Abayudaya: Music From Jewish People of Uganda

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 21, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Smithsonian Folkways
• ASIN: B0000CDL6K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,776 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

No one's ever going to accuse Smithsonian Folkways of not practicing niche marketing with Abayudaya: Music From The Jewish People Of Uganda. Currently a community of 600 people, the Abayudaya developed their faith in relative isolation since converting to Judaism in 1919 under the guidance of Semei Kakungulu, a military leader who fought Muslims and Catholics for control of Uganda. Consequently, these 24 songs are distinctly African, often with polyphonic vocal harmonies (of men, women, and children) that joyfully soar in Hebrew, English, and several Ugandan languages. There are also touches of celebratory Afro-pop with rudimentary electric keyboard and guitar and a handful of more personal solo vocal performances. While some of this was recorded in a makeshift studio, the field recordings are what capture this unique culture's essence, as crickets (and once even a goat) providing ambient coloring. One of the most interesting international and religious albums of the year, this music transcends its ambition of being Jewish music by and for Jews. --Tad Hendrickson

Product Description

Abayudaya: The Music of the Jews of Uganda presents a unique collection of African-Jewish music in which the rhythms and harmonies of Africa blend with Jewish celebration and traditional Hebrew prayer. This compelling repertoire is rooted in local Ugandan music and infused with rich choral singing, Afro-pop, and traditional drumming. The repertoire includes lullabies, political and children's song, religious rituals, hymns, and celebratory music, with song texts in Hebrew, English, and several Ugandan languages. This singular community of African people living committed Jewish lives has survived persecution and isolation and asserts, "We have been saved by our music."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars EarthAngelChoir September 19, 2004

By Pharoah S. Wail VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Place me squarely in the pack of people who love this cd. I picked this one up in early 2004 and have been loving it ever since. I listened to it again last night and earlier today and felt it to be even more powerful than usual.

I'm surprised one reviewer remarked about the rather low-tech recording. This disc? This disc is as good as you can imagine a field-recording sounding. If you let yourself go, you are right there in that little temple with these fantastic singers. There is as little distance between performer and listener on this disc as is possible. Their voices are all around you.

The break down is like this... 2 songs in english, a few tunes of very bad keyboard-dominated Afro-pop, one great tune with singing and drumming, a couple with acoustic guitar, and the rest is some of the most beautiful vocal music I've ever been lucky enough to experience. Maybe it's just me, but there is something about great women's voices. Most of these tunes are dominated by the voices of young women, sometimes young women and girls, and sometimes females and males.

I can't even really find the words for this disc. This is a brilliant Ugandan folk choir, I guess I'd call them. This music is love and extended-family as song. It's a cliche to comment on the call-and-response aspect in this or that African musics, but it is such a wide open thing. So much possibility exists. Some of my all-time favorite call-and-response happens on this disc. These young women are in that upper tier of the best that humans have to offer each other.

This is deeply spiritual community music of the highest order. There is something so gentle and pure and seemingly innocent about this music. It breaks my heart every time I hear it. It's the sweet soul of a community purely translated into sound without ego. I can feel like the whole of the world is going straight down the toilet in a swirling flush of cultural and environmental destruction, of greed and violence and pain. Then I listen to this disc (aside from the keyboard-pop which I skip) and I get to have over an hour where I'm again reminded of the beauty that humans are occasionally able to create and/or be a part of. There are a couple tunes here that have made tears stream down my face every single time I have heard them. I'm honored just to be the same species as the people recorded for this cd. For me this disc really is a gift to humanity. It touches me as deeply as anything ever has.

This is IT, folks. If track #14 is the last thing I hear in the waning moments of this, my earthly existence, I will be going softly into my goodnight with tears on my face and a smile in my heart.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Amazing June 1, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

Though Reviewer Timothy Dougal did not find this cd to be a "satisfying hourlong musical experience" I would have to disagree. As he mentioned, this is not for everyone, but no music is. If you find any interest in such a topic, buy it. You will not regret it. Being Jewish, as well as an avid folk and roots music fan, I find that this cd has much to offer for many people. Where Dougal found familiarity with the "O Brother" sound track, it should be noted that this is nothing like that, and should not be bought with such a notion. The quality of the recording is amazing. The voices are clear, the bass is balanced and the warmth is felt. I wonder if Dougal has ever listened to Patton's recordings and commented on those. Never forget the circumstances that such pieces are recorded in, and even with this remembered, this album is amazing in production. But don't take my word for it, listen to some of the tracks and determine for yourself. And as a quick note, the editorial review suggests that Judaism was brought in the wake of war between Muslims and Catholics, this is not the case. Kakungulu did fight for the British against Muslims and Catholics, but seperated himself from them as well as the anglican church because of the unfavorable treatment of the people of Uganda. He then went on, seperatly from his involvment with the British military, to establish the Jewish faith.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Think 'field recording' and go a step further August 30, 2004

By D. Donovan

Format:Audio CD

The repertoire is wide, from lullabies and political songs to devotionals and choir arrangements: be prepared for an unusual diversity of theme unified by a strong choral thread throughout.