Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Discover how East African artists and cultural workers are preserving traditional music in this insightful panel hosted by Kenyan music journalist Furaha (LaMusicJunkie). The conversation was held in collaboration with Singing Wells, the world’s largest archive of
traditional East African music featuring a dynamic lineup of cultural practitioners, archivists, and artists:
Tabu Osusa – Founder of Ketebul Music & co-founder of Singing Wells
singingwells.org
Chief Nyamweya – Co-founder of the Uli and Tata musical series
youtube.com/@uliandtata
Matt Swallow – Director at Baobab Studios Kilifi baobabstudios.net
Sidney Simila – Sound engineer at Music From East Africa record label
musicfromeastafrica.com/promo
Ingabire Giscard – Cultural producer from Burundi and founder of AFIKC
afikc.org
Mbutch Mjingoma – Percussionist & co-founder of Debe Debe
instagram.com/mbutch_mjingoma
Together, they unpack the why and how of preserving traditional sounds:
🎙️ Motivations behind cultural archiving
🎚️ Recording challenges—from adapting traditional performers to
studio workflows, to the need for space and movement for drummers and
dancers
🤝 Community trust-building in field recording
🏛️ Infrastructure gaps in cultural preservation across East Africa
The panel also explores the future of traditional African music through:
✨ Collaboration with contemporary genres
🎨 Modern creative tools like animation, gaming, and festivals
🌍 Success stories such as Maloya music in Réunion as models for revitalization
A must-watch for anyone passionate about cultural preservation, audio
production, and East African music heritage.
Discover how East African artists and cultural workers are preserving traditional music in this insightful panel hosted by Kenyan music journalist Furaha (LaMusicJunkie). The conversation was held in collaboration with Singing Wells, the world’s largest archive of
traditional East African music featuring a dynamic lineup of cultural practitioners, archivists, and artists:
Tabu Osusa – Founder of Ketebul Music & co-founder of Singing Wells
singingwells.org
Chief Nyamweya – Co-founder of the Uli and Tata musical series
youtube.com/@uliandtata
Matt Swallow – Director at Baobab Studios Kilifi baobabstudios.net
Sidney Simila – Sound engineer at Music From East Africa record label
musicfromeastafrica.com/promo
Ingabire Giscard – Cultural producer from Burundi and founder of AFIKC
afikc.org
Mbutch Mjingoma – Percussionist & co-founder of Debe Debe
instagram.com/mbutch_mjingoma
Together, they unpack the why and how of preserving traditional sounds:
🎙️ Motivations behind cultural archiving
🎚️ Recording challenges—from adapting traditional performers to
studio workflows, to the need for space and movement for drummers and
dancers
🤝 Community trust-building in field recording
🏛️ Infrastructure gaps in cultural preservation across East Africa
The panel also explores the future of traditional African music through:
✨ Collaboration with contemporary genres
🎨 Modern creative tools like animation, gaming, and festivals
🌍 Success stories such as Maloya music in Réunion as models for revitalization
A must-watch for anyone passionate about cultural preservation, audio
production, and East African music heritage.
