AWARDS
2007 CANADIAN FOLK MUSIC AWARD: Best World Artist-Group for the Album Muhazi
About Muhazi
Muhazi is the name of a lake in eastern Rwanda. It is a magical place, and the making of this CD was full of magical moments and coincidences: my experiences studying music in Rwanda with the Batwa and with master guitarist Ibrahim, the unexpected arrival of friends like Tanga and Vitas from various corners of the world to record with me, my good fortune in getting exactly the great guest artists I wanted into some wonderful (and unlikely) studios (how many Guinean balafon players lay down tracks after midnight in Whitehorse?)... I feel so deep emotional connection to these songs and a "rightness" about how they came to be that goes beyond anything I've felt before.
Lyrics & Song Descritpions
1. Muhazi (P. Murigande, M. Kazayire)
Fred Guignon : slide guit
Vince halfhide: Guit
Mighty popo: Lead vox, guit, bkg vox
Ross Murray: Percs
Kofi Ackah: Congas, Bongo
Tanga Rema: Bkg vox
Beautiful lake Muhazi is a symbol of all that Rwanda means to me.
Great Rwanda of Gasabo | I love you, Rwanda of Gihango | What I didn't see in childhood | I have just discovered | I had heard of Murera | Of Rukiga where my father was born | Of Bwanacyambwe where my mother came from | Of my cousins from Buganza.
And for you who do not know Rwanda | Come see the beauty of Muhazi | The long-horned cows | Adorningn the Mutara
The farmlands of Ndugo | The beauty of Amayaga | And then go on toward Bugesera | Nyanza where something is always going on | Ye baba!
Kigali, you stole my heart | I wandered your streets from morning to night | I saw family and strangers | I stayed up all night at Kibagabaga | I knelt before Gisozi
And for you who do not know Rwanda | Come see the beauty of Muhazi | The long-horned cows | Adorning Mutara
2. Manu (P. Murigande)
Mighty Popo: Lead vox, Bkg vox, guit
Vitas Pokstaitas: Bass guit
Kofi Ackah: Drums
Aron Niyitunga: Lead guit, Rhythm guit, keyboards
Don cummings: Hamond Organ
Ross Murray: Percs
Budi Kibayi, Christope Matata : Bkg vox
Oh Manu you tought me | You came to me in a dream | You said, "Listen to me young man | I will teach you how to play this music" | You asked, "Where is your guitar, Popo? | Hey, come let us play this melody!"
Love was everywhere | And the night was warmed by a full moon sky
There was a festival | Women, men and children were there | All playing and dancing to our music | And friends were there too | Brother Kagiso was there | Brother Tusimba was there.
Thank you Manu Dibango for coming | To teach me how to play this music in my dream.
3. Agasaza (trad. P. Murigande, M. Kazayire)
Mighty popo: Lead vox, guitar, Bkg vox
Vince half hide: Guitar
Petr Cancura: Sax, bkg vox
Patrick Camire: Trompet
Ian De Sousa: Bass
Kofi Ackah: Drums, sabaar
El Hadje M’Baye: Sabaars
Mohamed Diarra: Djembe
Ross Murray : percs
Don cummings: Hamond Organ
Nyabyenda Donat, Patrick Giunta: Bkg vox
Each verse in this song is based on a Rwandan story or parable.
An old man with no scruples | Approached a sleeping young woman | "Wash my feet," he demanded | "Go jump in the Nyabarongo," said she | "Nyabarongo the running river will wash your feet"
Oh, do not cry my darling, do not cry.
I didn't know how hunger hurt | Until my stepmother showed me | I spent one day and one night without eating | And the next day as well | I undid my belt to tighten it | And the mice stole it away.
Oh, do not cry my darling, do not cry.
Once a young woman with no family | Married a man from far away | Far in the forest region | The forest of Nyabarenga | When she saw the clouds moving | She thought her people were coming to visit her.
Oh, do not cry my darling, do not cry.
A foolish young man with no principles | Say his wedding procession coming | And went to pray to Lyangombe | For protection from this attack | Promising to offer a sacrificial intango the next morning.
Oh, do not cry my carling, do not cry.
4. Imandwa (P. Murigande, M. Kasayire)
Mighty popo: Lead vox, bkg vox, guitar, percs
Patrick Sharangabo: First Kinyarwanda rap
Alvaro De Minaya: Congas, claves, shakers, timbales
Carlos Santana: Piano
Stuart Watkins: Upright bass
Nyabyenda Donat: Second Kinyarwanda Rap
Budi Kibayi, J.Paul Rudahusha, Christophe Matata: Bkg vox
Kofi Ackah: Congas
El Hadje M’baye: Tama, Bkg vox
Mohamed Diarra: Djembe
Petr Cancura: Saxophone
Imandwa is the religion of my ancestors.
Let us keep our religious tradition | Our own imandwa | Let's do it today | Just as it was done yesterday | and the day before | Let's enter the trance | Staring wide-eyed | Grinning, possessed | Let Catholics hear us | Let Muslims hear us | Let Protestants hear us | We received their beliefs | Let them learn ours | Let us pray to Lyangombe | May he rule once again
Let's invite our initiation masters | Let the young men and women prepare | Let us go back to the roots | To the tradition of igihango | The rite of purification | The cult of Lyangombe | Thanks to intango | Our imandwa | Should never be forgotten | Let's do it today | Just like the day before that | Let us pray to Lyangombe | May he rule once again
Igisege nyatembe | Ikigore yagore | Ikinyamirimbwa | Let's do it today | Just as it was done yesterday | And the day before | Our imandwa | Should never be forgotten | Lyangombe | I am praying to you | Move me with your voice | Ye baba!
5. Asante
(Balafon recorded at old crow studio in Witehorse By Bob Hamilton)
Mighty popo: lead vox, Bkg vox
Mbani Atangana: Nkul
Enselme Nsoga: Drums
Thomas : Mbe
J.Paul rudahusha, Budi Kibayi, Christophe Matata: Bkg vox
Mohamed Diarra: Djembe
Nabi Camara: Balafon
Thank you
Mother stop crying | Mother do not cry
Thank you Jah for our mothers | You gave them strength and knowledge | See how they've raised us | Today we are men | See how they've raised us | Today we are women
Mother of Rwanda | I thank you | Mother of Burundi | I thank you | Mother Africa | How can I love more?
When the child cried, you soothed him | When the child was sick, you treated her | When he wronged others, you tought him | When she was hungry, you fed her
I thank you | Mother Africa | Mother of Ocaf | Mother of BJ | Mother of Kigali
Your insight has guided me, Mama | Those with no faith you led, never doubting | And your enemies still have a place in your home | Even today all your neighbours are still your friends
I thank you | Mother of Kirundo | Stop crying | I love you very much | Mother Africa
When Father was jobless you soothed his heart | When Uncle was homeless you gave him a place to sleep | Aunt over there is our mother too | Her wisdom must have come from Grandma
Mother Africa | Respect to you | I love you very much | Mother of wisdom | You who are so humble | I thank Jah for bringing you into this world.
6. Rwa Gasabo / Baraka (P. Murigande, M. Kazayire, A. Solomon)
Mighty Popo: Lead vox, bkg vox. percs and Guitars
Mel M’rabat: Cud
Ross Murray: percs, Borhan
Kofi Ackah: Congas
Christophe Matata, Budi, J.P Rudahusha: Bkg vox
Don Cummings: Hamond Organ
Gasabo is the hill where Rwanda was born.
Great Rwanda of Gasabo | Hutu, Twa and Tutsi are one | Let's stand firm together.
Let's look at ourselved critically | Withoug putting down our nation | Let's not wait any longer | Together, let's rebuild our country.
Don't put too much stock | In the material goods of this world | They fly away like the wind.
Don't be surprisedd byy what you see | Don't be afraid of what you see | It's not the beauty of the body that matters | But rather the greatness of the soul.
Our blessings come from God, dear friend | Woe to the one who laughs at the orphan, dear friend | Love your neighbour despite his faults | Everyy human being has his faults | That's the way the world is, nobody is perfect.
7. Jitambue (P. Murigande)
Mighty popo: Lead vox, bkg vox, Guitars, Ikembe.
Ian De Sousa: Bass guit
Kofi Ackah: Drums, congas, percs
El Hadji M’baye,: sabaars
Mohamed Diarra: Djembe
Stella Haybukhai, Patrick Guinta: Bkg vox
Petr Cancura: sax
Patrick Camire: Trumpet
Life is hard but we are strong
Who are we, we Africans? | Where is our place in this world? | What is the cause of Africa's poverty? | This question the young ones should pursue.
Pardon me, responsible leaders | You do not care for the Africans when you ask for aid | And this aid causes nothing but bloodshed | Come; let us all protest this evil.
Africa must devise her own plan | To help her people.
The wise men said all people were created equal | The koran says all people were created equal | The Bible says all people were created equal | Still the Western man sees the African as a fool | He exploits us and we stand and watch like idiots.
Young people be careful; do not destroy yourselves | Take action; do not destroy your health | Stop smoking cigarettes; cut down alcohol and drugs | Being studpid is forbidden.
O leaders, be responsible | Show the youth of Africa a good example | Let them discover themselves | Let them participate in building their continent.
8. Nyirabisabo (trad. P. Murigande)
Mighty Popo: Lead vox, guitars
Kofi Ackah: Drums
Ross Murray: Drum loops
Petr Cancura: Sax
Patrick Camire: trompet
Clarence Smith: Bass guit
Don Cummings: Hamond Organ
J.Paul Rudahusha, Christophe Matata, Budi Kibayi: Bkg vox
Nyabyenda: Kinyarwanda Rap
The singer is a character in a traditional Rwandan story. He tells how he married his wife against all odds. He celebrates his success and praises his master, King Rwabugili.
Bring out the drink, dear brother | Call for Macari, son of Ruvuzacyuma | Ruvuzacyuma son of Semezigura | I will as him for a cow, and he will give it to me.
And what can be said of my wife | Thewonderful Nyirabisabo | The incomparable Nyirabisabo.
I went to ask for her hand, and she said no | I went back again, and she was ill | The mediums discouraged me | The fortune-tellers discouraged me | The wise ones discouraged me | Even the prophets discouraged me.
It's the son of Rusake who gave her to me | He gave her advice, dear brother | He gave her all his blessings | My master walks with integrity | He tought me prudence | I learnt his wisdom | My master walks with integrity, dear brother | I wish youthe peace of Nyagasani | I know the one who walks with integrity | It is Rukabu Mumirimba, dear brother | It is Rukerintabaza, dear brother | It is Rukerikibaye, dear brother | It is Imanzi Mumirimba, dear friend.
9.Ibrah (trad. P. Murigande) (Instrumental)
(Tabla recorded in Toronto by David Trevor smith)
Mighty popo : Guitar
Ravi Naimpally: Tabla
Lake tanganyika waves recorded by Mighty popo
Ross Murray: Percs
Kofi Ackah: Bongo, Congas
Don Cummings: Hamond Organ
10. Karire (P. Murigande, M. Kazayire)
Mighty popo: Lead vox
Tanga Rema: Bkg vox
Nyabyenda Donat: Kinyarwanda Rap
Do not cry, please do not cry | Do not cry, dry your tears | Karire | Let your sorrow cease | Many are here to comfort you.
Recorded live outdoors.
Please come here, come join us.
We will all stay up with you | Your father's sisters are here | Karire | Your mother's sisters are here | Your father's brothers are here, too.
Please come here, come join us.
The young women have arrived | The young men are here | Karire | The intore dancers as well | Displaying their skill.
Please come here, come join us |Com out smiling | Karire | Walk with pride | Join Rusimbi | He'll dress you up with inkindi.
Please come here, come join us.
Walk around this great home | The family will welcome you | Karire | Your praises will be sung | Do not drink the first milk | You will be offered whole milk.
Please come here, come join us.
