Pastor Okudi bounces back
Feb 17, 2011
PASTOR George Okudi needs no introduction. Unless, of course, you were born yesterday, you are stranger to this part of Africa or have not been following the music trends on the local scene.
By Joseph Batte
PASTOR George Okudi needs no introduction. Unless, of course, you were born yesterday, you are stranger to this part of Africa or have not been following the music trends on the local scene.
For starters, few artistes can match him in terms of talent. He is a tremendous live performer, dynamite you would rather not get caught with on the same stage. When he steps on it, there’s little anyone can do to stop him.
In 1999, he shimmied into our collective consciousness bearing the effortlessly lovely Wipolo, which by the way, was recorded on a six-track studio that he rigged up in his bedroom in Kasubi!
To be honest with you, the sound engineering was poor, but he created an amazing buzz with Wipolo, which saw him truly strike pure pop gold. He literally took over the country in 2003 with panache, as each track on that album had the power to stand on its own feet.
That same year, the sheer good musicality of the album saw him scoop two awards — the prestigious Male Artiste of the Year and East African Artiste of the Year — right under the noses of more established acts like Congo’s Koffi Olomide and our own Jose Chameleone, who we idolised so much at the time! Earlier on, he had won Best Gospel Artiste and Best Gospel Song at the PAM Awards.
Unfortunately for Okudi, with his newfound fame came the undesirable media attention. His private life was put under the glare of the tabloid press and finally he was taunted out of the country.
In 2005, he packed his bags and went to attend the Uganda North American Association (UNAA) convention in the US. He never returned. He now lives in Washington.
Astoundingly, it’s been more than a decade since he officially released a song on the local scene. That’s a pretty long time by Ugandan standards, where the trend is to always bow to the public’s pathetic demands of Kaliwa akapya and release a new song after every other two weeks!
Some critics have said Okudi peaked artistically; that he is a washed-out, one hit-wonder!
Well, it is way too early to dig his grave. The truth is Okudi has been hardly resting on his laurels since he arrived in the US. He continues to perform and has since released four albums. He just bounced back with a new album aptly titled Akomawo.
After a couple of listens, I concluded that Okudi has lost none of his form. He simply blazes on Akomawo, stretching his musical boundaries like he has always done from start to finish.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is when he experiments with Bakisimba beats from Buganda on the title-track Akomawo.
It is a feel good mid-tempo jam, carrying a power-packed punch, with synthesised horns weaving in and out but with a message that many Christians will want to hear: The fall of man is not the end of him, more especially if the good Lord is on your side.
The winners for me which proves that Okudi is a veteran in his genre is Ijo Be and Papa Ediopet. On the latter, Okudi’s Akogo style and flow is original and unique.
Compared to the reggaeton-fused dance drivel that assaults our ears these days, his rendition in Ateso takes the song into a refreshing new vein rarely heard in today’s music in Uganda.
He bares his soul and gets really personal on Ekotoi.
This song is deep lyrically and must be chewed on a few times to digest his message, which will touch people regardless of where they are in their relationship with Christ. Unfortunately for many, it is in Ateso.
The throbbing and pulsing reflect the trend of many gospel recordings right now — a wonderful blend of contemporary Christian-styled lyrics and musical arrangements fused with other worldly styles.
On Come Now, Simon Peter and Lubanga Ber, he powers the songs with pulsating neo-soukous beats that deserve continuous play.
Not that the album is immune from fault as a whole. He spoils the mood for the purists by employing auto tune on Ekotoi. He did not need to do that because, like most Iteso singers, he is gifted with a high-pitched, vibrato-laden voice, which enables him to hit the high notes and naturally produce that effect without the help of a computer.
But again, if the music is this good, who cares about that? Despite the fact that music on Akomawo is mostly sketched on keyboards, Okudi’s music can still be summed up as easy, simple, safe to listen, filled with instantly catchy tracks.
Although it tips the dance scale, it is not overpowering. The arrangements and flow lets the songs and singers’ message breathe. In my opinion, when it comes to making good gospel music, Pastor George Okudi is in a league of his own.
And Akomawo is an honest and authentic claim by him that he is not only the best, but he is back too!!!!
PASTOR George Okudi needs no introduction. Unless, of course, you were born yesterday, you are stranger to this part of Africa or have not been following the music trends on the local scene.
For starters, few artistes can match him in terms of talent. He is a tremendous live performer, dynamite you would rather not get caught with on the same stage. When he steps on it, there’s little anyone can do to stop him.
In 1999, he shimmied into our collective consciousness bearing the effortlessly lovely Wipolo, which by the way, was recorded on a six-track studio that he rigged up in his bedroom in Kasubi!
To be honest with you, the sound engineering was poor, but he created an amazing buzz with Wipolo, which saw him truly strike pure pop gold. He literally took over the country in 2003 with panache, as each track on that album had the power to stand on its own feet.
That same year, the sheer good musicality of the album saw him scoop two awards — the prestigious Male Artiste of the Year and East African Artiste of the Year — right under the noses of more established acts like Congo’s Koffi Olomide and our own Jose Chameleone, who we idolised so much at the time! Earlier on, he had won Best Gospel Artiste and Best Gospel Song at the PAM Awards.
Unfortunately for Okudi, with his newfound fame came the undesirable media attention. His private life was put under the glare of the tabloid press and finally he was taunted out of the country.
In 2005, he packed his bags and went to attend the Uganda North American Association (UNAA) convention in the US. He never returned. He now lives in Washington.
Astoundingly, it’s been more than a decade since he officially released a song on the local scene. That’s a pretty long time by Ugandan standards, where the trend is to always bow to the public’s pathetic demands of Kaliwa akapya and release a new song after every other two weeks!
Some critics have said Okudi peaked artistically; that he is a washed-out, one hit-wonder!
Well, it is way too early to dig his grave. The truth is Okudi has been hardly resting on his laurels since he arrived in the US. He continues to perform and has since released four albums. He just bounced back with a new album aptly titled Akomawo.
After a couple of listens, I concluded that Okudi has lost none of his form. He simply blazes on Akomawo, stretching his musical boundaries like he has always done from start to finish.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is when he experiments with Bakisimba beats from Buganda on the title-track Akomawo.
It is a feel good mid-tempo jam, carrying a power-packed punch, with synthesised horns weaving in and out but with a message that many Christians will want to hear: The fall of man is not the end of him, more especially if the good Lord is on your side.
The winners for me which proves that Okudi is a veteran in his genre is Ijo Be and Papa Ediopet. On the latter, Okudi’s Akogo style and flow is original and unique.
Compared to the reggaeton-fused dance drivel that assaults our ears these days, his rendition in Ateso takes the song into a refreshing new vein rarely heard in today’s music in Uganda.
He bares his soul and gets really personal on Ekotoi.
This song is deep lyrically and must be chewed on a few times to digest his message, which will touch people regardless of where they are in their relationship with Christ. Unfortunately for many, it is in Ateso.
The throbbing and pulsing reflect the trend of many gospel recordings right now — a wonderful blend of contemporary Christian-styled lyrics and musical arrangements fused with other worldly styles.
On Come Now, Simon Peter and Lubanga Ber, he powers the songs with pulsating neo-soukous beats that deserve continuous play.
Not that the album is immune from fault as a whole. He spoils the mood for the purists by employing auto tune on Ekotoi. He did not need to do that because, like most Iteso singers, he is gifted with a high-pitched, vibrato-laden voice, which enables him to hit the high notes and naturally produce that effect without the help of a computer.
But again, if the music is this good, who cares about that? Despite the fact that music on Akomawo is mostly sketched on keyboards, Okudi’s music can still be summed up as easy, simple, safe to listen, filled with instantly catchy tracks.
Although it tips the dance scale, it is not overpowering. The arrangements and flow lets the songs and singers’ message breathe. In my opinion, when it comes to making good gospel music, Pastor George Okudi is in a league of his own.
And Akomawo is an honest and authentic claim by him that he is not only the best, but he is back too!!!!