Seruga’s nightmares apparently over now
Apr 21, 2005
Fred Seruga is a man of big talents. He is a good vocalist and music organiser
By Joseph Batte
Fred Seruga is a man of big talents. He is a good vocalist and music organiser.
However, since he turned his back on Gospel music in 1994, his biggest gift has been song writing. He wrote lyrics and melodies for Mariam Ndagire Bamugamba, Bakyikakase and Ekitibwa kya baami, the 2003 top-selling album for his sweetie, Catherine Kusasira. Although he boasts of a sharp pen and is endowed with balmy bass baritone, album-wise, he had failed to impress, which made him lurk in the shadows of his Eagles bandmates Ronald Mayinja, Mesach Semakula and Geoffrey Lutaaya. Early this year, Seruga went back to the drawing board after realising that the best way to raise his profile was to produce a quality album. Now, he has bounced back stronger with the release of an album titled Sitima Empya , recently released by Dick Productions at Old Taxi Park. The album has six tracks, including Omukwano Gwompa, Sitima Empya, Maama Kabina, Ebyita, Ddayo Obagambe and I love Uganda. The first thing that will strike you is Seruga’s voice, which compares favourably with Jimmy Katumba’s and the late Fred Kunya, who taught him song writing. In the tracks Sitima Empya (the new lamp) and Omukwano Gwompa (the love that you give me), Seruga duets with his wife, Kusasira. On the same cuts, Kusasira, who was wooed to Eagles band from Josam’s Band by Seruga, showcases a solid voice, which explains why she is rated one of the best vocalists in the country. They are so much in love that Seruga wrote Maama Kabina, (mother buttocks), among others, where he fondly refers to Kusasira’s big bum.
Seruga displays a wide range of styles that traverse between Uganda reggae, zouk and soukous, which are delivered with ease.
Fred Seruga is a man of big talents. He is a good vocalist and music organiser.
However, since he turned his back on Gospel music in 1994, his biggest gift has been song writing. He wrote lyrics and melodies for Mariam Ndagire Bamugamba, Bakyikakase and Ekitibwa kya baami, the 2003 top-selling album for his sweetie, Catherine Kusasira. Although he boasts of a sharp pen and is endowed with balmy bass baritone, album-wise, he had failed to impress, which made him lurk in the shadows of his Eagles bandmates Ronald Mayinja, Mesach Semakula and Geoffrey Lutaaya. Early this year, Seruga went back to the drawing board after realising that the best way to raise his profile was to produce a quality album. Now, he has bounced back stronger with the release of an album titled Sitima Empya , recently released by Dick Productions at Old Taxi Park. The album has six tracks, including Omukwano Gwompa, Sitima Empya, Maama Kabina, Ebyita, Ddayo Obagambe and I love Uganda. The first thing that will strike you is Seruga’s voice, which compares favourably with Jimmy Katumba’s and the late Fred Kunya, who taught him song writing. In the tracks Sitima Empya (the new lamp) and Omukwano Gwompa (the love that you give me), Seruga duets with his wife, Kusasira. On the same cuts, Kusasira, who was wooed to Eagles band from Josam’s Band by Seruga, showcases a solid voice, which explains why she is rated one of the best vocalists in the country. They are so much in love that Seruga wrote Maama Kabina, (mother buttocks), among others, where he fondly refers to Kusasira’s big bum.
Seruga displays a wide range of styles that traverse between Uganda reggae, zouk and soukous, which are delivered with ease.