Our crew that was in Uganda filming a special viewer-funded documentary with The Very Best and the Polyphonic Spree have returned to their respected homes and are getting all nostalgic about the journey.
Artist Relations Director Kenny Laubbacher gives us the second update from the trip. (Read update one HERE)
Wow.. where to begin?!
In case you missed our first update from Uganda… it was posted to IC’s site here: http://invisiblechildren.com/blog/2013/02/20/invisible-children-music-la-blogotheque-update-one/
Coming home from a trip like this is impossible to describe with words. I feel fortunate because we have TONS of footage that will bring this trip’s magic to you in a way that is much more real than anything I can write… until then, however, I’ll do my best. 🙂
The goal of this trip was to see if we can show the human connection through the power of music. We’re are all vulnerable when we’re hurt and happy when we sing (even when we’re horrible singers *ahem* … like me) and are strongest when sharing and collaborating.
The easiest story for me relay was when The Very Best were working on a track with Tam Noffy, a local Ugandan musician, at his studio. As the afternoon hit, the small studio was really heating up, so we put the mic outside. Additionally, Johan thought it’d be great to get some sounds of boda boda motorcycle taxis whizzing by or kids yelling in the background of the track. As he put the base of the track on repeat in order for Seye, Esau and Tam to write their verses, some local kids began to gather on their way home from school. They picked up the chorus immediately and started singing along! Of course Johan turned the mic towards them as Tam lead them in the chorus and the rest of our faces beamed from the sound of 20 kids singing along to a song that doesn’t even fully exist yet.
There are a dozen more stories like this that we experienced from spending the night in huts in a traditional village, to spending the day with an IC Legacy Scholarship Program Mentor, to learning traditional dances with a local dance troupe, to doing a Take Away Show next to the Nile River with hippos and crocodiles in the near distance and I can’t wait to share them all with you via the film.
We’re into editing now and will have some teaser Take Away Shows out shortly. We’ll do our best to give you the heads up so that you can see them before the rest of the world.
Thank you again and again for all your support.
Here are some photos to hold you over until we can get some video out to you:
1.Tim DeLaughter and his 14 year old daughter/member of the Spree’s choir Stella
2. Esau & Seye from The Very Best performing on top of Awere Rock
3. Seye & Tam writing music in front of Tam’s studio
4. The Gulu High Choir, about to perform
5. The entire Invisible Children, La Blogotheque, The Polyphonic Spree, The Very Best team
6. An elephant near the Nile
Think people should hear about this?