Monday, December 28, 2009
F.Y.I.
Hi John,
I have been a fan of your website Likembe for a couple years since I came across some thing you posted about Kuku Sebsebe. I also wanted to introduce myself to you.
My name is Danny Mekonnen. I am a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at Harvard. I work on Ethiopian music and will start my dissertation in about one year. I am also a bandleader and musician -- I play saxophone in my group Debo Band. The group is an 11-piece Ethiopian pop, together now for over three years.
We've been given the incredible opportunity to bring Ethiopian music for the first time to East Africa’s largest music festival: “Sauti za Busara” on the island of Zanzibar, February 11th-16th, 2010. We will bring with us 4 Ethiopian musicians and dancers living in Addis Ababa. This is a major opportunity for us to reach a wider audience and make further connections and collaborations with music in Ethiopia and East Africa.
Debo Band has launched an online fundraising campaign, and we have just 15 days left to raise more than $5,000 to pay for our upcoming African tour. We'd love you to watch our video and help spread the word. The success of this effort depends on this news reaching people far and wide.
See the video at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/deboband/debo-band-returns-to-africa
We've received a grant which only covers some of the cost, so we are now seeking (tax-deductible) donations to complete the budget and make this journey possible. Any amount makes a huge difference -- most donations are $25 or $50, which will add up quickly to help us to our goal.
It's hard asking strangers for help, but I feel that the fund-raising is all for a good cause: an exciting opportunity for cultural exchange through music. We hope that when you watch the video you feel inspired to contribute in some way! Check out the video link above to see what we're up to, and please pass this on to more people who would be interested in this project. (You can also learn more about Debo Band at http://deboband.com)
Many thanks in advance for your time reading this email and for the work you do through your blog Likembe. I hope than we can be in touch in the future, and that we can find a way to work on something together.
All best wishes for the new year!
Cheers,
Danny
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Salam Sounds
Researching that last post has got me to pondering the ways in which the kora, the traditional 21-string harp-lute of West Africa, has been combined with more modern sounds. There are plenty of examples, from the musical fusions of Foday Musa Suso and Djeli Moussa Diawara to Toumani Diabate's collaborations with Taj Mahal and Björk, to, incredibly, Naughty By Nature's 1991 smash hit "O.P.P."None of these attempts to update the classic sound, in my opinion, approach the pure polyphonic joy of Ebrima Tata Jobateh's cassette Waato, recorded with his group Salam (apparently members of his extended family) and released by Kerewan Sounds in Gambia in 1995.
Efforts to find out more about this mysterious artist didn't yield much save this observation by Nick Deen of Natari: ". . . Tata's solo style is extremely impressive and in fact leaves the older Paris-based kora players like Mory Kante very much in the shade. Absolute magic all the way through." Of course, I wholeheartedly agree with Nick's assessment! Hear for yourself:
Tata & Salam Band - San-Chaba
Tata & Salam Band - Sabarla
Tata & Salam Band - Mali-Gambia
Tata & Salam Band - Boto Sanneh
Tata & Salam Band - Mariama Jallow
Tata & Salam Band - Kaira
Tata & Salam Band - Duwa
Tata & Salam Band - Alagie Danso
You can download Waato as a zipped file here. More new-fangled kora sounds to follow.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Volunteer profile - Jess, London
Why did you get involved in vinspired Lake of Stars?
I had heard about vinspired Lake of Stars from some friends and work colleagues and wanted to get involved, so I pestered the guys in the office until they let me work for them!
What did you do?
In Malawi: I managed the Beach Bar Stage, from the build before the festival all the way through to the get-out when it was over. Not only was I responsible for ensuring the schedule ran smoothly and everyone was in the right place at the right time, but also mentoring Stanley, an amazing guy from Malawi who managed the same stage during the daytime when it featured a fantastic array of Malawian acts, from acoustic sets to acrobatics. It was hard work with lots of late nights but the experience was definitely worth it.
What next?
I have gone back to work in events, but I would definitely like to stay involved with vinspired Lake of Stars, and would love for them to have me back next year.
Would you recommend volunteering for other young people?
Totally. It's not often anyone would willingly spend their holiday working, but vinspired Lake of Stars taught me that volunteering your time and doing something you enjoy can be so much more worthwhile than just lying on the beach. I found the skill-share aspect of my role particularly rewarding - it was so nice to be able to pass on some of my knowledge to Stanley and really see him getting something out of it which he can use in the future. Find something you like doing, and then find a way that you can make that help someone else - there's something out there for everyone!
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words and photo by Jess Leyton, vinspired volunteer
Volunteer profile - Jess, London
Why did you get involved in vinspired Lake of Stars?
I had heard about vinspired Lake of Stars from some friends and work colleagues and wanted to get involved, so I pestered the guys in the office until they let me work for them!
What did you do?
In Malawi: I managed the Beach Bar Stage, from the build before the festival all the way through to the get-out when it was over. Not only was I responsible for ensuring the schedule ran smoothly and everyone was in the right place at the right time, but also mentoring Stanley, an amazing guy from Malawi who managed the same stage during the daytime when it featured a fantastic array of Malawian acts, from acoustic sets to acrobatics. It was hard work with lots of late nights but the experience was definitely worth it.
What next?
I have gone back to work in events, but I would definitely like to stay involved with vinspired Lake of Stars, and would love for them to have me back next year.
Would you recommend volunteering for other young people?
Totally. It's not often anyone would willingly spend their holiday working, but vinspired Lake of Stars taught me that volunteering your time and doing something you enjoy can be so much more worthwhile than just lying on the beach. I found the skill-share aspect of my role particularly rewarding - it was so nice to be able to pass on some of my knowledge to Stanley and really see him getting something out of it which he can use in the future. Find something you like doing, and then find a way that you can make that help someone else - there's something out there for everyone!
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words and photo by Jess Leyton, vinspired volunteer
Monday, December 21, 2009
House of Kings
The Casamance region of southern Senegal has been the scene of sporadic fighting over the years between the central government and the separatist Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance (MFDC). The area was formerly a Portuguese possession and is culturally distinct from the rest of Senegal. The name "Casamance" is said to derive from the Portuguese word for "house" combined with the Mandinka word for "king." An alternative explanation attributes the name to an old kingdom in the region called Kassa.
The music of Casamance also differs from the mainstream Senegalese sound, having more in common with the music of Guinea and Mali, with a distinctive Lusophone flavor. Orchestre Baobab, Toure Kunda and Xalam all have roots in the region, but the foremost musical group in the area has been the Sedhiou Band, variously known as UCAS de Sedhiou or the UCAS Jazz Band.The Sedhiou Band was founded in 1959 as the musical group of the Union Cultural Association in the town of Sedhiou, and has had a varied lineup over the years. The most recent configuration features Ibrahima Sylla Dia on lead guitar, vocals by Abdoulaye Dandou Diedhiou, Seydou Ndao, Amadou Leye Sarr and Aminata Dieng Ndiaye, and a battery of percussionists and other musicians. The group came to the attention of most African music fans outside of Senegal when Africa Kambeng (Africassette AC9404) was released in 1998, a recording that is still in print and available from Amazon and Sterns.
The Sedhiou Band have released numerous recordings over the years (a 1970s LP is available from Worldservice here). I possess four cassettes by the group released during the 1990s, from which I present selections here. It's a sort of "Sedhiou Band Best of the '90s," as it were.
The title track of Saaroo, released in 1992, is distinguished by the kora playing of Sirakata Diebaté, who also features prominently on "Kambeng" from the same cassette:
UCAS de Sedhiou - Saaroo
UCAS de Sedhiou - Kambeng
I wish I knew the name of the female singer who graces the lovely song "Nenne Suuxo," permeated with a sense of saudade, that opens A Paris, issued in 1993. "Yaa Musoolu," from the same cassette, definitely kicks things up a notch:
UCAS Band Jazz de Sedhiou - Nenne SuuxoUCAS Band Jazz de Sedhiou - Yaa Musoolu
In 1997 the Sedhiou Band made several recordings for the Gambia-based label Kerewan Sounds, and these reflect Gambian concerns. Notable is this praise song to the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction, a political party that grew out of a military coup in the Gambia in 1994 and swept the 1997 elections. It continues to rule the country amid charges of intimidation of opposition parties. This is from the cassette Dimbayaa:
Sedhiou Band - A.P.R.C.
Also from Dimbayaa is this lively tune:
Sedhiou Band - Khady Kebe
Africa Kambeng, also released in 1997 by Kerewan Sounds, continues the theme of uptempo dance music combined with political paeans. "22nd July Movement" is a praise song to the 1994 miltary coup:
Sedhiou Band - 22nd July Movement
Here's another praise song, but apparently not a political one. There is a Senegalese professional basketball player named Ndeye Ndiaye, but she would have been 18 when this song was recorded, so it's probably not about her. I wish I knew more:
Sedhiou Band - Ndeye Ndiaye
Download these tracks as a zipped file here. If you enjoy this music, go to this post about Ramiro Naka from Guinea-Bisaau, and see if you don't hear a connection.
Letters from the Lakeside, Part 3 ...
Here is the third in Becki Cole's series of blogs about the time she spent in Malawi at vinspired Lake of Stars back in October ...
I was made up to find out that Cantmixwontmixshldntmixdontmix, a group of 5 DJs that work extensively in the Liverpool area, are also charitably minded: Bobby spent 8 months volunteering here in Malawi, teaching in Nkata Bay, and Jazzbo was keen to re-visit and help in any way he could after playing Lake of Stars in 2007. As a group they’ve done plenty of charity work before, supporting C.A.L.M. and Oxjam.
They brought two suitcases full of pens to Malawi, and another one is on it’s way with a friend who’s coming to volunteer in January - they were excited about donating them to a nearby school project they regularly support. The lads are clued up about responsible donating, as Jay Jay said: “It’s so important for people to support sustainable projects, not to just give meaningless handouts.” Chris had seen where aid is vitally needed first hand - he’d been in Mangochi hospital as a patient himself! “It’s been a rollercoaster: absolutely amazing one minute, in hospital seeing the horrors the next. It’s a big eye-opener!”
Mr Paul, who played the Beach Bar on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights, clearly loved the country and the festival and everything it stands for, choosing to come out here for 4 weeks to really get a feel for the place. He enthused: “I love the great music, the good people.”
Geoff from SixAM raved about Lucius Banda, Black Missionaries and Body, Mind and Soul, calling the festival “awe-inspiring. There’s so much talent here, on and off stage. You only need to look around for 10 seconds and you see something that challenges or excites you.” I can’t think of a better way to describe Malawi as a whole to be honest! He also played Lake of Stars last year and is so smitten with the country that he talked of moving here one day: he dreams of setting up a dance, drama and music school: “there’s too much talent going to waste and not enough opportunities to improve here – I’d love to give people that opportunity.”
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities on vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole
I was made up to find out that Cantmixwontmixshldntmixdontmix, a group of 5 DJs that work extensively in the Liverpool area, are also charitably minded: Bobby spent 8 months volunteering here in Malawi, teaching in Nkata Bay, and Jazzbo was keen to re-visit and help in any way he could after playing Lake of Stars in 2007. As a group they’ve done plenty of charity work before, supporting C.A.L.M. and Oxjam.
They brought two suitcases full of pens to Malawi, and another one is on it’s way with a friend who’s coming to volunteer in January - they were excited about donating them to a nearby school project they regularly support. The lads are clued up about responsible donating, as Jay Jay said: “It’s so important for people to support sustainable projects, not to just give meaningless handouts.” Chris had seen where aid is vitally needed first hand - he’d been in Mangochi hospital as a patient himself! “It’s been a rollercoaster: absolutely amazing one minute, in hospital seeing the horrors the next. It’s a big eye-opener!”
Mr Paul, who played the Beach Bar on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights, clearly loved the country and the festival and everything it stands for, choosing to come out here for 4 weeks to really get a feel for the place. He enthused: “I love the great music, the good people.”
Geoff from SixAM raved about Lucius Banda, Black Missionaries and Body, Mind and Soul, calling the festival “awe-inspiring. There’s so much talent here, on and off stage. You only need to look around for 10 seconds and you see something that challenges or excites you.” I can’t think of a better way to describe Malawi as a whole to be honest! He also played Lake of Stars last year and is so smitten with the country that he talked of moving here one day: he dreams of setting up a dance, drama and music school: “there’s too much talent going to waste and not enough opportunities to improve here – I’d love to give people that opportunity.”
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities on vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole
Letters from the Lakeside, Part 3 ...
Here is the third in Becki Cole's series of blogs about the time she spent in Malawi at vinspired Lake of Stars back in October ...
I was made up to find out that Cantmixwontmixshldntmixdontmix, a group of 5 DJs that work extensively in the Liverpool area, are also charitably minded: Bobby spent 8 months volunteering here in Malawi, teaching in Nkata Bay, and Jazzbo was keen to re-visit and help in any way he could after playing Lake of Stars in 2007. As a group they’ve done plenty of charity work before, supporting C.A.L.M. and Oxjam.
They brought two suitcases full of pens to Malawi, and another one is on it’s way with a friend who’s coming to volunteer in January - they were excited about donating them to a nearby school project they regularly support. The lads are clued up about responsible donating, as Jay Jay said: “It’s so important for people to support sustainable projects, not to just give meaningless handouts.” Chris had seen where aid is vitally needed first hand - he’d been in Mangochi hospital as a patient himself! “It’s been a rollercoaster: absolutely amazing one minute, in hospital seeing the horrors the next. It’s a big eye-opener!”
Mr Paul, who played the Beach Bar on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights, clearly loved the country and the festival and everything it stands for, choosing to come out here for 4 weeks to really get a feel for the place. He enthused: “I love the great music, the good people.”
Geoff from SixAM raved about Lucius Banda, Black Missionaries and Body, Mind and Soul, calling the festival “awe-inspiring. There’s so much talent here, on and off stage. You only need to look around for 10 seconds and you see something that challenges or excites you.” I can’t think of a better way to describe Malawi as a whole to be honest! He also played Lake of Stars last year and is so smitten with the country that he talked of moving here one day: he dreams of setting up a dance, drama and music school: “there’s too much talent going to waste and not enough opportunities to improve here – I’d love to give people that opportunity.”
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities on vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole
I was made up to find out that Cantmixwontmixshldntmixdontmix, a group of 5 DJs that work extensively in the Liverpool area, are also charitably minded: Bobby spent 8 months volunteering here in Malawi, teaching in Nkata Bay, and Jazzbo was keen to re-visit and help in any way he could after playing Lake of Stars in 2007. As a group they’ve done plenty of charity work before, supporting C.A.L.M. and Oxjam.
They brought two suitcases full of pens to Malawi, and another one is on it’s way with a friend who’s coming to volunteer in January - they were excited about donating them to a nearby school project they regularly support. The lads are clued up about responsible donating, as Jay Jay said: “It’s so important for people to support sustainable projects, not to just give meaningless handouts.” Chris had seen where aid is vitally needed first hand - he’d been in Mangochi hospital as a patient himself! “It’s been a rollercoaster: absolutely amazing one minute, in hospital seeing the horrors the next. It’s a big eye-opener!”
Mr Paul, who played the Beach Bar on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights, clearly loved the country and the festival and everything it stands for, choosing to come out here for 4 weeks to really get a feel for the place. He enthused: “I love the great music, the good people.”
Geoff from SixAM raved about Lucius Banda, Black Missionaries and Body, Mind and Soul, calling the festival “awe-inspiring. There’s so much talent here, on and off stage. You only need to look around for 10 seconds and you see something that challenges or excites you.” I can’t think of a better way to describe Malawi as a whole to be honest! He also played Lake of Stars last year and is so smitten with the country that he talked of moving here one day: he dreams of setting up a dance, drama and music school: “there’s too much talent going to waste and not enough opportunities to improve here – I’d love to give people that opportunity.”
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities on vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole
Monday, December 7, 2009
Volunteer profile - Globe Jam, London
Why did you get involved in vinspired Lake of Stars?
We wanted to visit a new country and do singing while we were there and heard about vLOS through a friend who said it was a brilliant event. So we thought volunteering at the festival would be a great opportunity to try and put a performance together with audience members who were there to have a good time anyway!
What did you do?
We rounded up as many willing people as possible to be involved in our singing workshops with the aim of performing on the main stage at vLOS by the last day. Watch our video below to see what happened!
In the UK we: Prepared our vocal workshops and did our own vocal arrangements of a few songs that we planned to teach for the performance. We also spent some time promoting what we would be doing and tried to get some early recruiting in for willing participants.
In Malawi we: Spent the evenings and mornings approaching people to let them know what we were up to and then ran our vocal workshops in the afternoon. Often people were too hung over to even consider getting involved but we managed to get a good group together eventually and made a lovely sound singing 'Feeling Good' by Nina Simone.
What next?
Now we are back in London, we hope to set up a choir who will perform at events we are going to run to raise money for all the youth groups and organisations we visited in Malawi following the festival, including; Bola Moyo, FOMO, Story Workshop and Open Arms. If you would like to volunteer your time and join the choir, contact us at globejam@myspace.com.
Would you recommend volunteering to other young people?
Definitely. There is so much to learn in any field you are interested in and it is a great way to meet the right people who can give you advice and point you in the right direction of what to do next.
Tommy & Sarah attend the vinspired Lake of Stars Festival where they round up audience members to be involved in their vocal workshops. Watch & see if they manage to get everyone together for the final performance on the main stage.
Tommy & Sarah visit the Bola Moyo Youth Centre in Balaka where they meet a lovely bunch of cockroaches! Watch to see the girls teach this talented group of children three Globe Jam vocal arrangements.
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words, photos and videos by Tommy Ludgate and Sarah Grace
Volunteer profile - Globe Jam, London
Why did you get involved in vinspired Lake of Stars?
We wanted to visit a new country and do singing while we were there and heard about vLOS through a friend who said it was a brilliant event. So we thought volunteering at the festival would be a great opportunity to try and put a performance together with audience members who were there to have a good time anyway!
What did you do?
We rounded up as many willing people as possible to be involved in our singing workshops with the aim of performing on the main stage at vLOS by the last day. Watch our video below to see what happened!
In the UK we: Prepared our vocal workshops and did our own vocal arrangements of a few songs that we planned to teach for the performance. We also spent some time promoting what we would be doing and tried to get some early recruiting in for willing participants.
In Malawi we: Spent the evenings and mornings approaching people to let them know what we were up to and then ran our vocal workshops in the afternoon. Often people were too hung over to even consider getting involved but we managed to get a good group together eventually and made a lovely sound singing 'Feeling Good' by Nina Simone.
What next?
Now we are back in London, we hope to set up a choir who will perform at events we are going to run to raise money for all the youth groups and organisations we visited in Malawi following the festival, including; Bola Moyo, FOMO, Story Workshop and Open Arms. If you would like to volunteer your time and join the choir, contact us at globejam@myspace.com.
Would you recommend volunteering to other young people?
Definitely. There is so much to learn in any field you are interested in and it is a great way to meet the right people who can give you advice and point you in the right direction of what to do next.
Tommy & Sarah attend the vinspired Lake of Stars Festival where they round up audience members to be involved in their vocal workshops. Watch & see if they manage to get everyone together for the final performance on the main stage.
Tommy & Sarah visit the Bola Moyo Youth Centre in Balaka where they meet a lovely bunch of cockroaches! Watch to see the girls teach this talented group of children three Globe Jam vocal arrangements.
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words, photos and videos by Tommy Ludgate and Sarah Grace
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The Roots of "Art Music"
I didn't know what to expect when I posted a recording of Fela Sowande's African Suite a couple of weeks ago, but the reaction has been surprisingly positive, not only in comments and emails but in the the number of downloads.
I say "surprisingly positive" because I didn't know what people would make of this effort to fuse African traditional music with European classical forms. Turns out that African "Art Music" isn't the obscure back ally that I thought it was. Not only is there a lot of it out there, it is the subject of a surprising amount of scholarship. Andreas Wetter directs us to two articles on his website Ntama, and the internet offers up considerable analysis for those who are interested.
Reader/listener William Matczynski has passed on a couple of tunes that were direct influences on passages in African Suite. "Akuko Nu Bonto," a Fanti-language song by George Wiliams Aingo from Ghana bears a sharp resemblence to "Akinla" in the suite (and, I might add, to the classic highlife song "Saturday Night," which has been recorded by just about everybody). This version of the song was recorded in London in 1927 by Zonophone Records and distributed all across West Africa. It is included on the fascinating release Living is Hard: West African Music in Britain 1927-29 (Honest Jon's Records HJRCD 33). We can't tell you anything about Mr. Aingo but the CD Roots of Highlife (Heritage Records, 1992), now long out of print, collects a number of his recordings.George Williams Aingo - Akuko Nu Bonto
Ghanaian composer Ephraim Kwaku Amu was a trail-blazer in the field of transcription of traditional African songs. He was born in 1899 and began teaching in 1920, contemporaneously with his musical education under the Rev. Allotey-Pappoe.Soon he had composed a number of popular songs, including "Mawo do na Yesu" ("I Shall Work for Jesus"), "Onipa," "Da Wo So" and "Yen Ara Asase Ni." His cultural nationalist tendencies led to a break with the Church, and he left for London in 1937 to study at the Royal College of Music. It was here that he learned to fuse African polyphony with European forms of music. In the late '60s Amu was the director of the University of Ghana Chorus, which recorded the LP Ghana Asuafo Reto Dwom (Ghanaian Students Sing) for Afro Request Records (SPLP 5027). Amu's composition "Ennye Ye Angye Da," included on the album, was the basis for "Joyful Day" in Sowande's African Suite. From the liner notes, the lyrics are as follows:
University of Ghana Chorus - Ennye Ye Angye Da
This is a joyful day.
Why be sad, when all around is happy and merry?
Work and merrymaking alternate each other to make life enjoyable.
We pledge to engage in both, work and merrymaking, each in its appropriate time to make life happy and merry.
Miles Cleret of Soundway Records asked my wife Priscilla to translate some Igbo-language songs for inclusion on the upcoming Volume 2 of the amazing Nigeria Special. Interestingly, in light of our subject matter, one of those songs, "Egwu Umuagboho" ("The Young Maidens' Dance") is by Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko (above), one of the leading lights of Nigerian Art Music. Ms. Nwosu was born in 1940 and has lived in the United States since 1996. In 1961 she journeyed to Rome on an Eastern Nigerian Government scholarship with the ambition of becoming an opera singer. Here she studied in several conservatories for ten years. Returning to Nigeria in 1972, she became Producer of Musical Programs for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation and became a Musical Lecturer at the University of Lagos in 1975, holding a number of posts in that institution until 1992.
Ms. Nwosu has recorded several LPs in Nigeria and is responsible for numerous popular compositions. "Egwu Umuagboho," recorded with Dan Satch Joseph's band, is quite unusual for an Igbo song, reflecting her operatic training. It is based on the traditional girls' dance of Nwosu's Enugu region. Lyrically it is more of a "tone poem" than a straight narrative, adress to a girl named Agnes: "Beautiful Agnes. . . what slight is done to another person? . . . peace, peace Udoegwu. . . anger and quarrel. . . Agnes, it's me talking, Agnes, it's me calling:
Joy Nwosu & Dan Satch Joseph - Egwu Umuagboho
"Egwu Umuagboho" is unavailable for download at this time. Many thanks again to William Matczynski and to Priscilla. The beaded artwork at the top of this post is by Nigerian artist Jumah Buraimoh. You can learn more about him here.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Letters from the Lakeside, Part 2
This is the second in the series of Becki Cole's review of the vinspired Lake of Stars experience in Malawi last month ....
Clearly passionate about the charitable ethos of the festival, The Maccabees made the most of their short stay by visiting the Microloan Foundation to see how the proceeds of vLOS benefit Malawi. They also showed a keen interest in the work I’m doing for Malawi Volunteer Organisation - although I think I scared them with some of my stories: even in just my first few days at the hospital I saw so many people sufferung from malaria, some of whom will sadly never recover.
I’m working with a number of really worthwhile projects in the Monkey Bay area. The malaria project literally saves lives by distributing mosquito nets and spraying the interior walls of houses with anti-mosquito chemicals. Working at the overstretched and underfunded Monkey Bay hospital is incredibly challenging but so rewarding, it’s so encouraging to know that the work we do there is simple but highly effective. Our HIV/AIDS groups are a vital source of support and education for those suffering with the condition, and we do whatever we can to overcome the stigma that still surrounds the illness. The Home Based Care program is also an essential service with which we teach local volunteers basic healthcare. This allows them to work like local doctors, reducing the amount of villagers making unnecessary, costly and scary trips to the hospital. There is widespread yet unsupported mistrust of hospitals here as so many believe the people who are admitted will not make it home again. I love the work I’m doing here, I feel really privileged to be able to do it, and I LOVE Malawi but it was nice to have a little taste of home with a British-run festival and some western music. However, I’ve got to admit it was a little surreal to see so many ‘mazungus’ (‘white people’ in Chichewa) all in one place!
Clearly passionate about the charitable ethos of the festival, The Maccabees made the most of their short stay by visiting the Microloan Foundation to see how the proceeds of vLOS benefit Malawi. They also showed a keen interest in the work I’m doing for Malawi Volunteer Organisation - although I think I scared them with some of my stories: even in just my first few days at the hospital I saw so many people sufferung from malaria, some of whom will sadly never recover.
I’m working with a number of really worthwhile projects in the Monkey Bay area. The malaria project literally saves lives by distributing mosquito nets and spraying the interior walls of houses with anti-mosquito chemicals. Working at the overstretched and underfunded Monkey Bay hospital is incredibly challenging but so rewarding, it’s so encouraging to know that the work we do there is simple but highly effective. Our HIV/AIDS groups are a vital source of support and education for those suffering with the condition, and we do whatever we can to overcome the stigma that still surrounds the illness. The Home Based Care program is also an essential service with which we teach local volunteers basic healthcare. This allows them to work like local doctors, reducing the amount of villagers making unnecessary, costly and scary trips to the hospital. There is widespread yet unsupported mistrust of hospitals here as so many believe the people who are admitted will not make it home again. I love the work I’m doing here, I feel really privileged to be able to do it, and I LOVE Malawi but it was nice to have a little taste of home with a British-run festival and some western music. However, I’ve got to admit it was a little surreal to see so many ‘mazungus’ (‘white people’ in Chichewa) all in one place!
It was pretty overwhelming and really encouraging to be around so many people passionate about doing their bit to try and improve the lives of those less fortunate. The brilliant vinspired and LOS staff, the acts and artists on the lineup, and a decent percentage of the punters attending the festival were all in the country to donate their time and energy in order to raise funds for the excellent work of the Microloan Foundation.
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole, photos by Elliott Andrews
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole, photos by Elliott Andrews
Letters from the Lakeside, Part 2
This is the second in the series of Becki Cole's review of the vinspired Lake of Stars experience in Malawi last month ....
Clearly passionate about the charitable ethos of the festival, The Maccabees made the most of their short stay by visiting the Microloan Foundation to see how the proceeds of vLOS benefit Malawi. They also showed a keen interest in the work I’m doing for Malawi Volunteer Organisation - although I think I scared them with some of my stories: even in just my first few days at the hospital I saw so many people sufferung from malaria, some of whom will sadly never recover.
I’m working with a number of really worthwhile projects in the Monkey Bay area. The malaria project literally saves lives by distributing mosquito nets and spraying the interior walls of houses with anti-mosquito chemicals. Working at the overstretched and underfunded Monkey Bay hospital is incredibly challenging but so rewarding, it’s so encouraging to know that the work we do there is simple but highly effective. Our HIV/AIDS groups are a vital source of support and education for those suffering with the condition, and we do whatever we can to overcome the stigma that still surrounds the illness. The Home Based Care program is also an essential service with which we teach local volunteers basic healthcare. This allows them to work like local doctors, reducing the amount of villagers making unnecessary, costly and scary trips to the hospital. There is widespread yet unsupported mistrust of hospitals here as so many believe the people who are admitted will not make it home again. I love the work I’m doing here, I feel really privileged to be able to do it, and I LOVE Malawi but it was nice to have a little taste of home with a British-run festival and some western music. However, I’ve got to admit it was a little surreal to see so many ‘mazungus’ (‘white people’ in Chichewa) all in one place!
Clearly passionate about the charitable ethos of the festival, The Maccabees made the most of their short stay by visiting the Microloan Foundation to see how the proceeds of vLOS benefit Malawi. They also showed a keen interest in the work I’m doing for Malawi Volunteer Organisation - although I think I scared them with some of my stories: even in just my first few days at the hospital I saw so many people sufferung from malaria, some of whom will sadly never recover.
I’m working with a number of really worthwhile projects in the Monkey Bay area. The malaria project literally saves lives by distributing mosquito nets and spraying the interior walls of houses with anti-mosquito chemicals. Working at the overstretched and underfunded Monkey Bay hospital is incredibly challenging but so rewarding, it’s so encouraging to know that the work we do there is simple but highly effective. Our HIV/AIDS groups are a vital source of support and education for those suffering with the condition, and we do whatever we can to overcome the stigma that still surrounds the illness. The Home Based Care program is also an essential service with which we teach local volunteers basic healthcare. This allows them to work like local doctors, reducing the amount of villagers making unnecessary, costly and scary trips to the hospital. There is widespread yet unsupported mistrust of hospitals here as so many believe the people who are admitted will not make it home again. I love the work I’m doing here, I feel really privileged to be able to do it, and I LOVE Malawi but it was nice to have a little taste of home with a British-run festival and some western music. However, I’ve got to admit it was a little surreal to see so many ‘mazungus’ (‘white people’ in Chichewa) all in one place!
It was pretty overwhelming and really encouraging to be around so many people passionate about doing their bit to try and improve the lives of those less fortunate. The brilliant vinspired and LOS staff, the acts and artists on the lineup, and a decent percentage of the punters attending the festival were all in the country to donate their time and energy in order to raise funds for the excellent work of the Microloan Foundation.
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole, photos by Elliott Andrews
If you are 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words by Becki Cole, photos by Elliott Andrews
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Volunteer profile - Will, London
Will, right, interviewing Tayo, who performed at this year's vinspired Lake of StarsWhy did you get involved in vinspired Lake of Stars?
Having graduated from university this year, I was offered the opportunity to help film an independent documentary, based on the Lake of Stars festival and the impact the festival has within the country. Unsure of what career path I wanted to follow, this seemed like a great opportunity to try and get an idea of what I’d like to do.
What did you do?
In the UK: Prior to the festival I did a bit of work in the Lake of Stars office. Whilst logging footage from previous festivals, I also assisted the team working on the blog, as well as with some of the footage from the festivals’ pre-parties.
In Kenya & Malawi: On the way to Malawi we stopped in Kenya for a few days to film the pre-party in Nairobi. Although we ultimately missed the pre-party, my first experience of work was filming in one of Nairobi’s slums with some of the artists who played the pre-party, which proved to be a real eye-opener considering this was my first time in Africa!
Whilst in Malawi I mainly performed the duties of a runner, helping the team where needed, and keeping a log of what we were filming. However, I was also given the chance to try my hand at different aspects of the filming process. For example, during certain live acts I was given my own camera and the chance both acts and festival-goers enjoying the festival, whilst at other times given the opportunity to help understand how the sound equipment worked.
What next?
Since returning from Malawi I have still been involved in the post-production of the documentary, logging all the footage that was taken whilst in Kenya and Malawi. Editing has now begun and I have taken a minor role in that, being able to observe the process whilst the other team members work, again giving me more of an insight into the industry.
Would you recommend volunteering for other young people?
Definitely. Having left university undecided on what I wanted to do, volunteering has given me a much greater insight into what career path I’d now like to follow. I had no first-hand experience within this industry prior to volunteering, but now I have realised which areas of work I enjoyed most, and have started to make job applications from there.
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words by Will Davis, vinspired volunteer
Volunteer profile - Will, London
Will, right, interviewing Tayo, who performed at this year's vinspired Lake of StarsWhy did you get involved in vinspired Lake of Stars?
Having graduated from university this year, I was offered the opportunity to help film an independent documentary, based on the Lake of Stars festival and the impact the festival has within the country. Unsure of what career path I wanted to follow, this seemed like a great opportunity to try and get an idea of what I’d like to do.
What did you do?
In the UK: Prior to the festival I did a bit of work in the Lake of Stars office. Whilst logging footage from previous festivals, I also assisted the team working on the blog, as well as with some of the footage from the festivals’ pre-parties.
In Kenya & Malawi: On the way to Malawi we stopped in Kenya for a few days to film the pre-party in Nairobi. Although we ultimately missed the pre-party, my first experience of work was filming in one of Nairobi’s slums with some of the artists who played the pre-party, which proved to be a real eye-opener considering this was my first time in Africa!
Whilst in Malawi I mainly performed the duties of a runner, helping the team where needed, and keeping a log of what we were filming. However, I was also given the chance to try my hand at different aspects of the filming process. For example, during certain live acts I was given my own camera and the chance both acts and festival-goers enjoying the festival, whilst at other times given the opportunity to help understand how the sound equipment worked.
What next?
Since returning from Malawi I have still been involved in the post-production of the documentary, logging all the footage that was taken whilst in Kenya and Malawi. Editing has now begun and I have taken a minor role in that, being able to observe the process whilst the other team members work, again giving me more of an insight into the industry.
Would you recommend volunteering for other young people?
Definitely. Having left university undecided on what I wanted to do, volunteering has given me a much greater insight into what career path I’d now like to follow. I had no first-hand experience within this industry prior to volunteering, but now I have realised which areas of work I enjoyed most, and have started to make job applications from there.
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words by Will Davis, vinspired volunteer
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
A quick vLOS catch up with The Maccabees
I caught up with The Maccabees during their sound check ahead of their Little Noise Sessions gig run by Mencap and Radio 1. They will be playing an acoustic set alongside The Editors, Bombay Bicycle Club and Everything Everything. It is a unique experience for the lads from Brighton as they've never played an acoustic set before and the Union Chapel is such a magnificent setting for this.
Sound check @ Union Chapel, Islington
vinspired wanted to catch up with the band after their Lake of Stars appearance. I spoke to the brothers in The Maccabees, Hugo and Felix White, about their first ever Malawian experience.
Felix: "The whole thing at the Lake of Stars was amazing, the experience was something which we kind of fell into really. We got asked to do it without knowing anything about it and before even thinking of looking into it to find stuff out, it’s something we just jumped at and learned about it along the way.
When you guys found out it was all about volunteering, what was your point of view?
Hugo: Well firstly I think, having met the volunteers out there, I thought it was incredible, what a beautiful thing it is to do and how much you get back out of it for volunteering for something like that because the things you see and the people you meet there really kind of change your attitude towards everything when you get home. I mean we all feel different having seen what it's like in Malawi and actually meeting the people there, definitely makes you adjust your mind to how lucky we are here but also how happy we can be with relatively little.
I caught some footage with the band being welcomed by the people of Malawi. How did you feel?
Felix: Amazing wasn't it? I don't know if 'humbling' is the right word. You never think those kind of things will happen to you, until you actually see those people and the warmth those villagers welcomed us... Well let’s put it this way, you won't get that kind of welcoming in Hull!!
The Maccabees
In terms of performing out there, how did the people react as you were the only Western band to be playing at vinspired Lake of Stars this year?
Hugo: Well we thought it was going to be a disaster and we thought that we'd go to Malawi, get involved, and hopefully the gig won't be too bad and get away with it. BUT the crowd welcomed us with open arms, it was kind of a positive feel to it, even from the people of Malawi. It was a nice surprise that we were kind of accepted.
Felix: I think Indie Guitar Band is like you've been beamed in by a space ship, it definitely isn't the norm for the culture. I think it was nice the fact that we were the only band from the UK really, it was nice to meet the other bands. Having done plenty of festivals this year, it's always the same type of band [that we meet] – as soon as you go, you realise there's this whole other thing you never see and it was kind of refreshing to me watching bands we never heard of.
If you had the opportunity to go out there again next year, would you go again?
Felix: If you'd offer it to us right now, we'd bite your hand off.
Hugo: We've already put our name forward.
Felix: We've spoken to a few of our mates that are in bands, speaking to them about going out again and trying to make a little more of it. Some of the money went back to the [local] women to start their own businesses and the help infrastructure of the country, which is an incredible thing.
What did you think of the guys who volunteered out there?
Felix: We went to the villages with the volunteers and we were hanging out at the festival with the volunteers. They were working really hard and then you think 'what a cool thing to do' - I don't think it’s much of a chore being out there in Africa doing crazy things.
Our volunteer Dwiko with members of The Maccabees (Thanks to Pam for the photo)
The Maccabees are now touring around Europe with The Editors before headlining the NME Awards Tour beginning in February 2010.
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words and Photography by: Dwiko Arie Nugroho (www.dwikoarie.com)
Sound check @ Union Chapel, Islingtonvinspired wanted to catch up with the band after their Lake of Stars appearance. I spoke to the brothers in The Maccabees, Hugo and Felix White, about their first ever Malawian experience.
Felix: "The whole thing at the Lake of Stars was amazing, the experience was something which we kind of fell into really. We got asked to do it without knowing anything about it and before even thinking of looking into it to find stuff out, it’s something we just jumped at and learned about it along the way.
When you guys found out it was all about volunteering, what was your point of view?
Hugo: Well firstly I think, having met the volunteers out there, I thought it was incredible, what a beautiful thing it is to do and how much you get back out of it for volunteering for something like that because the things you see and the people you meet there really kind of change your attitude towards everything when you get home. I mean we all feel different having seen what it's like in Malawi and actually meeting the people there, definitely makes you adjust your mind to how lucky we are here but also how happy we can be with relatively little.
I caught some footage with the band being welcomed by the people of Malawi. How did you feel?
Felix: Amazing wasn't it? I don't know if 'humbling' is the right word. You never think those kind of things will happen to you, until you actually see those people and the warmth those villagers welcomed us... Well let’s put it this way, you won't get that kind of welcoming in Hull!!
The MaccabeesIn terms of performing out there, how did the people react as you were the only Western band to be playing at vinspired Lake of Stars this year?
Hugo: Well we thought it was going to be a disaster and we thought that we'd go to Malawi, get involved, and hopefully the gig won't be too bad and get away with it. BUT the crowd welcomed us with open arms, it was kind of a positive feel to it, even from the people of Malawi. It was a nice surprise that we were kind of accepted.
Felix: I think Indie Guitar Band is like you've been beamed in by a space ship, it definitely isn't the norm for the culture. I think it was nice the fact that we were the only band from the UK really, it was nice to meet the other bands. Having done plenty of festivals this year, it's always the same type of band [that we meet] – as soon as you go, you realise there's this whole other thing you never see and it was kind of refreshing to me watching bands we never heard of.
If you had the opportunity to go out there again next year, would you go again?
Felix: If you'd offer it to us right now, we'd bite your hand off.
Hugo: We've already put our name forward.
Felix: We've spoken to a few of our mates that are in bands, speaking to them about going out again and trying to make a little more of it. Some of the money went back to the [local] women to start their own businesses and the help infrastructure of the country, which is an incredible thing.
What did you think of the guys who volunteered out there?
Felix: We went to the villages with the volunteers and we were hanging out at the festival with the volunteers. They were working really hard and then you think 'what a cool thing to do' - I don't think it’s much of a chore being out there in Africa doing crazy things.
Our volunteer Dwiko with members of The Maccabees (Thanks to Pam for the photo)The Maccabees are now touring around Europe with The Editors before headlining the NME Awards Tour beginning in February 2010.
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words and Photography by: Dwiko Arie Nugroho (www.dwikoarie.com)
A quick vLOS catch up with The Maccabees
I caught up with The Maccabees during their sound check ahead of their Little Noise Sessions gig run by Mencap and Radio 1. They will be playing an acoustic set alongside The Editors, Bombay Bicycle Club and Everything Everything. It is a unique experience for the lads from Brighton as they've never played an acoustic set before and the Union Chapel is such a magnificent setting for this.
Sound check @ Union Chapel, Islington
vinspired wanted to catch up with the band after their Lake of Stars appearance. I spoke to the brothers in The Maccabees, Hugo and Felix White, about their first ever Malawian experience.
Felix: "The whole thing at the Lake of Stars was amazing, the experience was something which we kind of fell into really. We got asked to do it without knowing anything about it and before even thinking of looking into it to find stuff out, it’s something we just jumped at and learned about it along the way.
When you guys found out it was all about volunteering, what was your point of view?
Hugo: Well firstly I think, having met the volunteers out there, I thought it was incredible, what a beautiful thing it is to do and how much you get back out of it for volunteering for something like that because the things you see and the people you meet there really kind of change your attitude towards everything when you get home. I mean we all feel different having seen what it's like in Malawi and actually meeting the people there, definitely makes you adjust your mind to how lucky we are here but also how happy we can be with relatively little.
I caught some footage with the band being welcomed by the people of Malawi. How did you feel?
Felix: Amazing wasn't it? I don't know if 'humbling' is the right word. You never think those kind of things will happen to you, until you actually see those people and the warmth those villagers welcomed us... Well let’s put it this way, you won't get that kind of welcoming in Hull!!
The Maccabees
In terms of performing out there, how did the people react as you were the only Western band to be playing at vinspired Lake of Stars this year?
Hugo: Well we thought it was going to be a disaster and we thought that we'd go to Malawi, get involved, and hopefully the gig won't be too bad and get away with it. BUT the crowd welcomed us with open arms, it was kind of a positive feel to it, even from the people of Malawi. It was a nice surprise that we were kind of accepted.
Felix: I think Indie Guitar Band is like you've been beamed in by a space ship, it definitely isn't the norm for the culture. I think it was nice the fact that we were the only band from the UK really, it was nice to meet the other bands. Having done plenty of festivals this year, it's always the same type of band [that we meet] – as soon as you go, you realise there's this whole other thing you never see and it was kind of refreshing to me watching bands we never heard of.
If you had the opportunity to go out there again next year, would you go again?
Felix: If you'd offer it to us right now, we'd bite your hand off.
Hugo: We've already put our name forward.
Felix: We've spoken to a few of our mates that are in bands, speaking to them about going out again and trying to make a little more of it. Some of the money went back to the [local] women to start their own businesses and the help infrastructure of the country, which is an incredible thing.
What did you think of the guys who volunteered out there?
Felix: We went to the villages with the volunteers and we were hanging out at the festival with the volunteers. They were working really hard and then you think 'what a cool thing to do' - I don't think it’s much of a chore being out there in Africa doing crazy things.
Our volunteer Dwiko with members of The Maccabees (Thanks to Pam for the photo)
The Maccabees are now touring around Europe with The Editors before headlining the NME Awards Tour beginning in February 2010.
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words and Photography by: Dwiko Arie Nugroho (www.dwikoarie.com)
Sound check @ Union Chapel, Islingtonvinspired wanted to catch up with the band after their Lake of Stars appearance. I spoke to the brothers in The Maccabees, Hugo and Felix White, about their first ever Malawian experience.
Felix: "The whole thing at the Lake of Stars was amazing, the experience was something which we kind of fell into really. We got asked to do it without knowing anything about it and before even thinking of looking into it to find stuff out, it’s something we just jumped at and learned about it along the way.
When you guys found out it was all about volunteering, what was your point of view?
Hugo: Well firstly I think, having met the volunteers out there, I thought it was incredible, what a beautiful thing it is to do and how much you get back out of it for volunteering for something like that because the things you see and the people you meet there really kind of change your attitude towards everything when you get home. I mean we all feel different having seen what it's like in Malawi and actually meeting the people there, definitely makes you adjust your mind to how lucky we are here but also how happy we can be with relatively little.
I caught some footage with the band being welcomed by the people of Malawi. How did you feel?
Felix: Amazing wasn't it? I don't know if 'humbling' is the right word. You never think those kind of things will happen to you, until you actually see those people and the warmth those villagers welcomed us... Well let’s put it this way, you won't get that kind of welcoming in Hull!!
The MaccabeesIn terms of performing out there, how did the people react as you were the only Western band to be playing at vinspired Lake of Stars this year?
Hugo: Well we thought it was going to be a disaster and we thought that we'd go to Malawi, get involved, and hopefully the gig won't be too bad and get away with it. BUT the crowd welcomed us with open arms, it was kind of a positive feel to it, even from the people of Malawi. It was a nice surprise that we were kind of accepted.
Felix: I think Indie Guitar Band is like you've been beamed in by a space ship, it definitely isn't the norm for the culture. I think it was nice the fact that we were the only band from the UK really, it was nice to meet the other bands. Having done plenty of festivals this year, it's always the same type of band [that we meet] – as soon as you go, you realise there's this whole other thing you never see and it was kind of refreshing to me watching bands we never heard of.
If you had the opportunity to go out there again next year, would you go again?
Felix: If you'd offer it to us right now, we'd bite your hand off.
Hugo: We've already put our name forward.
Felix: We've spoken to a few of our mates that are in bands, speaking to them about going out again and trying to make a little more of it. Some of the money went back to the [local] women to start their own businesses and the help infrastructure of the country, which is an incredible thing.
What did you think of the guys who volunteered out there?
Felix: We went to the villages with the volunteers and we were hanging out at the festival with the volunteers. They were working really hard and then you think 'what a cool thing to do' - I don't think it’s much of a chore being out there in Africa doing crazy things.
Our volunteer Dwiko with members of The Maccabees (Thanks to Pam for the photo)The Maccabees are now touring around Europe with The Editors before headlining the NME Awards Tour beginning in February 2010.
If you're 16-25 and would like to volunteer, find opportunities at vinspired.com
Words and Photography by: Dwiko Arie Nugroho (www.dwikoarie.com)
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