Music of Uganda
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The African country of Uganda has had a turbulent history in the 20th century, and music has been an integral part of the nation's development.
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[edit] Popular music
The first popular music in Uganda were bands playing songs from the US, Europe, Congo and Kenya. Many of the musicians were from Congo (then called Zaire) and thus sang in Lingala.
In the 80's Jimmy Katumba and his band The Ebonies, dominated the Ugandan music, and were synonymous with entertainment in an economically deprived and militarily besieged country.[1]
In the late 1980s and 1990s many popular Ugandan songs come from the album Born in Africa, which was produced by Philly Lutaaya with the exile community in Sweden. The songs on this album remain ubiquitous in Uganda, and the musicians remain among the best-known Ugandan musicians; they include Sammy Kasule on bass and Gerald Nnaddibanga on percussion.
In the 1990s, a similar album was produced in Sweden by a supergroup of Ugandan musicians (called Big Five this time). Also during the 90s, Ugandan expatriate Geoffrey Oreyama recorded several critically acclaimed albums on Peter Gabriel's Real World label. Lately new artists have brought a fusion of cross cultural music that blends western styles with EastAfrican rhythms these include multi-instrumentalist Kaz Kasozi, Samite and Essence Kasozi.
Kampala is the center for Ugandan music, especially the area of Wandegeya, which is the home of kadongo kamu. Kadongo kamu features narrative songs played with a guitar and occasionally a drum. The most renowned musician of this style is Bernard Kabanda. There have been many contributors of Kadongo Kamu (which literally means one guitar as the leading instrument used to be one guitar)over the years. A few of them are dead now and a few of them have switched on to play the latest tunes with more than one guitar and lots of other instruments. Kadongo Kamu never used to appeal to the young folks in the towns especially the learned ones as much as it did to the older folks, however it was always educative and informative. Amongst the valuable contributors are, the late Hermann Basudde, Livinstone Kasozi, Fred Ssebatta, Paulo Kafeero to mention but a few.
Afrigo Band has been a big contributor to Ugandan music. With live shows to entertain people especially over the weekends. Their music is educative, entertaining and informative. The group has produced quite a few albums with the most popular one being "speed controlle" which was raising awareness about HIV-AIDS. In recent years, some musicians in Uganda have developed their own style incorporating Swahili, English and local languages. They include Josè Chameleone, Ragga Dee, Rachael Magoola,Juliana Kanyomozi, Mariam Ndagire,Blu*3, Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine.
A new style of music has developed in East Africa in recent years called takeu (also utake, which comes from the first letters of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda). Utake includes elements of Tanzanian, Kenyan and Ugandan music. Performers include Mr. Nice, Blu*3 and Josè Chameleone. Groups like Blu*3 have gone on to tour countries like South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, UK, Tanzania and so on on the strength of their infectious brand of Utake.
The African Children's Choir features children, many whom are orphaned, from Uganda, as well as from other neighborning African countries.
[edit] Traditional music
The early years of Idi Amin's reign saw the formation of Theatre Limited, a group which studied and performed traditional music from across Uganda. Amin was suspicious of them, arrested several, and the rest fled the country, mostly to Sweden. The post-Amin government of Museveni formed a similar group called Ndere Troupe.
Gospel music is gaining in popularity in Uganda, and among the artists that have contributed to this success are Ivan Woods [pamoja president], Martin Seku, Judith Babirye, Wilson Bugembe, Betty Namaganda, Betty Nakibuka, Afandae Lanneck, The kingdom Dancers and others.
[edit] Acholi
Acholi folk music is, like most Ugandan music, pentatonic. It is distinctive for choral singing in parts, and the region boasts numerous well-known church choirs. Also instruments include the harp-like Adungu and numerous percussion instruments.
[edit] Baganda
Buganda is the southern most region of Uganda. The people in this region are known as the Baganda (one of the largest tribes in Uganda). This region has also had one of the longest reigning monarchies in Uganda. The Kingdom of Buganda is ruled by a king (known as "Kabaka"), who traditionally has been the main patron of the music of Buganda. Music includes massive and sacred drums, and a variety of vibrant dances such as Bakisimba, Nankasa, Amaggunju [an exclusive dance developed in the palace for the Kabaka]. The Baganda also have a wide variety of melodic musical instruments ranging from Chordophones like the ennanga harp and the entongoli lyre, lamellophones, aerophones, drums and idiophones; this region boasts one of the largest xylophone (called "Madinda") traditions in Sub Saharan Africa. There are two types of xylophones, the amadinda and the larger akadinda. Musicians from this region include Albert Ssempeke, Evalisto Muyinda, Nandujja and the late Elly Wamala.
[edit] Basoga
Music of Busoga has similarities to the music of Buganda. The Busoga xylophone, called embaire, is used in the courtly music of the Busoga court. The compository principles of embaire music are similar to those of the amadinda music of Buganda.
[edit] Lango
The Langi live in the central area of Uganda, north of Lake Kyoga. The okeme (thumb piano) is popular since having been brought in the early 20th century by Congolese porters. Group vocals akin to rapping are common, and can including rhythmic dancing featuring stomping and jumping.
[edit] References
- ^ Jimmy Katumba leaves behind a hard lesson, The Monitor, August 16, 2006
- Sandahl, Sten. "Exiles and Traditions". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 698-701. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
- Kubik, Gerhard "Xylophonspiel im Süden von Uganda" (1988). In: Kubik, Gerhard Zum Verstehen Afrikanischer Musik, Aufsätze, Reihe: Ethnologie: Forschung und Wissenschaft, Bd. 7, 2., aktualisierte und ergänzte Auflage, 2004, 448 S., ISBN 3-8258-7800-7 (in German language).
[edit] External links
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- Ugandan Music Internet Radio
- Uganda music lyrics, audio, video, info
- Uganda Videos - Watch and download Ugandan music videos
- Ugandan Music Information
- Listen to Ugandan Music, watch Ugandan Music Videos and read Interviews with Ugandan musicians at UGPulse.com
- Download and Listen to Acholi Music
- Traditional music, artists and instruments from Uganda
- Koinonia Music Center
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