By Steven Odeke
Code 9 band used their fifth anniversary, Wednesday night, at Jazzville Restaurant And Bar, Bugolobi, to launch their first ever single titled "One More Time."
The band has been around since 2010 performing synthetic jams, inflected with all genres. It was started by Chris Ireland who says there was a band gap in Uganda music industry that needed tapping, business wise and musically, when he started Code 9.
"Only Afrigo Band and Qwela were rocking the band industry. There was space to start a band and I started Code 9," said Ireland on the night.
On the night brimmed with a sizeable crowd, graced by German ambassador to uganda, Dr. Peter Blomeyer, performances were on by 8:30pm with a full Code 9 band doing their versions of Billy Ocean's "When The Going Gets Tough," and Lionel Richie's "Penny Lover" among others.
Blomeyer was summoned to cut the cake toasting to Code 9's five-year musical journey. He said the band was the first Ugandan musical outfit he got on his first function when he took the ambassadorial office last year. The song's video was relayed on a projector screen to a rousing applause and then the music resumed.
Revelers having a swell time. Photo/Richard Sanya
A jazz moment was set amid the band's performances to accommodate guest players who included former Code 9 members. Blomeyer, one of the players, delivered crackling piano sounds that impressed everyone. He played alongside Saxophonist Brian Mugenyi and Muwonge on congas. Their time was great.
The other guest performers included Dennis Asiimwe (piano) and vocalist Winnie.
Code 9 then took over the night until midnight.