Kalungi's lens: Harry Lwanga and breaking silence over the years
Nov 12, 2019
But mostly, Lungfishman Lwanga, as he called himself, likes to play alone. And for most of his career has taken his acoustic guitar to dozens of places in and around Kampala
ENTERTAINMENT
KAMPALA - Breaking Silence is Harry Lwanga's first ever album, but which to this day still remains unreleased. A musician that has been at the centre of the music industry for more than two decades, Lwanga has been curiously silent to the world.
Harry Lwanga doing his thing
He has played with or shared the stage with some of Uganda's great musicians, including the late guitar maestro Dede Majoro, the late Sam Murungi of the Simba Ngoma band, Tony Ssengo, Carol Nakimera and the great Elly Wamala. He has played with Moses Matovu and the Afrigo Band, been band leader of Hope Mukasa's Mixed Talents, and formed Uganda's first ever jazz band with Frenchman Franck Morel.
Harry Lwanga, left, playing bass with the Mixed Talents. Extreme right is band leader Hope Mukasa, next to him is Michael Musoke
But mostly, Lungfishman Lwanga, as he called himself, likes to play alone. And for most of his career has taken his acoustic guitar to dozens of places in and around Kampala, taking his brand of Afro Jazz to the world.
Harry Lwanga
"I have a strong desire to express myself as a Ugandan musician, using our rich musical culture with a blend of the contemporary," Lwanga was quoted as saying. "I am not a strong believer in genre boundaries. My music may be classified as jazzy, world music but I feel that it criss-crosses those boundaries without regard to them."
With Congolese musician Arlus Mabele at Ggaba Beach
Musicians Club 1989, Right is Harry and middle is Dennis Matanda
From the very first time he performed on stage at the Sharing Centre in Nsambya, filling in for a no-show drummer when he had never played drums in his life; to learning how to play guitar while on stage, with help from his long-time friend Dr Ebony Quinto, to going it alone at the Serena for almost 5 years; to getting his very first bass guitar from his friend Morel, Lwanga has kept his silence.
Harry Lwanga playing the first BASS guitar he ever had
Harry with Godrey Lubulwa (left) and Ras Ssali (middle) after a Shakaram concert at Lugogo
Till about 4 years ago, when he took the plunge and put up a one-man show at the National Theatre. One-man show, but with a little help from his then under-age daughter Sheila Karungi. But Sheila has come of age, and on Wednesday she will take the stage together with her father, and together they will break Harry's long silence as he introduces her to the world.
Harry, at the back, playing with the Pride Band at Pride Theater's Pride Corner, 1994.
"She's more talented than me," Lwanga says. "She plays more instruments, and sings a lot better."
Harry, right, with his daughter Sheila Karungi