Our Sponsors Page
…ards our 2012 field recording visit to Kenya. Read all about it here. http://www.annewright.com/index.asp Institute of International Education Type of sponsorship: Field Recording Visit, Music of the Batwa, Uganda 2011 Through our relationship with The Ford Foundation we were able to apply for a grant from the IIE to fund our field recording visit to Kisoro in south west Uganda in 2011. Here we visited 6 Batwa communities and recorded their wond…
Day Three: Bungoma Town to Kakamega Story
…instrument (is this really the Shirili?) Mirembe: Xylophone Olwika: Horn Isukuti: Hand-held ‘conga’ drums Kayamba: shakers Likata: sticks Ikengele: Ring Chapuo: Big bass drum They performed six songs, with the sixth song finishing exactly when the rains came crashing down on us. While they had a couple of traditional songs, most of their performances were to allow students to feature specific instruments. Songs were: Mwana Wa Mbeli: famous Lua Son…
Day Zero: 6 March 2022 – Travel To Stream Story
…as some of these online acts allow audiences to support the musicians via M-pesa and Pay-Pal contributions. Another possibility was to sell tickets with the use of online access codes that admit ticket holders into the virtual performance. The result was that a number of live streaming studios where performers book sessions to perform and stream their concerts sprung up in Nairobi. Some venues also adapted to hosting online performances, directly…
Singing Wells Stories Page
…oration with Abubilla Music musicians. To listen to that, click here: http://snd.sc/18Raaae To view the page for the Mperwa Dancers, click here: Mperwa Dancers. Ker Kal Kwaro We recorded the Ker Kel Kwaro group on our second day of recording in Northern Uganda. We were in the village of Awach, near Paibona which in turn is near Gulu. A lot of the traditional music we record is performed by older members of the community. We were pleased to see a y…
Video playlists from Kenya 2018 Story
Ekhunjwe Musical Group https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZWLQCNVUtE&list=PL6jxUA468Mq9Pd2xlX3D7Ru2MTTuT8KqS South Teso Jazz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VW0wNmuq8I&list=PL6jxUA468Mq_tVAwWIrPTe9FlbEmAWWBb Obasie Palnyang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieNi3J-ky4E&list=PL6jxUA468Mq_807_5aRNd5562pLxoHfIl Omong’oluk Traditional Dancers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILMAhvkRtg0&list=PL6jxUA468Mq9LNfV2MxN2k1JwC-xu5n06 Samuel Namatete https://www….
Contact Page
…rrey GU9 7PT (A Limited Liability Partnership. Registered no: OC354221) www.abubillamusic.com Abubilla Music Foundation Valiant House 12, Knoll Rise Orpington, Kent BR6 0PG (Registered charity no:1142173) www.abubillamusicfoundation.org.uk Ketebul Music The GoDown Arts Center P.O Box 21737-00505 Nairobi, Kenya (A company limited by guarantee. Registered no: 134230) www.ketebulmusic.org…
Global Influences Project: Artist Submissions Page
…ow closed for any further entries. L3GS X OTACHO YOUNG STARS//NYATITI GROUP//JOGINDA BOYS Our final submission for this years Global Influences Project comes from a producer trio from Nairobi named L3GS. We loved the mellow vibes of this track and it’s amazing how well they have incorporated the loops to create a contemporary sounding beat. “It was great working with the samples because they are not just like any random sample from the internet, t…
1. Introducing the Naizungwe drums Story
…ts from Peter Cooke’s recordings of the drums that James talks about: http://www.singingwells.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Peter-Cooke-naizungwe-recording-1.mp3 http://www.singingwells.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Peter-Cooke-naizungwe-recording-2.mp3 What makes this project particularly exciting, is the difference of approach required compared to the entenga drums. With the entenga we found a surviving old master player (Musisi) who was able…
Day 3: Monday, 2017 February 20th Story
…s. Kayamba (Shakers) Chilemba (large) and Ilemba (small) thumb piano https://youtu.be/RSE3dMgCEVk From the Boma Village we travelled to our hotel, the Bagamoyo Country Club and recorded music with Henry Mkanyia, his son Leo Mkanyia, Rajab Alli Nyunyusa, Tomato (Steven Jonas) Sophie Grant, and Elliot Wenman. First, a bit of background on all the players here: Henry: Henry was born in 1950 and has played in multiple bands throughout his life. He pla…
Day 1: Saturday, 2017 February 18th Story
…this. “Yes, we love to bring comedy to our music. If you look at most circus troupes that are touring in the world today, a huge number of the acrobats and clowns are Tanzanian.” https://youtu.be/C-4PdHne3Jc We’ll leave you here. We checked in to our hotel, the Mediterraneo Hotel, Dar es Salaam. Tomorrow we head off for Bagamoyo….
Fundraiser for Matthew Watmon News
…wers 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). If you are based elsewhere in the world, we have created a GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-mathew-watmon The donors of Abubilla Music Foundation, who support the Singing Wells project, will match these contributions up to £1000 so we greatly appreciate…
Ketebul Music presents Shades of Benga Online News
…Music have just launched Episode 2 of their online series Shades of Benga Online, to go alongside their book ‘Shades of Benga: The Story of Popular Music in Kenya 1946 -2016’. You can watch the latest episode below, and also find out more at their website here. Shades of Benga: The Story of Popular Music in Kenya delves into the foundations of modern Kenyan music, examining external influences from the English waltz to Afro Cuban Rumba and how…
Our journey to the Royal Drums: in the words of James Isabirye Story
…help. The only note I had was that we could reach Musisi through his sister-in-law. Now I had to find Musisi. He said his sister-in-law lived in Kasawo. Well it took me forever to find that village. After crossing swamps and taking wrong turns I kept asking for the village. Finally I found it and started asking for the sister-in-law. I found her and had only one question: is Musisi alive? He was, she said. But he lives in Kiboga which was about th…
Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 4, Part 2 – Flutes Story
…lbert in 2013, when we recorded his Ensemble playing various Buganda string-instruments. During that recording, James Isabirye, Tabu, Albert and I committed to restoring the Buganda Royal Drums. Left: Richard Sewanyana, Right: Albert Ssempeke Albert is here this time to record the Royal Flutes, the Endere. He then followed the Bigwala Model and has worked with Richard Sewanyana. Now, keep up here, remember we met Richard on December 2, in the vill…
Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 4, Part 1 – Reflections Story
…ng Wells kick-started the Entenga project. But these projects won’t happen without ‘kick-starting’ and then sustainable funding. We have to ask ourselves: where is the support of the royal kingdoms or their people? We can only show them what they are missing – but the local communities must decide if and how to support this music on a sustainable basis. Step 4: if there is support, build the infrastructure. This involves seeds for gourds for trump…
Central & Eastern Uganda: Day 3, Part 2 – Interviews with Musicians of Uganda’s Royal Palaces Story
…ichard: “I am Richard Ssewannyana, son of Paulino Kajubi, whos father was Buko Ssempiira. My village is Ndese, in sub-county Kasawo, of County Kyaggwe. My grandfather used to play the flute in the palace but he was aging and wanted a family member to continue to play. I tried to play with him all the time and learned a few songs. In 1966, I was taken to the palace as a servant boy. My father also wanted to play the flute and replace his father. Bu…