Muwewesi Xylophone Group - Obutasoma

The Muwewesi Xylophone Group consist of about 8 musicians on the xylophone, 5 female singers in beautiful matching outfits, a set of pipe flute players, a tube fiddle players and a men’s choir with alternating lead vocals. Their style is Embaire, which is the xylophone.

The instruments included in this are:

Embaire, Xylophone
Endigidi, tube fiddle
Enkwanzi, pan pipes

A few of the tracks they performed include:
Obutasoma (Education), with lead singer Muniru Ayubu
Obwiire Bukyeire (The Time Has Come), with lead singer Kisubi Eliasa
Magic Moment: We loved the xylophone and asked the group to replay a minute of Obwiire Bukyeire, with only the xylophone. We asked Vicki to climb in next to the bass notes, so she could get a perfect view of the players.
Obwavu: This was a song about Poverty
Nalufuka, followed by dance. This was spectacular with what looked like a dance off between the ‘male dancers’ standing in the back of the band and the xylophone players, urging them on with faster and faster beats. One by one the dancers would jump over the xylophone players to perform in front of them. The players would give the dancers fantastic beats and eventually they would retreat and another dancer would join.

James Isabirye says, “This area, where they come from is known for the Xylophone. This particular group has grown out of festivals. They were not as good originally, but the experiences of the festivals, starting in 2005, with Senator (the beer), has really helped them. They have been national champions with them twice and have gotten real support. They now have confidence and skills and an ‘act’ that is great. Their style of music is amazing – they play drumming music on the slabs – they bring the percussion directly on to the instrument. This makes the tone so rich and it is far richer than the skin sound of a drum. The drum sound of the slab, with the hole underneath is actually unique in the world of percussion. They are not limited to 22, because there is no royal role. Anything between 21 and 23 is fine. If they could extend it, they would. The limit is the deeper you go, you can no longer tune the slab. It stops going deeper. The nature of the wood limits the distinct notes to between 21-23. You also saw them dance. They play all the dances they would do with drums with xylophones across the three dance styles of: Tamenhaibuga, Nalufuka, and Irongo.”

Recorded: 21st November 2013
Location: Nakisenyi

Listen on:   / muwewesi-xylophone-group