Smithsonian Folkways Recordins / Abayudaya: Music From the Jewa
Album: Abayudaya: Music From the Jewa   Collection:World
Artist:Smithsonian Folkways Recordins   Added:Dec 2003
Label:Smithsonian/Folkways  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2004-03-15 Pull Date: 2004-05-17 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: Apr 11 Apr 4 Mar 28 Mar 21
Airplays: 1 1 1 2

Recent Airplay
1. Jul 27, 2015: Everything A to Z week 04: A Deacade Of Jazz V2 Ain't No Grave
Twagala Torah, I Am a Soldier
4. Mar 23, 2004: the jewish alternative
We Are Happy
2. Apr 10, 2004: Morning Glory
Ali Omu Yekka
5. Mar 17, 2004: Night Music with an Accent
Suteronomy 32:39-43
3. Mar 30, 2004: the jewish alternative
Adon Olam
6. Mar 16, 2004: the jewish alternative
Hiwumbe Awumba

Album Review
Mor
Reviewed 2004-03-15
Jews in Uganda! Yes, we are everywhere. This is mostly very basic material. Interesting how the Uganda Jewish music borrows from different sources: traditional Jewish tunes, African beats and a lot of Christian church music. Often, tough, the influences do NOT mix in a single track – there are some “African” tracks, some “Jewish” tracks and some “Christian” tracks on this album. Most tracks are a-cappella; otherwise they are often supported by cheap organ sounds, and guitar. Lyrics in mostly in Luganda, Hebrew and English. Play 1, 3, 11, 20, 23, 24.

1. Starts a cappella - male lead vocals, female chorus; fades mid track into an instrumented version (simple organ and organ-produced rhythms). **
2. Very basic tribal rhythm and melody. Traditional drums. Mid/high tempo.
3. Quick string picking, single male vocal, African bluegrass. **
4-6. Lullabies. Female vocals, interesting tunes, no backdrop.
7. Kids chanting “I’m a soldier in the army of the Lord”.
8. In Hebrew; kids chanting a prayer.
9-10. Again single vocalist and chorus chanting; a cappella. Some Hebrew on 10.
11. Guitar and electric organ, mid tempo halleluiah song. *
12-13. Chorus singing Hebrew prayers. Slow, nice.
14-15. Same but not in Hebrew.
16. Sabbath blessing in Hebrew. Boy, this sounds the same pretty much everywhere.
17. Kids choir.
18. Like 2, African-tribal sound. Choir chanting for the Maimuna holiday.
19. Choir singing a peculiar version of the second-most-famous Hebrew song ever (after Hava Nagila, of course).
20. Basic instrumentation on this track, mid/high tempo, *
21. Very crude organ and organ beats accompanies choir on this one.
22. Male voice, short prayer.
23-24. Choir, slow and quiet, nice tunes. **

Track Listing
1. Psalm 136   13. Lekhah, Dodi
2. Katonda Oyo Nalimana   14. Psalm 92
3. Hiwumbe Awumba   15. Psalm 93
4. Mwana Talitambula   16. Kiddush and Motzi
5. Mmwana, Ngolera   17. Psalm 121
6. Tulo, Tulo   18. Maimuna
7. I Am a Soldier   19. Hinei Ma Tov
8. Mi Khamokhah   20. Ali Omu Yekka
9. Kabbila   21. Psalm 150
10. Twagala Torah   22. Deuteronomy 32:8
11. We Are Happy   23. Suteronomy 32:39-43
12. Adon Olam   24. Psalm 130