Gacharaigu Gitiro Women Group Group
…e is Ndumo, an old women’s dance purely for entertainment and preservation of culture. For all their songs, the ladies used the Kigamba (leg shakers) The group played 6 songs: Ndumo: sung by Wambui Mwangi. Ngucu: sung by Charity Muthoni and Grace Njuguini Muthuo: sung by Mary Wambui Kimunya: sung by Grace Njuguini Gitiro: sung by Mary Njeri Njagi Magic Moment: We then recorde a magic moment of the ladies and their leg shakers (Kigamba) – we did th…
Culture Musical Club Taarab Orchestra Group
…boline. They produced a wonderful rich sound. Performers: Taimour Rukuni Taha (secretary general, accordian), Maulid Haji Mkadam (musical director) We didn’t get the rest of the names as there were so many. Singers in order of songs below: Amina Addalla, Sabina Hassan, Mtumwa Mbarauk, Mgeni Khamis, Fatima Abdi Sdam. Songs: Bashraf Waridi – Rose, instrumental intro Ume Washuka Kama Yalivyo Nipata Mapenzi Matamu Sikupendi Kwa Uzuri – Love song….
Tarajazz Group
…a – The orbit of the Gods Pakistan – written by Siti Binti Saad who loved Pakistan when she visited Kasha – Kenyan Taarab love song. A man singing about his “chest being opened and empty” In typical Taarab style this has sexual inuendo Hijjaz Solo – Jazz solo without the singer Ashikibaya – name of a city. Magic Moment of Christopher Weston on Cajon and High Hat Magic Moment of singer Regina singing Kasha Magic Moment of singer Regina and Hassan o…
Kayamba Instrument
…The Kayamba is a shaker, with a cross bar which is played with the thumbs at the same time as it is is shaken – producing a percussive ‘hit’ at the same time as the traditional ‘shaker’ sound. We bought a couple of the Kayamba shakers from the musicians, and these became the founding items in the Singing Wells percussion library….
Pius Wafula Group
…MA – a generic term for drums, they use a plastic water container also struck with wooden sticks; CHISASI – shakers made out of gourds. We recorded five of Pius’s original compositions and were amazed with his rough yet mellow voice….
Kirundo Group
…and the kalimba. The three young men all wore head-dresses made of black and white monkey fur They had such a good beat, they got all of us dancing. We loved them….
Mr Bado Group
…He released his album Kama Kazi with Ketebul Music. He mixes an impressive combination of styles, and part of his mission is to help preserve styles such as Taarab which are fading on the modern music scene. To do this, he performs at cultural events with his father and brothers, as the Nyerere Wa Konde Music Club. We filmed a great session with Mr Bado and Mzee Nyerere wa Konde, in a collaboration with Benga fusion artist Winyo, in their village…
Day One: January 18, 2019. Assemble in Tanzania Story
…, even if only for a minute. So we will ask the group to re-do one section of the song and sometimes we’ll mic this this differently. Influences: We often conduct a field visit with an influences artists, a leading commercial artist that we hope to inspire by the music of their region. When the ‘spirit moves’ we will do a song with our influences artist and the group. Our ‘output’ for a field visit is a set of videos that we post on our website, F…
Liwambwe Group
…on bottom to be embedded in sand, 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…
Day Two: February 17, 2020 (Stonetown) Story
…l is an Arab style hotel, reminiscent of the rhiads in Marrakech with lots of small courtyards. In the Emerson Spice Hotel we filmed the first two groups in a courtyard usually used for meals in the hotel. While it became very hot as the sun hit the stage for the second group, the overall setting was beautiful – a lush green courtyard, with incredible music. The hotel was very gracious to allow us to record in their ‘secret garden’ especially…
Kizazi Kipya Kidumbak Group
…Bashraf – instrumental Mapenzi Ya Zari Kidege – My bird, love song Shika – popular Kenyan song renamed. Similar to Akuna Matata. Kijiti These performers were all from the area and were an authentic representation of local traditional kidumbak music….
Buganda Music Ensemble Group
…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 about it but he kept denying that anything had happened. Albert leads the song with the bow harp or Ennanga, a new instrument for us. Albert is only one of 3 master players. It was played in solo performances and the Ennanga player was the advisor to the king, as people would bring him messag…
Bungoma Roots Band Group
…ed with other school bands. They were quite good and had all their school fees paid for. During breaks from playing at the school they took up ‘Marketing’ and showed up at any events that were being held. The band members held day jobs, mostly in construction, and then would gig in the evening, often in clubs filled with drunkards. However, after years of hard work and managing to record multiple records, they needed to bring in other musicians to…
Day Three: February 18, 2020 (Stonetown, Mpendae, Maungani) Story
…Ledhibiti – means “Keep it Well” No 7 Instrumental – traditional old song of the community. Beni Kachoka – Beni means band and Kachoka means tired. This is a joking way of referring to a brass band that is smaller and more worn out than one would expect. Their music is based on the Brass Band style of the West. The Africans used to make fun of the Big Band sound from Europe by exaggerating the sound and having people with learning disabilities p…
Nile Beat Artists Group
…and moved to the UK, keen to evolve his sound. He plays the Kora, and much of his writing combines West African instruments with an East African writing style. Song Meanings “Ikobo Kobo”: It is a type of herb. It is a song about a girl who is very bitter because her mother will not let her play with her friends freely. The mother explains to her that she was barren but the spirits helper her to conceive so the spirits set the condition that she sh…
Namaddu Troupe Group
…husband, who has been off drinking, and they reunite. “Kwakira Wiita”: A song about eating new food, particularly millet, after the harvest. But the children don’t stay home and are out all the time, so they suffer from bad spiritis. They need to be home in the house for the good spirits. Gradually they return home and all is well….