Lilian Mbabazi; the Sade in our locale

It may sound a little farfetched drawing comparisons between our own Lilian Mbabazi and the quintessential British diva Sade. But if these two share anything in common, it is by way of possessing powerful distinctive voices and working with taut bands. Sade has been with her backing outfit for the past 30 years since hitting the global music scene with her sultry jazz soul offerings. Meanwhile, Lilian continues to anchor herself as a bankable chanteuse, running her band The Sundowners like a tight ship. One can’t really say like Sade, Lilian is also reclusive. Her music may not enjoy heavy rotation on radio for reasons best known to playlist gatekeepers, but her legion of loyal fans is okay with the apparent morsel that is her weekly gigs at Big Mikes on Acacia Avenue. The aptly themed “After Work Like it Should Be” sessions are the perfect salve for the Kampala Corporate that is itching to unwind ahead of the weekend.

E=mc2; Kaz Kasozi morphs into Einstein

Kaz Kasozi relocates his “The 7 Project” to Jazzville Bugolobi this Tuesday May 13 after an excruciating experience at the music concept’s April 8 National Theatre debut. It was an excruciating night that one! The band was visibly going through an agonizing time. They could hardly hear themselves hence the constant requests for more audio on the stage floor monitors in-between songs.  Not even Kasozi’s spirited vocal delivery and impromptu stage dance antics could mash fingers-on-a-chalkboard audio output.

Arts-philes in Jinja for DOADOA 2014

East African arts practitioners and culture vultures descend on the sleepy Eastern Uganda town of Jinja this May 7-10 for the third edition of DOADOA; the East African Performing Arts Market. Jinja is the source of the famed River Nile and this year’s edition is themed around “Building bridges – to link East African Arts across borders”. Delegates comprising mostly performing artistes and music professionals will share knowledge and skills in a series of various workshops, panel discussions, and speed networking sessions and unwind to live music acts with enchanting DJ entertainment playing late into the night. There will also be real music collaborations will be fostered by way of live recording sessions at the principal market venue; Crested Crane Hotel.

Seven Ugandan films for Ziff 2014

Uganda boasts a sizeable showing of seven films at the 17^th Zanzibar International Film Festival that takes place from June 14-22, 2014. Six of the seven films are shorts. Only one feature film made it to the official selection list of East Africa’s biggest annual cinema showpiece. Joe Nakibinge’s King’s Virgin, winner of Best Picture at last year’s 3rd Pearl International Film Festival in Kampala will have to compete for festival goers alongside more popular full-length features like Half of a Yellow Sun and the festival’s official opening film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The other Ugandan films are Bye Bye Mzungu (David Cecil), Curse Of An Addict (Lovinsa Kavuma), Karamoja in the Eyes of ISSP (Joseph Kitsha), Kuhani (Ntare Mwine), Love Thy Game (Annet Nakamya) and The Present (Kenneth Matovu). Kitsha’s documentary Karamoja in the Eyes of ISSP is the only Ugandan film in the running for the Sembene Ousmane Award.

 

Ziff 2014 opening film; Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom