Five for Kora

Oct 28, 2004

Uganda continues to make its weight felt on the African musical scene with a commendable five nominations for this year’s 9th Annual KORA All Africa Music Awards, reports <b>Sebidde Kiryowa. </b>

Last year we had four nominations from three artists. Pastor George Okudi did us proud when he brought home the Best African Male Artist and Best Male Artist from East Africa. Bebe Cool and Chameleone got a nomination each while Klear Kut had garnered two nods the previous year.
The ceremony will be held on Sunday December 12, in South Africa. The nominations were released on October 12, 2004. This year’s nominees will be invited to represent Uganda at the function. To reward attendance, nominees who win a KORA award and are there to collect it, will also win a cash prize of $5,000.
An estimated television audience of 700 million people will watch the ceremony as CFi satellite distributes the live broadcast. From 17 entries submitted by the August 15 deadline, the five Ugandan nominees listed were: Eddie Rush, Jose Chameleone, Halima Namakula, Nuleli and Percussion Discussion Africa.
Any African artist is eligible to enter the Kora Awards: if he/she meets the criteria as set forth in the chapter “Candidatures”. One can also enter by possible nomination (although not obligatory) by a legal entity (record company, publishing or media house), in absolute agreement with the artist.
The necessary documents may be handed in at the Kora Awards offices until May 30 of the year in question to be examined by the Kora pre-selection committee in June, at the end of which the list of nominees is proclaimed.
The Kora Jury examines the documents of these nominees the day before the ceremony itself. In addition, certain categories are subject to the vote of the radio and television public.

NUJELI
Nujeli, which many Ugandans might not know is up for Best Female Artist in East Africa award for their single Ansobela. Nujeli, a France-based duo, compromises Irene Namubiru, a very familiar voice and face many Ugandans will remember from I-Jay. I-Jay was a sizzling but shortlived R&B group made up of Julianna Kanyomozi and Namubiru that rocked in 2000/1. The other half of Nujeli is Julien Grot, an accomplished French producer and musician. Irene sings, Julien does the production
Nujeli’s music, a subtle interbreeding of traditional Kiganda influences and electronic music rhythms has been described as “a hybrid work with rich lyrics, at times political, transported by a warm and sensual voice.”
In more ways than one, Nujeli have established a sound that mixes electronic influences with traditional Ugandan resonance. It is a collision between old Europe and its strings, that of today and its urban beats, and Africa through Irene’s song and the contribution of Baganda traditional instruments like Amadinda.
A classical and classy trio of a violin, a cello and an upright bass enriches these electronic variations. The velvety strings combine splendidly with beats that tend towards jungle or trip hop, blended with Kiganda folklore influences. And Irene’s sonorous voice becomes more refined in the choruses, creating interference within customised rhythmic schemes, which impregnate their surroundings with a supernatural presence.
Irene sings in English and Luganda. But the choice to sing in her native language was made only recently, from the wish to make her people heard, thus perpetuating oral tradition. This is why the themes she tackles avoid thoughtlessness and emptiness: she speaks about life, love, children, violence, disease and death with strength, metaphors and images.
Ansobela (Luganda for he puzzles me), a song that has received moderate airplay on Ugandan FM radio stations, is a single off their first album Ensi. The album, released on Bloom Records in France, will soon be released officially in Spain, Austria, UK and German.

PERCUSSION DISCUSSION AFRICA
They are up for the Best Traditional African Group for their song Mu’ Afrika. The group scooped the PAM award for Best Cultural Artist in 2003.
Percussion Discussion Africa is a group of talented musicians under the leadership of Herman Ssewanyana “omwana w’ensenene” who also plays conga for Afrigo Band. Their music is a blend of traditional African musical instruments like the endingidi (tube fiddle) and egalabi (long drum) and contemporary sounds of the saxophone and keyboard.
PDA’s music is inspired by a medley of great African artistes ranging from Baba Maal, Youssou N’dour Baba Maal and Salif Keita. Started in 1997, PDA (in addition to Ssewanyana) comprises Michael Musoke, Emmanuel Nsubuga and Jane k, all of whom are skilled traditional instruments players. Other members include Albert Kinobe (plays Akogo or Thumb piano); Kafumbe Damascus (endingidi); Samuel Bakabulindi (long and small drum); Isaac Zimbe (bass guitar); Said Kasule (saxophone); Connie (trumpet); Mildred and Margaret (vocals).

HALIMA NAMAKULA
Halima Namakula, who was nominated twice in the Afrobeat and Song of the Year categories of the PAM Awards for her radio hit Sambagala (with Bebe Cool), scoops a Kora nomination in the Best Traditional African Artist category for Africa Yetu. She is up against five others.
Halima hit the local musical scene with the force of a hurricane back in 1999. She used a well known, but untried formula of remixing the regular stuff we hear but take for granted –– folklore –– and took it to the top of the charts. With the help of contemporary beat master Steve Jean, the monster hit Ekimbeewo was born. Then it was on to Tonkutula in 2000. Her last album hitherto, Kyama Kyange, was released in 2001, after which she slid into musical oblivion.
It took the power of collaboration (Sambagala with Bebe Cool) and the sheer change in style (her 2004 album Cheza Bwoti) for the singer to reclaim her rightful place on the top. Although she did not take home a PAM award, her efforts this year as both a humanitarian who gives back to the needy and hard working artiste have paid off. This prestigious first time Kora nomination is another proof of that.
Halima once commented, “I believe that a good song is not just a one-off hit but remains in the minds of the listeners. It takes time to come up with that kind of song. I want to create music my grandchildren will dance to. That is why I take my time.”
Africa Yetu, is not something likely to yield runaway commercial attention, but the song, combined with its video, wrought with undertones of pride in her African heritage, must have proved good fodder for judges at the Kora Awards.

JOSE CHAMELEONE
Jose Chameleone. That he has been nominated in this category is very befitting (he was nominated in the same last year) and a reflection of the success he has enjoyed in the region. Chameleone was earlier on voted the Best International Artiste at the Tanzania Music Awards held at the Golden Jubilee in Dar-es-salaam.
Currently on tour in Europe, Chameleone is probably the busiest artiste in the history of the music industry in Uganda. He is also currently working on a single with Nigerian-born dance star Dr. Alban in Stockholm, Sweden. This might ensure that he finally captures the attention of non-Ugandan audiences in Europe.
Jamila, off his latest Mambo Bado album looked set to take the singer places from the word go. It is not so much the zouk-flavoured beat but rather the deep message this song carries that makes it a punch. Domestic violence, a subject many women in Uganda will identify with combined with a touching video that showcases just that, is not a combination the judges at the Kora were likely to resist. In my opinion, this song is a favourite to win.

EDDIE RUSH
Little known Eddie Rush has been nominated for his song Ngoma Africa in the Best Male Artist in East Africa category.
Rush is tussling it out with Pearl of Africa Music (PAM) Awards Artiste of the Year Jose Chameleone who is also nominated in the same category for his smash single Jamila. The latter won Best Song Of the Year at the PAM Awards 2004. The two are up against four other East African singers in the category, including Kenya’s Red San, a favourite in Uganda and King Pin. The rest are Ethiopians.
Ends

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