And we have reached Uganda. Musically it used to be seen as a bit of a backwater compared to its some of its neighbours like DR Congo and Kenya, but that has changed over the last ten years or so. After the emergence of Eddy Kenzo as a major pan-African star it is currently a bit of a pop powerhouse.
It is also a country where popular music and politics are inextricably linked. Earlier this year Eddy married the Energy Minister - in UK terms think Ed Miliband weds Dua Lipa - and was appointed an advisor to long-running president (and not very nice man) Yoweri Museveni.
This puts him firmly on the opposite side to fellow big name Bobi Wine who has been imprisoned and beaten up by government forces on a depressingly regular basis since he decided to stand against Museveni in the 2021 elections. A film made about his presidential campaign was nominated for an Oscar this year.
That is enough politics, let's crack on with the music. We will start with the oldest Ugandan track I have. It is a funky instrumental from 1974 by The Rwenzori's, named after the mountain range where many of the members came from. You can find it on Mr Bongo's "Record Club Volume 1" compilation.
One of the first popular music styles indigenous to Uganda was kadongo kamu which means 'one little guitar'. Originating back in the 1960s it was kept alive during the difficult Idi Amin years largely through the efforts of one man, Peterson T. Mutebi. You can read all about him here, and listen to Part 2 of the title track of his 1982 album below.
These days kadongo kamu has largely faded from view and this century the dominant form of popular music has been faster and shinier and heavily influenced by dancehall and afrobeat. There is still plenty of good stuff though as the next two selections show.
Jeff Korondo has been active since the late 1990s and as well as his music career he is the founder of an NGO called Music For Peace. This track is from 2003. I have not been able to find out any information about Stipper Man's humanitarian activities (or anything else about him) but he makes a jolly noise, as this tune from 2018 shows.
Readers with long memories and impeccable taste may remember me raving about an album called "Electro Acholi Kaboom From Northern Uganda" a couple of years ago. It featured lots of souped up versions of traditional acholi courtship songs and reminded me a lot of our own dear Tsonga Disco.
That album seems to be unavailable now but you can still get hold of a collection by Otim Alpha who was featured on it and was one of the pioneers of the scene. His album was released by the excellent Nyege Nyege Tapes label based in Kampala whose catalogue is worth checking out.
There is plenty of very good 'conventional' reggae from Uganda that I could have chosen for the MAR slot but I could not resist the charms of the Entebbe Eek-A-Mouse himself, Mr. Mankwa. Described as "a Ugandan Gibberish Dancehall Artist from the 90s" on the blurb for his "Saba Saba Sounds" EP, he is also the subject of a three-part documentary you can find on YouTube.
"Handsome Boy (E Wara) Pt 1&2" - The Rwenzori's
"Eno Ye Weekend Part 2" - Peterson Tusubira Mutebi & The Tames Band
"Kadi Iyeta" - Jeff Korondo
"Munzoleya" - Stipper Man
"Cam Ki lawoti II" - Otim Alpha
"A.U. (Mr. Mankwa)" - Mr. Mankwa
Eddy Kenzo may have fallen in with a bad crowd of late but his string of hits from 2014 still put a smile on my face when I hear them, so we'll start off the videos with the song that made his name. In the interest of balance Bobi Wine appears as well.
Can't talk about Uganda without mention of Nyege Nyege, which has become the first essential label and festival in SSA. Every release worth a listen.
ReplyDeletehttps://nyegenyegetapes.bandcamp.com/
I completely agree. You may have spotted I included their Otim Alpha release in the post.
DeleteI very cheerfully note that it was impossible for such an omission to exist, and indeed, the error was mine!
DeleteNyege Nyege is an embarassment of riches. Recently I really like Masaka Masaka, drifting ambient stuff.
And yet in Kampala itself, it's known as a festival and nothing more. The label's activities are virtually unknown.
The festival sounds interesting. I shall have to try to persuade someone to send me to Kampala when it is on next year.
DeleteThe fezzie has outgrown all proportion and is a tricky proposition, both in terms of getting tickets and accom. If you have a local contact, that's probably your best bet...
Deleteon the strength of your track I might splash out £5 plus IVA on Mr Bongo's volume 1
ReplyDeleteThe finishing post is nearly in sight.
ReplyDeleteI am eagerly awaiting the follow up to this epic series
Music of the former Soviet republics, the follow up to this series
DeleteDon't get too eager, there may not be another odyssey for a while. This one has left me emotionally and financially drained (all that Gabonese hip hop doesn't come cheap you know).
DeleteIf there is a follow up it is unlikely to be the one the goat demands. We visited three former Soviet republics on the European tour, it is too soon to start repeat visits when there is still so much of the world left to explore.