buganda Music Ensemble Group
Buganda Music Ensemble: founded in 2004 and led by Albert Bisaso Ssempeke Jr, son of the legendary Dr. Albert Ssempeke Senior. Music style: Kiganda Song Meanings “Ggangalwa”: A king servant tried to play with the princess. All women in the palace, however, are controlled and possessed by the king. He was punished by cutting off his fingers. His friends eventually found out due to all the rumors circulating the palace. They tried to ask him abo…
Day One: 7 March 2022 (Shikangania and Mukumu) Story
…ince we had previously featured him on the Singing Wells project in April 2018. He later came to Ketebul Music studios in Nairobi in May that year and recorded a few songs that are yet to be officially released. Going through a narrow winding road we arrived at the Small Matters Park, our first location for the day. The Ketebul Music technical crew is well experienced in field recording routine preparations, having been part of the Singing Wells p…
Ndaiga Muchiri Group
…Ndaiga Muchiri: He was a founding member of Kangema Mwomboko Dancers. Ndaiga started singing in 1943 and loves to entertain. He’s Kikuyu and plays Mwomboko wa 40 style. Mwomboko: a traditional song where he plays the Karing’aring’a (the ring)…