VA - Buganda Royal Music Revival (2021) [Hi-Res]
![VA - Buganda Royal Music Revival (2021) [Hi-Res]](https://www.dibpic.com/uploads/posts/2021-11/1637234690_742521169759.jpg)
BAND/ARTIST: Various Artists
- Title: Buganda Royal Music Revival
- Year Of Release: 2021
- Label: Nyege Nyege Tapes
- Genre: World, African
- Quality: MP3 320 kbps; 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC; 24-bit/48kHz FLAC
- Total Time: 37:51
- Total Size: 95; 201; 424 MB
- WebSite: Album Preview
Collecting archival recordings and presenting them alongside studio material from 2019, "Bugandan Royal Music Revival" provides a valuable potted history of Bugandan court music. It's stunning work, showcasing the different instruments, styles and techniques that remain the backbone of Uganda's traditional culture.
Assembled to go alongside a documentary by brothers Basile and Jules Louis Koechlin, this deep dive into Bugandan cultural music is completely out on its own. The kingdom of Buganda was founded in the 14th century, and music played a crucial role in the royal courts; the music was centered on a drum ensemble known as the mujaguzo, and over its existence the court was said to have collected over 300, each drum with its own significance. Players from across the kingdom would flock to the court to show off their skill to the king, and ended up forming ensembles that took turns holding residence. These musicians would play Bugandan lyre, harp, hand-made gourd trumpets, tuned drums and flutes, assembling the different instruments in various ways to tell layered stories of their kingdom's sprawling landscape.
But in 1966, as the country struggled after decades of British colonial rule, the Ugandan Army attacked the palace of Bugandan king Muteesa II. The musicians were either killed or fled, and in the aftermath the Bugandan kingdom was dissolved. Over the following years, sounds that had played such an important role in Uganda's cultural history fell out of favor, and while the kingdom was re-established in 1993, it's taken time to re-introduce them to contemporary listeners. The Koechlins' documentary follows their attempt to track down the players keeping the sound alive, culminating in a studio visit to capture the music for future generations. Even without the visual accompaniment, it's powerful and emotional material.
The sheer breadth of the sound here is remarkable. Most of the recordings are contemporary, but placed alongside earlier archival recordings from the 1940s and 1960s, it's possible to hear just how this music has survived an existential crisis and how it's changed. It's such a treat to absorb this spread of instrumentation that's survived from the middle ages and developed into complex rhythmic music (peep opening track 'Mujaguzo'), rapid microtonal tuned-drum virtuosity ('Kifwe kze kya'), heartbreaking harp and vocal jams ('Okwagala omulungi') or complex flute music ('Omusango gw’abalere'). There's just so much here - each listen reveals something deeper and more delicate. An unmissable treat, honestly.
Tracklist:
1.01 - Unidentified members of the royal drums ensemble (mujaguzo) - Mujaguzo (Celebration) (0:53)
1.02 - Erusana Lutwana & Budo African Music Club - Ffe basajja ba Kabaka (We are the King’s men) (2:24)
1.03 - Albert Bisaso Ssempeke & band as the lyres, fiddles, and drums ensemble (abadongo) - Akasozi Bamunanika keyagaza (The hill of Bamunanika gives pride) (3:56)
1.04 - Kopolyano Kyobe & band as the xylophone and drums ensemble (abantamiivu) - Ssematimba ne Kikwabanga (Ssematimba and Kikwabanga) (2:42)
1.05 - Unidentified members of the royal flutes and drums ensemble (abalere) - Asenga omwami tagayaala (A new tenant of a chief cannot be lazy) (2:39)
1.06 - Evaristo Muyinda - Ssewasswa, kazaala balongo (Ssewasswa, father of twins) (2:51)
1.07 - Maria Nanemba Muyinda - Twaliraanya mayumba, emmeeme tezaaliraana (Our houses are next to each other, but not our souls) (1:25)
1.08 - Evaristo Muyinda - Twabonaabona (We suffered) (1:51)
1.09 - Unidentified members of the royal trumpets band (abakondere) - Bagabye Mukwenda, owange talina nnaku (They have served Mukwenda, mine doesn’t have sorrow) (0:42)
1.10 - Kalema Hassan Katipa & band - Bya nannyinimu (They belong to the owner) (3:30)
1.11 - Unidentified members of the royal big xylophone ensemble (abakadinda) - Bandaba okulya ettooke, bampita mulamu ddala (They see me eat a banana meal, they think I am healthy) (1:08)
1.12 - Temutewo Mukasa, royal harpist (omulanga) - Okwagala omulungi kwesengereza (Loving the beautiful one is to be careful) (3:07)
1.13 - Unidentified members of the royal drum-chime ensemble (abatenga) - Kifwe kze kya (no clear translation was found) (0:50)
1.14 - Semuwemba George William - Kubikira amadinda (Announcing death to the xylophone) (1:24)
1.15 - Semuwemba George William & Sekindi John - Emirembe ngalo buli ogujja gukira gunnaago (Generations are like fingers, each one is different) (2:28)
1.16 - Albert Ssempeke - Omusango gw’abalere (The case of the flutists) (1:45)
1.17 - John Ssempeke & Sebuufu Steven - Osiibye otya nno? (How has your day been?) (4:16)
Assembled to go alongside a documentary by brothers Basile and Jules Louis Koechlin, this deep dive into Bugandan cultural music is completely out on its own. The kingdom of Buganda was founded in the 14th century, and music played a crucial role in the royal courts; the music was centered on a drum ensemble known as the mujaguzo, and over its existence the court was said to have collected over 300, each drum with its own significance. Players from across the kingdom would flock to the court to show off their skill to the king, and ended up forming ensembles that took turns holding residence. These musicians would play Bugandan lyre, harp, hand-made gourd trumpets, tuned drums and flutes, assembling the different instruments in various ways to tell layered stories of their kingdom's sprawling landscape.
But in 1966, as the country struggled after decades of British colonial rule, the Ugandan Army attacked the palace of Bugandan king Muteesa II. The musicians were either killed or fled, and in the aftermath the Bugandan kingdom was dissolved. Over the following years, sounds that had played such an important role in Uganda's cultural history fell out of favor, and while the kingdom was re-established in 1993, it's taken time to re-introduce them to contemporary listeners. The Koechlins' documentary follows their attempt to track down the players keeping the sound alive, culminating in a studio visit to capture the music for future generations. Even without the visual accompaniment, it's powerful and emotional material.
The sheer breadth of the sound here is remarkable. Most of the recordings are contemporary, but placed alongside earlier archival recordings from the 1940s and 1960s, it's possible to hear just how this music has survived an existential crisis and how it's changed. It's such a treat to absorb this spread of instrumentation that's survived from the middle ages and developed into complex rhythmic music (peep opening track 'Mujaguzo'), rapid microtonal tuned-drum virtuosity ('Kifwe kze kya'), heartbreaking harp and vocal jams ('Okwagala omulungi') or complex flute music ('Omusango gw’abalere'). There's just so much here - each listen reveals something deeper and more delicate. An unmissable treat, honestly.
Tracklist:
1.01 - Unidentified members of the royal drums ensemble (mujaguzo) - Mujaguzo (Celebration) (0:53)
1.02 - Erusana Lutwana & Budo African Music Club - Ffe basajja ba Kabaka (We are the King’s men) (2:24)
1.03 - Albert Bisaso Ssempeke & band as the lyres, fiddles, and drums ensemble (abadongo) - Akasozi Bamunanika keyagaza (The hill of Bamunanika gives pride) (3:56)
1.04 - Kopolyano Kyobe & band as the xylophone and drums ensemble (abantamiivu) - Ssematimba ne Kikwabanga (Ssematimba and Kikwabanga) (2:42)
1.05 - Unidentified members of the royal flutes and drums ensemble (abalere) - Asenga omwami tagayaala (A new tenant of a chief cannot be lazy) (2:39)
1.06 - Evaristo Muyinda - Ssewasswa, kazaala balongo (Ssewasswa, father of twins) (2:51)
1.07 - Maria Nanemba Muyinda - Twaliraanya mayumba, emmeeme tezaaliraana (Our houses are next to each other, but not our souls) (1:25)
1.08 - Evaristo Muyinda - Twabonaabona (We suffered) (1:51)
1.09 - Unidentified members of the royal trumpets band (abakondere) - Bagabye Mukwenda, owange talina nnaku (They have served Mukwenda, mine doesn’t have sorrow) (0:42)
1.10 - Kalema Hassan Katipa & band - Bya nannyinimu (They belong to the owner) (3:30)
1.11 - Unidentified members of the royal big xylophone ensemble (abakadinda) - Bandaba okulya ettooke, bampita mulamu ddala (They see me eat a banana meal, they think I am healthy) (1:08)
1.12 - Temutewo Mukasa, royal harpist (omulanga) - Okwagala omulungi kwesengereza (Loving the beautiful one is to be careful) (3:07)
1.13 - Unidentified members of the royal drum-chime ensemble (abatenga) - Kifwe kze kya (no clear translation was found) (0:50)
1.14 - Semuwemba George William - Kubikira amadinda (Announcing death to the xylophone) (1:24)
1.15 - Semuwemba George William & Sekindi John - Emirembe ngalo buli ogujja gukira gunnaago (Generations are like fingers, each one is different) (2:28)
1.16 - Albert Ssempeke - Omusango gw’abalere (The case of the flutists) (1:45)
1.17 - John Ssempeke & Sebuufu Steven - Osiibye otya nno? (How has your day been?) (4:16)
Year 2021 | World | FLAC / APE | Mp3 | HD & Vinyl
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