Archive for October, 2007
Tuesday, October 30th, 2007
TO MILLIONS OF AFRICANS, THE COLD-blooded murder of reggae superstar Lucky Dube has silenced their voice of hope. But it is to South Africans that the death of one of their most consistent peace messengers was most devastating. Dube used his music to preach inter-racial harmony and consciousness.
South Africa is yet to heal from the wounds of years of racial segregation. It faces the harsh reality of being what analysts describe as a country with one of the most obvious social inequities in the world.
Unlike celebrities in other spheres of show business, musicians tend to relate more closely with the impoverished masses who constitute their largest constituency for shows and record sales. Musicians’ visibility, however, makes them easy targets in areas where crime is perceived as the way of life.
But debate is still raging in South Africa as to whether Dube’s murder was a hijacking gone badly wrong or a hit. Speaking exclusively to The EastAfrican, Abe Sibiya, a leading music producer and top executive of entertainment conglomerate Urban Bew says it could have been a hit because nothing was stolen from him.
“They shot him at close range to make sure he did not survive,” he said.
“Police are investigating his close circle of friends and those he has dealt with recently. South Africa is in a state of shock and embarrassed about this. It is absolutely horrendous,” he added.
This danger was noted in a condolence message by Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour who pointed out that this was not the first time a musician was killed in South Africa.
“For me, the question about insecurity, especially in South Africa, is that it targets people’s messengers,” he said.
In a country that was deeply divided by apartheid, Dube used his music to mend the huge divide between whites and blacks, the poor and the rich preaching human consciousness with a message of peace for all.
He once told a shocked reporter that not all the black people were his brothers and not all the whites his enemies to underline his ideology that kinship was about a shared concern for humanity.
The insecurity faced by musicians is not unique to South Africa however. It is equally bad even in the West. But Dube’s death, tragic at it is, raises fresh concerns about celebrity deaths and numerous conspiracy theories that surface whenever a big name musician is killed.
In America, the murders of musicians John Lennon in the early 1980’s and Tupac Shakur in the 1990’s continue to fuel speculation on probable motives and feed conspiracy theories. There are many who believe that Tupac faked his death in order to exit from a troubled rap music scene, while in the case of Lennon there are claims of a probable CIA involvement to silence one of the most active anti-war campaigners in the world.
Since the 1980’s, cases of celebrity deaths have also been attributed to turf wars as cartels squared it off for control of music business in their zones. But instances of celebrities dying in everyday urban crimes are rare because stars such as Dube have bodyguards or are well liked and, therefore, perceived to be immune to the violence around them.
Last week police in South Africa named a special investigations team to investigate the murder. One of the disturbing questions is whether the assailants knew their victim. If they did, was there another motive to the killing?
Dube was shot dead in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville after he dropped his teenage son at a relative’s home. He attempted to drive off with gunshot wounds but was too weak to control the car crashing into a tree and died.
THE KILLING OF DUBE -RATed among the top reggae artistes in the world - has drawn attention to the high crime rate in South Africa with an estimated 20,000 homicides per year.
In a statement, President Thabo Mbeki mourned the singer saying, “It’s indeed very, very sad that this happens to an outstanding South African, an outstanding musician who is world renown. We shall continue to act together as a people to confront this terrible scourge of crime which has taken the lives of too many people and does every day.”
Angry politicians are calling for renewed efforts to curb the homicide rate and some have called for the return of the death penalty as a last ditch effort to fight violent crime in that country.
In Kenya, Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya’s presidential aspirant Kalonzo Musyoka in a paid up newspaper advertisement mourned the passing of Dube who he described as a great inspiration to the youth.
But Dube was not the only high profile musician to die at the hands of gunmen in South Africa. In 2004, singer Ben Shabalala who had retired from the world-renowned South African accappela group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, to spend more time with his family was shot dead as he dropped off his children to school.
In Kenya, upcoming rapper Krupt was shot dead in a botched robbery in a public service vehicle in Nanyuki following a heated exchange with the robbers.
Ironically, Dube, just like his reggae idol Peter Tosh, died at 43. Tosh, undeniably the South African’s biggest inspiration, was shot dead on September 11, 1987.
As a reggae star, Dube is reputably Africa’s greatest artiste, selling millions of records internationally, winning major music awards and played to packed venues at major festivals. His album, Victim, reportedly sold a million copies. He won the best selling African Artiste award at the 1996 World Music Awards festival held in Monaco. He has recorded 20 albums since 1981, his last being Respect, which was released last year.
In East Africa, Dube drew an estimated 80,000-strong crowd at the Nakivubo stadium in Uganda setting a record for concert attendance in the country. Dube was scheduled to tour Uganda for fifth time in April 2008
He visited Kenya twice, the last time being at the Guinness Sunbeat reggae festival at Jamhuri Park where he shared the top billing with Jamaican reggae star Maxi Priest on what was reputably the biggest reggae festival ever held in the country. His high energy performance made him an easy favourite and drew thousands to the event held in the outskirts of Nairobi.
His songs, Rasta never die and Together as one have been favourites in the East Africa region where his music has had a huge market for over a decade.
With the high profile murder attracting international coverage, Dube’s death has drawn similar passionate coverage as that of Matoub Lounes, the Algerian Berber musician who was killed in 1998 in a murder that was blamed on the government. He was shot 75 times, but there was no eye witness to identity the assailants.
Lounes was a vocal critic of the Algerian authorities’ mistreatment of the Berbers. His murder sparked riots in major Algerian cities causing deaths of several fans as they battled riot police sent to squash the violence.
In the 1980s, the late Lwambo Lwanzo Makiadi narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Paris where he was on tour. His security foiled an attempt on his life in a plot allegedly hatched by Congolese exiles.
But while Dube’s murder may be explained as a simple act of urban crime those of Lennon and Tupac are still the subject of debate and speculation.
A THEORY BY MAE RUSSELL - an American researcher in assassinations and conspiracies - sees a political motive in the slaying of Lennon. Russell suggests a CIA hand in the death.
The original story was that Lennon was killed by Mark Daniel Chapman described as an obsessive fan who suffered mental disorder. However, Russell has theorised that Chapman may have been a dummy in the killing, and that Lennon may have been killed to stop him from leading protests against American aggression. The researcher finds a parallel with JFK assassination where claims of a second assassin have been flouted although no proof has been presented.
Says Russell, “The murder of Lennon is the tragic finale to an entire era, the reminder that once an artiste becomes as popular and as political as he was, his enemies will be waiting to make sure his message is never heard again.”
If Russell was to be believed even the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Reeves, Elvis Presley and many others blamed on drug abuse were premeditated. She claims that though the artistes were known drug users, it is possible somebody laced their drugs with lethal chemical leading to fatal consequences.
The theories around the death of Shakur are varied but the most persistent one is that he may have faked his own death. Those advancing this theory point out that there was no murder witness, yet it happened in a Las Vegas Casino complex where surveillance is exceptionally high. Equally strange is the fact that there was no viewing of the body at the purported funeral.
But obviously Shakur did not attract much sympathy from his music industry colleagues who generally blamed him for the violence that rocked the hip hop music scene. However, the murder of another musician Notorious B.I.G rallied the industry to look into the situation and largely helped deal with the violence.
Murders are routinely reported in Johannesburg, but the killing of high profile artistes often forces authorities to take a closer look at the horrifying statistics sweeping through the country. But the interest is often shortlived.
For the music business, the issue of a possible conspiracy is bound to be the profound and many may want to establish if the murder was planned or if the reggae star just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Organised criminal gangs controlling businesses in South Africa is not new but it may be interesting to see the clues that emerge from the ongoing investigations. It is a worrying trend in a country where protectionist gangs ran night clubs and other areas of the lucrative business.
Unless this investigation comes up with concrete results, Dube’s death will be just another statistic. And Africa’s music scene will be the poorer.
By JOHN KARIUKI
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Tuesday, October 30th, 2007
DURING HIS CONCERT AT the Kampala Serena Hotel recently, South African jazz maestro Jonathan Butler, strummed his guitar with abundant energy. It was a show worth of his reputation that when he declared, and declared: “Tonight is a celebration and harmony,” nobody could argue.
His repertoire of hits included Pata Pata, Take Good Care Of Me, This Is Love, Mandela Bay, 7th Avenue and Sing Me Your Love Song.
The performance in Kampala was testimony to the fact that Butler has finally come of age. He started his stage career as a child variety show performer who travelled across South Africa. He managed to ply his trade despite the horrors of apartheid. All he needed was food on the table.
As a young musician, his career was full of contradictions. He would perform at lavish concert halls for Whites-only audiences but was not even allowed to use the bathroom. The very next night he would perform in a deprived Black township, where his own safety would be in doubt.
Born on October 10, 1961 and raised in Cape Town during apartheid, Butler started singing and playing the acoustic guitar quite early in life.
Racial segregation and poverty in the black community during apartheid has been the subject of many of his recordings. His first single, the first by a black artist ever played on white radio stations in the racially segregated South Africa, earned him a Sarie Award, South Africa ‘s equivalent of the Grammys.
“I express love and peace and Africa possesses all these things. Just because a country is poor doesn’t mean it’s poor in spirit. We are rich in spirit. I talk about issues that I see everyday,” Butler said.
Butler, the youngest in a family of 17, began singing publicly in many of the South African townships ravaged and brutalised by apartheid in the late 1960’s.
He first joined his brother Danny’s group, The Golden City Dixies, when he was seven and travelled with them for three years. When the Dixies took a year off from performing, he established a new group with another brother Paul. He later joined a new band, Freedom, and was soon approached by record company Bullet Records to launch a solo career.
By 1978 he was playing with Pacific Express and for a short while he had his own jazz-rock band called The Butler. Two albums were recorded with the Express personnel, and some Pacific Express songs were later released on the 1988 7th Avenue album.
MUSIC MAY HAVE GIVEN him the means to escape from the clutches of apartheid, but time has given him a perspective on his past, and brought him back to Cape Town.
Butler has returned to South Africa on numerous occasions, leading humanitarian and charity efforts for the less fortunate. He also serves on the board of directors of the Acres of Love, a South African non-profit organisation that cares for abandoned, HIV positive infants and children. He performs at numerous benefit concerts for the charity organisation, including the Third Annual Sunset Serenade.
But why did he leave his homeland? “I left because it was God’s plan for my life. I don’t regret it because it was important to bring the spirit of excellence back to the country,” he said.
“I came to the West seeking artistic freedom to express myself,” he added. “While my albums have always offered vocal cuts and instrumentals, for me it was never about creating music for a particular type of audience, but about surrendering to the will of the music and just letting it flow through me, whichever direction it may go.”
Butler says Brazilian music was his biggest influence when he was growing. He wanted to match all its flavours and end up with a sound that is uniquely his.
Before coming for the Ugandan concert, he had given six performances in the US, just in September alone. The curtain raiser for the Butler show was The Aids Support Organisation (Taso) Kids followed by Uganda’s saxophonist, Isaiah Katumwa, and guitarist Maurice Kirya.
Proceeds of the concert will go towards starting an Education Trust Fund to support over 300 Taso orphans currently sponsored by Celtel Uganda staff. Celtel Uganda partnered with Kenya Airways, Kampala Serena and Kfm to sponsor the concert.
“We are proud of Butler’s great achievements in music, which we would like share with Uganda,” said Cesear Mloka, Celtel marketing director.
Taso was founded in 1987 and is today the largest local NGO providing HIV and Aids services in Uganda, having supported over 150,000 children since its inception.
One of Butler’s tracks, Mandela Bay, is a lively instrumental tribute to the legacy of Nelson Mandela. The song exudes optimism — the joy of liberation, the celebration of life.
At 13, Butler’s talents caught the attention of British record producer, Clive Caulder of Jive Records, who eventually signed him on. Jive was headquartered in England, so Butler decided to move to the UK to focus on his recording career for the next 17 years.
He married Barenese Beaton on February 19, 1983. He now resides in Los Angeles.
HIS INTERNATIONAL BRE- akthrough came in 1987 with his Grammy nominated pop single Lies off his self-titled debut album. An instrumental, Going Home, earned him a Grammy nomination as well.
His version of the Staple Singers song If You’re Ready (Come Go with Me), off the Going Home album, which he performed with Ruby Turner introduced him to international audiences as an established singer-songwriter and guitarist.
His music is classified as R&B, jazz fusion or smooth jazz, Christian and tropical.
Being nominated for the Grammy’s once is wonderful but twice means a lot to the musician.
“It means that my peers recognise me and they accept me not as a South African but as an artist,” he said.
His records include: Introducing Jonathan Butler (Jive Records, 1985), Jonathan Butler (1987), Inspirations (1987), 7th Avenue (Mountain Records, 1988), More Than Friends (1988), More Than Friends (1990), Heal Our Land (1990), Best of Jonathan Butler (1993), Gospel Days (Mountain Records, 1993), Head To Head (1994), Do You Love Me? (1997), Story Of Life (1999), The Source (2000), Surrender (Warner Brothers, 2003), Ultimate Butler (2002), Worship Project (2004), Jonathan (2005), Gospel Goes Classical (2006) (with Juanita Bynum), Going Home and Brand New Day (2007).
Butler’s ability to blend his roots in African music with Western pop sensibilities was a trademark of many albums, though never more refined than in his latest release. For example, the first single from his latest album is a rendition of the folk-rock classic Fire and Rain. He breathes new life into this classic, infusing the vocals with intensity, as subtle as it is powerful. The musical arrangement is lively and soulful.
With a career spanning 28 years, 15 albums and over one million records sold, Butler is undeniably one of the most successful jazz musicians of his generation. However, this he disputes, success is measured on a higher plane, he says.
A religious and spiritual man, Butler has devoted his life to being a better husband to his wife of 20 years, a better father to his three teenage children, and a better citizen of his homeland, South Africa.
He is an inspiration to many and acknowledges the challenges of growing up in a nation still recovering from decades of subjugation, but believes in the potential of his people to overcome. He is a product of the stage.
From his early days as an entertainer in South Africa to his numerous world tours, one thing is for certain; he is meant to perform.
Being an idol to many up-coming musicians his advice to them is: “To the young musicians I say practice.”
By BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI
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Monday, October 29th, 2007
Tired of working with wayward civilian musos, jazz maestro Lister Boleseng has lined up a military outfit and the “boys” can brew a storm.
During a recent festival, Lister displayed his new all-military ensemble. But Lister explained that it is not that he does not want to work with civilians. He said he has teamed up with his military colleagues because he spends most of his time with them.
“As a result, it is easy to rehearse with them.”
Lister has had some nasty experiences with civilian musicians. Earlier this year, one of his civilian guitarists, a Zimbabwean, was arrested for dagga possession along the Francistown/Orapa road.
The guitarist missed the show in Orapa where he was scheduled to perform with Lister.
According to one of the musicians, they were given money so they could take the earliest bus from Gaborone to Orapa. Apparently, the aircraft ferrying Lister and other guests to a Debswana function in Orapa was full.
However, the Zimbabwean guitarist had other ideas. Instead of boarding the bus, he decided to hitch hike to Orapa via Francistown. But he ran out of luck along the way when the police searched his bag at a roadblock and found some ‘green stuff’ suspected to be dagga. The guitarist was later deported after being fined.
One of the musicians said the “cleaning living Lister” was livid when the ‘Zim guitarist’ phoned him to say he had been arrested with a substance, which the police usually call a habit-forming drug. The band had to improvise to replace him.
Some of the civilian musicians that Lister used to jam with include leading guitarist Zakes Gw’aze and top-notch drummer Enock Mbewe. Lister has also played with local artistes like John Selolwane and Ndingo Johwa.
Lister has made a huge impact on the local music scene following the release of his acclaimed album, Life’s a journey. He has been in high demand at local shows.
Recently he shared the stage with South African trumpet virtuoso Hugh Masekela at a fund-raising dinner for the Masiela Trust.
Meanwhile, Lister was expected to rock Francistown at Dumela Lodge on Saturday and invade the Jazz Brew in Mochudi the following day.
Via Mmegi
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Monday, October 29th, 2007
Bands of musicians were on stage to provide sound tracks to keep music fans on the dance floor last Friday. In what some critics perceive as a strong case for the Afro-fusion genre, the concert offered samples of a genre that has been ignored by the media, but which has clearly been growing fast and capturing the imagination of the nation as the rhythm of the country.
The concert that had thrills galore took place at the Alliance Française garden in Nairobi. The place has lately earned honour as an inspiration for Afro-fusion artistes in the country.
After a series of auditions and concerts spread through the year, throughout the country, the Spotlight on Kenyan Music project will be delivering its third album.
Titled Spotlight on Kenyan Music Volume Three, it comes after two others that are already reporting impressive sales in music stores around the world.
The music sounds like a compilation of music by Putumayo that a reviewer describes as … an antidote to the more synthesised sounds emerging from Africa in recent decades; crystal clear sounds of the guitars, woody drums, sweet, sweet voices. “It’s mainly gentle, mellow tracks, acoustic but not raw (or ‘tribal’),” a reviewer describes Acoustic Africa, a compilation of various Afro-fusion titles by Putumayo that aptly captures the spirit of Afro-fusion music that Kenyan singers are churning out. Simply, Afro-fusion is music that blends a traditional African feel with contemporary sounds.
Hip hop has hopped so much on the local media that anyone glancing though the media may easily conclude that all Kenyan music is Kapuka this or Genge that. Not quite.
There are a few chosen musicians who are not fascinated by flashy deciduous tunes, who have chosen to remain deep and at the same time fascinating in style. “When all the lights are out, Africa’s true music remains afro-fusion in its many forms - rhumba, juju, zouk, benga, mbaqanga, chakacha etc,” says Mr David Makali, a music producer and distributor.
On the popularity of this genre, he knows what many Kenyans are yet to appreciate: “You don’t need research to show you how many people are deprived of their favourite music by this conspiracy of the youth (here, he means hip hop).”
According to Tabu Osusa, who has been involved with Afro-fusion for several years, the genre defines who Kenyans are. It is can create a market for Kenyan music internationally, insisted the producer based at the Ketebul Studios.
The early 90s were very lean years for workers in the local music; then suddenly entered a fast paced revolution that has not slowed. This came with the rebellious sounding Kalamashakas, Mercy Myras and the notorious musical duo of Gidi Gidi Maji Maji, who infused traditional Dholuo beat into their sort of hip hop.
Eric Wainaina
Eric Wainana had been singing of love before rubbing a corrupt government the wrong way with his hit Nchi Ya Kitu Kidogo, which opened international doors to the music graduate. At the end of last year, he went on stage with the musical Lwanda: A Ghetto Story, before releasing his second album, Twende Twende, that blends contemporary sound with authentic African melodies.
“Afro-fusion is the sound I easily identify with,” says Samuel Kiama, who has been following Spotlight concerts with loyalty.
“It is music that brings to the ear a desirable sound. It is African song presented in poetry, dance and composition with creativity that soothes if it is meant to; compels if meant to be compelling.”
Just like in the other parts of Africa, one of the more interesting ways to listen to this genre of music is by being present at gigs and weekend concerts that play live in public spaces.
Slowly, the music has been gaining popularity in these spaces. Currently, it is rare to miss a band playing live at a club. Business owners have realised the power of the music when it comes to luring clients.
For the few years that Afro-fusion musicians have been staging their act together, several albums have been produced. A quick count yields about 20. It began with names like Achieng Abura before Suzzane Owiyo entered on the scene with her Kisumu 100 and Sandore.
Then Eric Wainaina, Kayamba Afrika and even Suzzane Gachukia, formerly Suzanne Kibukosya, appeared. Local Afro-fusion albums includes two by Abbi Nyinza and Kikwetu band, Ohanglaman by Makadem, and three by Yunasi, who entered the fray under the name Emmanuel Clan as a gospel acappella group.
Yunasi have travelled widely, singing to different nations. Their style, Sesube, blends several Kenyan music tastes including Isukuti and Benga. Harry Kimani’s voice has opened doors to several international concerts.
Achieng Abura
When Hugh Masekela, the seasoned South African Afro-jazz artiste -was in town, Kimani took the opportunity to strum to his Waithera, a romantic Gikuyu song in praise of a beautiful girl that some heart has fallen for. The man has a seductive way with the guitar.
One Odegle Nyang, a music enthusiast, describes Makadem’s performance excitedly: “Makadem the Ohanglaman. Ok, it was a trick. The guy plays no ohangla, but boy! The energy! The electricity! The guy is a specialist in afro-fusion. He has some really funny and poetic lyrics. The energy of his performance is amazing.”
Besides his title song Ohanglaman, Makadem, whose inspiration comes from Fela Kuti, has other songs among them Kisumu Bound Bus, That comb, Nyaktiti, My Dota, and Nyar Nairobi.
According to Sound Africa - a music company distributing music both locally and internationally - Afro-fusion is attracting good attention from music lovers. This is as opposed to Hip Hop music that does not enjoy the benefit of a long shelf life.
Via Business Daily (Nairobi)
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Monday, October 29th, 2007
Members of the folk music group Tunjila Tuajokota are expected this Saturday morning in Lubango, southern Huila Province, together with their executive producer, Alcas Fernandes, for a session of autographs signing, sale and promotion of their latest CD, entitled Yosso Ikuma.
The information was given by Alcas Fernandes, who also informed that they will travel to that southern province through road, due to the cancellation of the flight thy had booked. Since the release of Yosso Ikuma, last June, the group has made this album available for purchase in ten of the country’s 18 provinces. Tunjila Tuajokota are one of Angola’s most famous folk music group.
The band is made up of young musicians who mainly sing and explore the traditions of the north-central Malanje Province.
Via Angola Press Agency
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Monday, October 29th, 2007
The Luanda-based Cidadela stadium is expected this Saturday to host the first edition of the international festival of Music named “Movicel Live Fest”, an organisation of the mobile phone operator “Movicel”.
The seven-hour event will count on the participation of the Angolans Paulo Flores, Yuri da Cunha, Dj Tafinha and the “Kuduro” music group Os Lambas. The organisers have invited Nelson Freitas of Cape Verde, Fally Ipupa, DR Congo, and the Ivorian Alpha Blondy, as well as the Brazilian Calypso band to perform at the event.
Some 30,000 spectators are expected to attend the event, whose ticket process range from kz 1,500 to kz 2000 (20 and 25 US dollars).
Via Angola Press Agency
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Monday, October 29th, 2007
You will not often hear her music playing on your FM station, but Sarah Ndagire is one of those few artistes who will not get on stage, unless there are musical instruments to be strummed. The former Afrigo band singer proved this last week when she performed with Soul Beat Africa at the National Theatre.
The show began on time, first by showing Ndagire’s recent videos, before Soul Beat Africa, a globe-trotting World music band that is composed of Herbert Kinobe, Jude Mugerwa, Michael Ouma, producer Allan and others sampled some of their tunes. Whereas they looked quite unfamiliar to the audience, when each went played their favourite instrument fans could not hide the excitement.
By the time Sarah Ndagire came on stage, the audience was already worked up. She did songs off her first album Katitira, which is composed of songs like Akakisa, Katitira, Agalifa and her new album, Kunsiko, Village woman, Train, Engero and others. Her music is a fusion of traditional and African contemporary soul.
Though there were few people in the audience, she still possessed the powers of a good performer and every song that she sang seemed to carry the audience to another level as they cheered and sang along.
By the time the show ended there was no regret for the Shs20,000 gate fee because it was spent well.
Via The Monitor
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Monday, October 29th, 2007
She is the sole and first female artiste to be nominated under the Artiste Of The Year category in the Pearl Of Africa Music (Pam) awards.
The sponsors of the monthly Unplugged shows at Club Silk, Club Beer had a reason or two to give Sophie Nantongo audience to showcase what she’s got to offer and she didn’t disappoint. She’s got quiet a crowd and by 8p.m., fans were streaming into Club Silk Lounge and Oxygen to have a taste of the artiste whose music delves into the subject of love and its trials.
Nantongo (pictured) sampled some of her popular tracks, from Binyuma, Amaggwa, Pima Ebisera, Bakulimbye, Entalo Mumaka, Liberty, Nkwagala, Etulya Love, Sisobola, Nakulindanga, Ekisanja and Omusajja to a live performance with back up from the new outfit, Bigeon band.
Decked in feminine pink and white, the former Eagles Production member was something on stage as she prompted fans to sing-along and shake a leg too. Free club branded C.Ds were dished out to revellers.
Via The Monitor
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Monday, October 29th, 2007
Local diva Juliana Kanyomozi left a lasting impression at her ‘Kibaluma Unleashed’ concert at Kati Kati Restaurant on Friday night. When she finally appeared at about 11p.m, it was worth the wait. She sang her heart out to fans who couldn’t stop screaming out her name.
The sound was good, the skies were clear and emcee J. Kazoora was the right guy to work the crowd as he introduced star after another, interjecting the performances with his usual jokes.
Wearing black, in sharp contrast with red boots, Juliana was given a grand welcome onto stage amid beautiful light effects and palpitating instrumentations. Visibly overwhelmed by the large turn-up, Juliana Kanyomozi went down on her knees to show her appreciation before she set the crowd off on a musical trip with some of her hits from Nkulinze, Taata W’abana Yani - her collaboration with Bobi to songs from her latest Kibaluma album like Nkyanonya, Tombowa Mukwano, Mundeke and Kanyimbe during which she broke down into tears.
She dedicated the song to her fallen manager and brother Prince Roger Mugenyi who she said was a big inspiration in her career.
“I want to specially dedicate this song to my brother. It was the last song he told me to sing for him,” the emotive diva said amidst tears as Club beer’s Shem Ssemambo reached out to comfort her.
When she finally did Kibaluma, it felt like she had breathed life into the crowd once more as fans all got their groove on and sang along. This was after a line-up of great performances by Bobi Wine and Nubian Lee, Jose Chameleone and the Leone Island and the Obsessions.
Chameleone who wore a black pin striped suit tickled fans when he said he was one of Juliana’s biggest fans. He was at it again and sent the crowd roaring as he went on his twos to ‘publicly’ apologise to Bobi Wine for all the rat and cat games that saw them fall apart.
“Guys this isn’t a kiwani. I am for real,” he convinced as the crowd cheered on. Juliana changed her attire thrice and also did the Kibaluma song thrice as she begged fans to leave the venue saying that he show was over yet they still wanted more of the singer who had given her all.
Via The Monitor
