BaraBara.fm [v.3] - A Journey into the Sound of Kenya

Takaye Preaching

Agnieszka — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:21:25 +0000

This is an idea for the last track of the album. The track is based on a field recording I did on a hot Sunday in Takaye Village, just a stone ´s throw away from the Centre of Malindi. Early in the morning I had the chance to join a divine service. I got in touch with a small church community about 15 people. The preacher preached himself into a rage. Thank god that I had my MD-Player and the okm-mics with me…..

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/prediger5-1.mp3 ^{Takaye Preacher}

Kayamba Track Idea

Agnieszka — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:01:33 +0000

This is a first try based on the great Kayamba Recordings we did in Kwale. Don t miss the video of the recording session. It s amazing to see how 8 people play the Kayamba in unison.

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/kayamba30-12.mp3 ^kayamba… Read the rest

Pictures put in on New Year’s Eve to remember the folks in africa

Agnieszka — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:25:07 +0000

Journey in the Nyanza region on March 11th, where we met with the nyatiti player Okumo Korengo :

The People at Ogoya Nengo’s Village:

Best wishes for the new year 2010 to all of you !!

Matondoni Video

Agnieszka — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:00:49 +0000

Here comes a new video about the recordings we did on march 25th in Matondoni, this small island close to Lamu.
The music of the traditional Kaswida group was so different from everything else, we had seen the days before.
At least ten male singers of three different generations sang a fiew melodies over and over while the rhythm group played and hammered continuously a very monoton and ruminant beat.
The slow and coordinated movements of the old men and young boys were graceful and full of inner fragility. A lot of children were playing around us and the veiled women regarded the dance from the background. While we sweat at 35 °C.
Listen to the version, Sven created based on the Matondoni Recordings.
And here is the corresponding video track:

How do you like it?

Lamu 2nd Version

Agnieszka — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:38:13 +0000

This is a new version of the Lamu- flute track. I recorded some kind of solo handdrums in the middle part of the song. Though the track sounds different from the extracts I have already posted, I hope, that you gonna like it.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/floetenstuck13-12-9.mp3 ^{Lamu 2nd version}

Lamu

Agnieszka — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:15:31 +0000

On march 22nd I recorded a flute player in Lamu. Last week I played some simple beats on two different tamobourin drums, which I bought in Kenya, on top of the original recordings.
Yesterday I added a soft brush pattern and two other percussive elements.
This is a first extract:
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/floetenstuck1-12-9.mp3 ^Lamu

Mbui, Mbutch & Mwatela Track Idea

Agnieszka — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:35:49 +0000

On march 22nd Mbui and Mbutch invited us to meet their great band in a small village very close to Malindi. First we had to drink a glass of self made coconut schnapps (video)
Then Mbui, his father Mwatela and up to ten other musicians played many great tunes for us. We stayed there until night. After some more glasses of coconut schnapps we set out through the incredibly black night back for Takaye Village.
Here is a first Track idea based on the recordings we did on march 22nd.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/mbui2129.mp3 ^{Sengenya Music}

Matondoni Track Idea (Extract)

Agnieszka — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:12:30 +0000

This is a first try out based on the great recording we did in Matondoni, this small island just a stone´s throw away from Lamu.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Matondoni25-11.mp3 ^{matondoni extract}

The Ohangla Session

Agnieszka — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:57:05 +0000

The recording session we did at the home place of Jack Nyadundo on the 11th march was the first reording for the barabara-project at all. you can see some pictures here.
Jack Nyadundo and his young band are playing a style called “Ohangla”. At the moment “Ohangla” is really the latest craze in Kisumu. It is played in all of the clubs. People dance a very hot style to the rythms and the kenyan women shake their “hips” in an uncredible flexible way: they can move their bumcheeks in every directions!
It was fun to meet Nyadundo and his band. Finally Sven had to play the main drum. Later on Nyadundo advised him to go round in circle while the rhythm had do go on. Sven failed and the crowd laughed lustily.
During the next days of our Nyanza trip together with Tabu, Patrick and George we realized that a certain kind of buoyant spirit is something that all of the people at the Nyanza region radiated even though most of them lived in an extremly poor backround.

Listen here to the track that Sven created based on the original recordings.

Six Finished Nyanza Tracks (Extracts)

Agnieszka — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:04:43 +0000

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Ogoya-Ausschn.mp3 ^{Ogoya Nengo}
Ogoya Nengo Video

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Nyatiti2-Ausschn.mp3 ^{Okumo Korengo}
Okumo Korengo Video

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Koyo-Ausschn.mp3 ^{Owino Koyo}
Owino Koyo Video

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Ohangla-Ausschn.mp3 ^{Jack Nyadundo Orchestra}
Jack Nyadundo Photos

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Olith-Ausschn.mp3 ^{Olith Ratego}

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Nyatiti1-Ausschn.mp3 ^{Joseph Oganga}
Joseph Oganga Video

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Okumo Korengo

Agnieszka — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:23:49 +0000

The kenyan guitar-like instrument called Nyatiti is one of the most important instruments of the Nyanza Region. On march 11th we met with two different Nyatiti players. First we went to the village of Joseph Oganga. (Watch the video) Later on Oganga joined us to visit one of his friends, who is also a great musicians. The last days I worked out a three-minutes track based on the recordings we did with Okumo Korengo. There is also a great video of the recording session, Agnieszka did this day.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Nyatiti2-Ausschn.mp3 ^{Korengo Extract}

It s Not The Real Ohangla

Agnieszka — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:53:50 +0000

This is a longer version based on the recordings we did in Kisumu on march 10th. As I have already written before, Ohangla Music is totally hip in Kisumu. It s really the big thing at the moment. They are playing Ohangla in all of the clubs and of course everybody is dancing to the straight four- on-the-floor-beats the drummers are playing over and over.
Obviously the following example sounds a little bit different from what I have posted before. Nevtertheless I hope you gonna like it.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Ohangla-Ausschn.mp3 ^{kisumu extract}

Ogoya Nengo Long Version

Agnieszka — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:40:46 +0000

Here comes a longer version of Ogoya Nengo. After listening to her takes over and over again and again, I am still so impressed by her singing. What a voice !
For the middle section of the song I used the recordings we have done before we left the village. Everybody was dancing and singing. The husband of Ogoya played the solo drum accompanied by an amazing percussion trio. Watch the video, Agnieszka did on this unique day.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Ogoya24_8.mp3 ^{ogoya nengo longer version}

Joseph Oganga Extract

Agnieszka — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:41:43 +0000

And this is a longer version based on the recordings we have done with Joseph Oganga right before we met with Owino Koyo on march 11th. I think the version is still a little bit to cheesy and a little bit to soft. May be it´s a good idea to record a pretty loud drum part for the middle section of the song.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/Nyatiti1-Ausschn.mp3 ^{joseph oganga extract}