Northern Uganda: Day 3 – from Gulu to Awach to Pakwach Story
…we Here’s Wanencalo Munu: https://youtu.be/-vb_69xN7ZY Here’s Aciel Longo: https://youtu.be/A_iBiSJIrsQ Here’s Luo Yee: https://youtu.be/m-9CTn_zkKA Here’s Luga Luga: https://youtu.be/zTwZdHLQjUs And finally here’s Kot Ngwer Cwe: https://youtu.be/BVFzbppQ9Ig We loved their energy and recorded a second ‘Magic Moments’ of the day for one of their dances. Waroco Tekwaro The fourth band was Waroco Tekwaro, made up of many of the members of Ker Kal Kwa…
Northern Uganda: Day 2 – from Gulu to Acet Story
…Lolo Lok La Moi Omako Kwot Kicinge Lakwat Dyangi Pe Kotacwer Lokakura Bor. https://youtu.be/4Jt5-pqpOWw https://youtu.be/Aw2Nj1GNpGo https://youtu.be/5SLa0biLa54 Ribbe Ber Drummers Our third group was the stunner. It was also called Ribbe Ber, but this was the drum group – males drummers mostly, with female dancers. All young adults and extremely cool. The group included two dancers that were the best we ‘ve seen and the rhythms of the Gwara (gala…
Day 5: Recording the Marakwet Story
…lessing to say good-bye and come again. Used in initiation rights for men. https://youtu.be/zdA6j78RZjU https://youtu.be/LpcsgT8LRUg https://youtu.be/GCbYevDBGBA Embolot The second group were the Embolot from village Kamogo. They live in the forest as farmers. Honey from the forest is an important part of their diet. The white paint on their faces also represents the soil as with the Sagat. Their songs included: ‘Sinendet’ : this is the name for…
Day 3: Kitale to Kapsokwony, Kenya Story
…uences track with Eddie Grey, a musician who joined Ketebul Music in 2011. https://youtu.be/ot3xNHqm7pU https://youtu.be/MPPFeuH1vF4 Please click here to read the meaning behind Ben’s songs: Song Translations of Ben Kisinja Chebonet Our second group was Chebonet, a traditional folk group with several percussionists and a wonderful young lead female vocalist. They were a great choral group with some wonderful dancing using shields and spears. Again…
Day 4: Discovery of the Young Stars… Story
…in action – it is extraordinary and yes, this is one guy, one instrument: https://youtu.be/yP3s7QyT750 https://youtu.be/34kILyMgZbM https://youtu.be/XTfrBuyept0 https://youtu.be/viY2RgM0ZJE https://youtu.be/yv07MFvC7zQ https://youtu.be/4tQvFzqxbxA Kanindi Jazz Band The second group were the Kanindi Jazz Band, great dancers who also introduced us to our first Africa venture with the Vuvuzelas. They also had a wonderful Teng’ (the horn): Here’s the…
Day 3: Homa Bay and the Kochia Dancers Story
…(ref: for a great article on the Ramogi dance of the Luo, by Helen Odwar, click here): https://youtu.be/_qVuMFLJ9-M https://youtu.be/pwVlHnpw8Io https://youtu.be/B_M_OFRzDoU https://youtu.be/6AjxDKLPLkg https://youtu.be/2iGUcQRLRp4 Photo gallery Here is the chief drummer… Here is the coolest Kochia Dancer you will ever meet in Homa Bay: The band in full dance: One of the dancers plays the Tung’, the Luo horn: Note how beautiful the long head-dres…
Day 2: Focus on the Nyatiti, Orutu and DRUMS! Story
…in the Ohangla style. Here’s the ‘Magic Moment Video’ of the performance: https://youtu.be/2FOs3TObydk What you need to know as you listen is the drummer was drumming without a chair, doing deep squats and jumping about a foot off the ground with each ‘kick’ – this went on for four minutes. Try it for 10 seconds. Then he then would jump over the drums at key moments or jump in deep squats around the drums, and c) twice he did major spins, hitting…
Day 1: The music of the Luo – starting at Rang’ala Village Story
…teng’s band, the Sega Sega Band: 5-6 vocalists and a couple of guitarists. https://youtu.be/pp_O-MYVbjg https://youtu.be/BUttehOfnKk https://youtu.be/-uRDY4G3_mo https://youtu.be/Z8N3nkdSB5g The Dodo Group Featuring Ogoya Nengo. The group sings in the Do Do style. Ogoya has exremely strong vocals and there are four ‘shaker’ players and amazing drummer and a set of dancers. https://youtu.be/k3vA-sSgurw https://youtu.be/VOhmHrO8E7s https://youtu…
Christine Kamau – “The Jazzist” News
…tine BBC Africa Beats: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17831507 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thejazzist Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/christinekamau …
Day 6: The Studio @ Traveller’s Rest Hotel, Kisoro Story
…two vans. Both groups were fantastic, the first was the Gatera Community: https://youtu.be/ab4ZEqPNYpE https://youtu.be/yMq_r9XSXM0 https://youtu.be/lrowXUbwTSU https://youtu.be/lu1YXMKnJts https://youtu.be/BulZceL6gXs Kabahenda Batwa Community We now think we know where James Brown got “the act” from. You know the one – he dances and dances and pretends to be exhausted then falls to the floor. Handlers come over to get him and he shrugs them o…
Day 5 (much later): The Micyingo Group – guitar and bass! Story
…spirited song and dance… and this lady is their wonderful lead vocalist… https://youtu.be/pZzgr2PXZ3s https://youtu.be/gt4_CaZNN2c Then the guitar and bass took to the stage….if you are wondering where the bass is, the plastic bag turn out to be significant. We were bemused by this magic plastic bag, but it turns out it was covering a clay pot that supplied the song. The musician simply ‘beat boxed’ into the pot. And we soon figured out how to m…
Day 5 (PM): The ‘Togetherness Group’ from Kanyabukunga Story
…e the videos which include a Batwa song called ‘Abagyeni Beza’ which is in praise of visitors to the community, telling them that they are beautiful. A lovely song for us to hear! https://youtu.be/MIxv2AOZ7XU https://youtu.be/iYuE_b8lzF8 https://youtu.be/bApTXsrdZ3A https://youtu.be/nh9LxM8OrfE https://youtu.be/CPJ5H7XvdT0 https://youtu.be/qQK5NiF7aSk ‘Abagyeni Beza’ https://youtu.be/7i3F5hPSPg8 The afternoon session wraps up at about 5pm. We…
Day 5: Recording the Mperwa Dancers Story
…u.be/wxzzC5qcweU https://youtu.be/mhzNpJLsZFA https://youtu.be/h_mVjup7_6s https://youtu.be/1zjh68iNClw Jessie leads the first Influences session and Winyo accompanies the lead singer and drummer on another…… …and then serenades one of the women outside her hut! The children like to get involved in what we are doing. These young boys enjoy exclusive access to the sound recording area, keeping a close eye on Andy and Willie and enjoying listening t…
Day 4 (later): Recording for ‘Influences’ with the Birara Dancers Story
…ecorded earlier. They have to sing into a mic. Often they are asked not to clap. Often they are asked not to dance while they sing. We do it to focus on sound quality, but we are fully aware that we are putting these fantastic musicians into an alien environment. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. With the Birara Dancers over the three days we worked with them it worked very well. Here they are on the first night. One thing to remember, whi…
Day 4: UOBDU and the Birara Dancers Story
…the ‘studio’ ready to record the Birara Dancers: The key sound engineers do a final check before we begin: Steve, Andy and Jesse do a final sound check before we begin. https://youtu.be/l-1IG790EOs https://youtu.be/u38YYaTQMIY https://youtu.be/uNeC4Dw4bu0 https://youtu.be/9FZeFgg4jKI https://youtu.be/VhR6f97o_6o https://youtu.be/ET41BPYiYXA https://youtu.be/aSxGwZ3k1eA…
Kenya (Coast): Day 3 – our final recording day Story
…er of the social centre and a key member of the Zigidigi Cultural Troupe.. https://youtu.be/KSzaveOB7SA https://youtu.be/N14zZK0dMQA Muungano Kayamba The groups is led by Futuma Ali Mwacheruve, dancing and singing in the Kayamba style (which is also the name of the wonderful percussion). It was our first ‘harvest dance’ (Mavuno), which celebrated the harvest and the arrival of the new baby. Lots of ‘props’ including a baby doll, hay stack and lo…