Steve Jean’s Album Finally Out
THIS week is an eventful one for local ace producer cum funkster Steve Jean.
By Sebidde Kiryowa THIS week is an eventful one for local ace producer cum funkster Steve Jean. Not only is he set to shine in the spot light tomorrow as the artist with the second biggest number of nominations at the inaugural Pearl Of Africa Music Awards (PAMs) at Speke Resort, Muyonyo, Steve also just finally released his first full length album (LP).
Steve Jean, the self-titled 15-track LP hit music stores Monday this week. The album will be officially launched in a concert at The Venue on October 11 at 8:00pm. Steve Jean has five PAM nominations, closely following Jose Chameleon who leads the nominees with six PAM nods.
Steve Jean has had several short albums (EPs) over the years (including a joint one with Halima Namakula back in 2000), the most memorable one being Summertime Y2G in early 2001. His last album Steve Jean, Limited Edition CD released early in 2002 amidst the pomp that surrounded his comeback show at Nile Gardens, spawned the radio hit Feva.
But whether Steve Jean leaves up to fans’ expectations and it’s multi-PAM award nominee artist’s reputation is another question. For starters, Steve Jean, as admitted by the artist himself is “basically a collection of songs I’ve recorded over time.†True that, but the album contains a lot of new material which Steve says “represents who I am (I’m unbwogable....he laughs).â€
Although the old stuff might be familiar and attract some fans, to others, it is basically sapless. Steve’s assertion that the album represents “him†might not be a very accurate summation however. For fans who might dismiss Steve as nothing more than a “young urban singer, who prides himself in promoting western culture through his music,†this album has a surprise in store for you.
The album opens with Mwana Gwe, a smash radio hit that has kept Steve Jean’s name in the minds of listeners lately. The song went straight to the top of the Dar-es-salaam-based East Africa FM’s chart show when the singer first released it there about three months ago. Mwana Ggwe is nothing less than the typical Steve Jean R&B fanfare-edgy, groovy and uptempo. It is very catchy and danceable-your characteristic dance floor sort of stuff.
But Mwana Ggwe differs from Steve’s other musical endeavours in that, like every other urban song by a young artist these days, it has got some Swahili in it - a blatant gesture that Steve Jean is trying to go regional, perhaps?
Usi Ogope, which starts out with Swahili refrains (thanks to Sultan Isaac, a Tanzanian who does all the Swahili on the CD) is reminiscent of the ‘80s South African Mbanqanga sounds.
Ends
Steve Jean, the self-titled 15-track LP hit music stores Monday this week. The album will be officially launched in a concert at The Venue on October 11 at 8:00pm. Steve Jean has five PAM nominations, closely following Jose Chameleon who leads the nominees with six PAM nods.
Steve Jean has had several short albums (EPs) over the years (including a joint one with Halima Namakula back in 2000), the most memorable one being Summertime Y2G in early 2001. His last album Steve Jean, Limited Edition CD released early in 2002 amidst the pomp that surrounded his comeback show at Nile Gardens, spawned the radio hit Feva.
But whether Steve Jean leaves up to fans’ expectations and it’s multi-PAM award nominee artist’s reputation is another question. For starters, Steve Jean, as admitted by the artist himself is “basically a collection of songs I’ve recorded over time.†True that, but the album contains a lot of new material which Steve says “represents who I am (I’m unbwogable....he laughs).â€
Although the old stuff might be familiar and attract some fans, to others, it is basically sapless. Steve’s assertion that the album represents “him†might not be a very accurate summation however. For fans who might dismiss Steve as nothing more than a “young urban singer, who prides himself in promoting western culture through his music,†this album has a surprise in store for you.
The album opens with Mwana Gwe, a smash radio hit that has kept Steve Jean’s name in the minds of listeners lately. The song went straight to the top of the Dar-es-salaam-based East Africa FM’s chart show when the singer first released it there about three months ago. Mwana Ggwe is nothing less than the typical Steve Jean R&B fanfare-edgy, groovy and uptempo. It is very catchy and danceable-your characteristic dance floor sort of stuff.
But Mwana Ggwe differs from Steve’s other musical endeavours in that, like every other urban song by a young artist these days, it has got some Swahili in it - a blatant gesture that Steve Jean is trying to go regional, perhaps?
Usi Ogope, which starts out with Swahili refrains (thanks to Sultan Isaac, a Tanzanian who does all the Swahili on the CD) is reminiscent of the ‘80s South African Mbanqanga sounds.
Ends