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The instruments that were used by the ensemble are very similar to the ones, the band of Mbui and Mbutch used on March 22nd. For example both groups played very melodic rhythms on a 4-piece drumkit but the sengenya group in Kwale played everything much slower and much more relaxed. In comparison to this band the orchestra of Mbui was really a “high-energy-senenya group”. http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/28-3Kwale1.mp3 ^{chapao drums}
In the last weeks many of the recording sessions have corresponded to the same sample. First of all the band played about three or four songs they had prepared for the session. Of course some of these introductory songs were really great but all of the meetings and recording sessions became even more interesting after the first part was done. It was very interesting to see how different bands reacted to some of Sven´s requests to play a song in a different way, in a different tempo or without one of these time keeping instruments.
From this point the exchange was always more intense and in our opinion many of the results were very unique.
In Kwale Sven had a talk about the meaning and the sense of some of the traditional songs and finally an old woman began to sing a song that she usually saves for funerals and other truly sad situations. It only took a few seconds for to be accompanied by 6 other women.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/28-3Kwale2.mp3 ^{funeral song}

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/23-03kanufahrt.mp3 ^{Singing on a boat trip}

From the riverbanks it was a long walk in the midday sun and took a bit of time bevor we were bided welcome.
At the village we met with some people who were playing a style called “Gonda”. Gonda music is based on strong rhythms. There is always one person hammering on a metal plate like crazy to give a clear and loud beat to all of the other musicians. Three of the drummers are playing very complex unison phrases while at least 8 women are singing to this very loud and very strong rhythm.
We did some fantastic audio and video recordings at this magical scene and had great views at this outlying place.
Later on we were invited to sit down under the usual phenomenal big tree to relax and have some talks with the people and to eat “Ugali”, a white pulp made out of water and maize. Ugali is the dietary staple of the Kenyan majority. Like all Kenyan dishes, ugali is eaten by hand.

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/23-3trommelvoice.mp3 ^{rythm section}

In the afternoon we went to a funeral. Three days earlier an old man who lived in the neighboring village had passed away and Raymond had to pay a short visit. He invited us to accompany him and so we had the chance to spend an hour on a traditional African funeral which lasts 4 days. At first sight it looked as if it was a public festival. Loud music was played, sweets and beer was sold and there were at least 300 people around, some of them dancing, some talking to the neighbours and also some crying as the coffin was lowered into the earth…

In the evening we met with Mbuch a friend of Marie and were invited to come to Mbuis place who has been his teacher in percussion. He is studying traditional music and takes courses at a kind of training camp for musicians. They get up at the latest at 5 O’clock in the morning to work first on their physical fitness. They run about 14 kilometers and pump iron… Later on they begin to practice the many traditional instruments. After smoking some Ganja in the afternoon they keep on playing until they go to bed around 10 O’clock.
It was the first time to record some musicians of our generation who played traditional instruments. They had a modern approach to several traditional rhythms but it was still very well connected to the roots of the older generation.

After the recordings we all just sat down to drink some bottles of cold Tusker and played until night. All these of these musicians were very open minded and warmhearted. Agnieszka had some good conversations with Tempa about the development possibilities in the slums of Nairobi as well as the meaning of hope, help and support in this context for Africans in general. Tempa who has been playing in a band with Mbui and Mbuch has found his destiny in being a development helper in the slums of Nairobi as he told Agnieszka. And Mbui, our host, opened a cultural center in Malindi which takes in musicians and dancers in the form of a camp. All together they coming up with and exchanging ideas – like establishing a tree nursery to keep the camp and the idea alive.
It was a great pleasure to spend this afternoon with Mbuch, Mbui, Tempa and their friends.
Listen to some extracts of their wonderful music.
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/22-3mbuivoices.mp3 ^{vocal session at Mbui’s place}
http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/22-3letztertake.mp3 ^{last take sengenya music}

Finally we found a very cheap hotel in the already mentioned middle of nowhere. The rooms were simple but clean. At two o clock in the night it began to rain. The rain pattered on our corrugated iron roof so loudly, that we thought the Armageddon is drawing near.

At three o clock the rain stopped and we felt asleep again. Just under two hours later the owner of the hotel began to do his morning routine and the laundry just beside our room. And at half past five somebody started to listen to some Ohangla music at full volume….

After breakfast and tons of coffee we met with Onguko. Many years ago Onguko was one of the best and highly esteemed drummers of the whole Nyanza region but alcohol made a human wreck out of him. He was trembling the whole time. Finally Onguko sang two of his favourite traditional songs.

http://barabara.fm/videoblog/music/onguko_voice_130309.mp3 ^Onguko

Onguko has never played on an album so far. The recording we did today is his first recording that will be published.

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/village_crazyman_120309.mp3 ^{Sound of Rongo Village}

First we met with a Nyatiti player called Joseph Oganga and everybody was truly fascinated by his playing and also by his personality. Listen to a short extract of the music, Oganda played for us.

http://barabara.fm/videoblog/music/nyatiti_oganga_110309.mp3 ^{Joseph Oganda}

Later on Oganda joined us to visit one of his good friends at Aluny Village, who is also a great Nyatiti player. His name is Okumo Korengo. Sven asked him if he could play an instrumental nyatiti-take. After the recording Sven asked him to sing to of what he had just played. He was very confused because he had never recorded an overdub before…. But it was really great!

Then we all made a short stop at the home place of the grandmother of Barack Obama. Strange place. A lot of people around her tried to make some pictures or tried to talk to for at least a minute.

In the evening we went to the home place of Ogoya. Ogoya is an 80 years old Dodo-singer. She has performed in Brazil and in France.
The act of welcoming of Ogoya and her neighborhood was amazing. Everybody was dancing, singing or playing an instrument. It was simply a huge African party.
After the welcome ceremony we were invited to Ogaya´s hut to pray.
Then we did several recordings. And all of the recordings are great! First Ogoya sang acappella.

http://www.barabara.fm/videoblog/music/ogoya_110309.mp3 ^{Ogoya Solo}

Then she was accompanied by four ladies who were all about 80 years old.
After the recordings Ogoya invited us for dinner. We ate traditional Kenyan food and drank Coca Cola…..

Listen to the music:
http://barabara.fm/videoblog/music/jack_100309.mp3 ^{Jack Nyadundo & his band}