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Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Mysteries Of African Music

Kyalema Nakato & Lwaki Onnumya
The Mysteries Of African Music
Benny Kalanzi
MacAfee Corporation, Dayton, Ohio
1974

From the back cover: Benny Kalanzi, born in Uganda, East Africa, is a distinguished concert-artist, lecturer, composer-musician and musicologist. He started playing African Music at the age of five, and now he is a virtuoso of the African Harp and Bowl-lyre. Besides he plays the Fiddle, Bamboo-Flute, Shaker, Guitar, Piano, Xylophone and Drums. He began his professional career abroad more than twelve years ago. He is also highly schooled in the European classics. In early 1963, after graduating from college in Uganda, Benny went to Europe, where he studied German and French at the University Of Fribourge, Switzerland, piano at the Conservatory of Fribourg and Zurich, and musicology at the University of Cologne, West Germany.

Also from the back cover: Miss Hilda Nabuzale, a citizen of Uganda, started playing African music at the age of eight. She plays various African Instrments, sings, dances and acts. She has been performing African music professionally aboard with Benny Kalanzi & Co. for the last eight years. On this album, she is the female soloist.

Apparently, Kalanzi also publish a 48 page song book that was sold separately or with this record for $6.95. At the time of release, Kalanzi was a professor of East African Music at Hunter College, in New York City.

I found a reference to another Kalanzi album online titled African-American Pop Muisc.

The few online references seem to be from the 1970s. I did find another reference to Kalanzi, who was to play at gig at the 41st Independence Day celebrations at The Kololo Airstrip in 2003 (Uganda).

This is a great record featuring unique vocals and interesting instrument blends.

2 comments:

  1. I enjoyed this TOTALLY. It is beautiful Exotica from the source. Just a beautiful record!

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  2. Oh wow! I had chance to interview Prof. Benny at a radio show in Uganda. Been here wanting to listen to African music and thought about him. Only to land on this. I hope he is well wherever he is in Masaka, Uganda

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