Navio defines the 'journey' with Kigozi

There’s was something about Navio’s videos that always failed to cut it. Dude would shoot a video in a South African suburb, with their girls, swag, cars, streets and finally him with a Ugandan flag stuffed in his back pocket.
Whether he thought this would make the video more Ugandan, it’s hard to know, but as you could imagine, the songs made it to almost all those elite channels but not the domestic ones.
Many locals argued they barely connected with Navio’s music or videos.
However, with his latest outing Kigozi, Navio may once again pull off another successful chart buster – do you remember Nawulira?

Yes Navio applies the same formula, seems it works the magic for this dude – Nawulira, One and Only, Leka kwenyumiriza and now Kigozi, all sample classic Ugandan art from the likes of Masagazi Fred, Frida and Charles Ssonko.
The song is a mixture of emotions, at one time, he talks about the journey, brags and assures  other rappers though without being apologetic.

A matching video accompanies the song and unlike those he has done in the past years, this was shot on location at Rubaga Cathedral, remember that’s his hood.
The director takes time to appreciate the artistic work that surrounds the church – getting on the edges of famous sculptures to clearly show the detail in them.

Myth was great as whatever he portrayed – pastor, priest, church crawler, he pulled it off.
The song boosts of great visuals and the fact that it was kept simple should be a lesson to local artistes that a good video isn’t about complicating itself.

Qwela's Joe wows with Kahiri - Massive stuff

We all know Joseph Kahirimbanyi, the front man for Qwela Band, well, he released a limited edition for his debut album Kihiri.
The album that’s strong on both traditional and western instruments could easily fall into ethno, afro fusion and contemporary genres, that’s of course with minimal classical Jazz influences.
The five track album has songs; Awinyo, Sweeter, Owundikwenda, Sikyagenda and Nkwagala.
Kahiri features some of the best instrumentalists and vocalists like Kenneth Mugabi, Charmant Mishanga, Kiracho, Ian Busingye, BB Omuwanvu and Afrigo Band’s Moses Matovu.
His music and songs are a soulful blend of multicultural disciplines like African rhythms and western music whose lyrics he delivers in English, Japadhola, Luganda and Rukiga among others.
Owundikwenda is amazing with hums that are usually signature with many African productions, yes, I won’t even lie that I know the language he’s singing in besides the English adlibs. Ian was quite amazing especially on that second verse.
My personal favorite though is Sikyagenda, where he features Kenneth Mugabi. I don’t know but is it only me who thinks that Mugabi is immensely talented?
This boy needs a stage like yesterday, he plays at least three instruments and he’s also a great vocalist. He comes in on the second verse that he delivers in Luganda; not that he stills Joe’s music but the way his voice weaves through the heavy instrumentation with words; “etabaza eyaka ekiro,….” Was simply soothing, then they went on to blend – acoustic and bass electronic guitar almost sounding metallic – rock like stuff.
Kahiri’s album is a good start though leaves many Qwela fans afraid if he will be available to perform with the other members especially when Sikyagenda decides to ask him to kugenda for festival performances, we shall just wait and see.

Maisha magic was a scam

Maisha magic is closing at the end of March, just a few months after it came on air!!!!
It was all rosy when it was launched in August last year; the promise was that the TV was going to be an answer to the very famous Africa Magic.
It was a chance for East African content to get a platform after years of fighting for space with Nigeria’s powerhouse but that wasn’t all, officials at Multichoice promised that this was a chance for the rest of Africa to get a taste of the east.
How wrong we were to even believe that – for starters, unlike Africa Magic that has primarily spread a Naija gospel across the continent, Maisha Magic was only available to East African viewers, well and a section of South East.
To tell us that the TV is now closing simply because it didn’t become as famous as it was sought to be is a scape goat. Maisha Magic had a life span of more than 100 years but at the look of things, it was created to last less than two months.
It was one of those things these guys did to get the east of Africa off their backs – to be specific; they wanted Uganda to stop making noise.
Thus started this humongous project with a bait of producing 56 East African movies, only to turn around and do 56 Kenyan films.
But that’s not the problem, Multichoice notes that they had to come to a 'difficult' decision to close the channel because it is not popular – have they tried to make it popular?
It was a station that was meant to touch the heartstrings of East African TV lovers of local content; I guess it would have been prudent enough to avail it to them.
E! was never popular before it was availed on the compact, Access and Family bouquets in 2009, has Multichoice even tried this out? Your statistics are clear, East Africa doesn't have that many premium subscribers but then you try to sell them a premium channel, are you nuts?
Having a local content channel absent on basic affordable Access and Family bouquets or even GO tv is equivalent to Haruna Mubiru staging a one million concert at Serena and later going on to wonder why his Old Taxi Park fan base didn’t show up.
You didn’t expect a religious fan of Tendo Sisters to pay for compact at shs100,000/= , that’s rent and  shs160,000/= for Compact Plus is salary for many.
It’s absurd but Multichoice conned us into believing that this Maisha Magic thing was real yet indeed they wanted it off air ASAP, think about it, are six months only it takes for them to consider a product a flop?
And why on earth did they never avail it to its core audience? Multichoice has over twenty African channels on its platform; surprisingly Africa Magic World, Hausa, Yoruba, Hip TV and Sound City are all available on all bouquets and the only one that all East Africa can relate to, Maisha Magic is not.
Looks like Multichoice believes East Africa has more people that understand Yoruba than English.
Even the press note that was released was all vague, in fact it made everything clear, East Africa was a ploy used to market a Kenyan industry, for instance, much as the English version of the TV is being pulled down, the Kiswahilli sister is staying put and then this excerpt from the press release; “M-Net however emphasizes that they will remain firmly committed to the Kenyan market and will ensure that it continues to support film makers by showcasing their talent on other M-Net channels. The film and television industry in Kenya will continue to be supported by M-Net’s investment in channels made in Africa for Africa, thus ensuring that they assist Kenya in playing a role in the growth and future of African television and film on the continent."
To sum this up, this Maisha Magic thing was a scam, we were duped.

Jazz Central, not that into jazz music

Jazz Central is one of those theme nights, started at the end of last year; it is intended to celebrate a genre that delicately has its roots in New Orleans – Jazz music.
The first night was at the new Silk Liquid, then Zone 7, both in Bugolobi. The third chapter of the show happened last Friday at Sheraton Hotel.
To raise the bar, a bit, the organizers went for the maestro himself Isaiah Katumwa and vocalist Lillian Mbabazi.
The reason we highly anticipated this concert was a fact that Katumwa is almost a Ugandan Jazz legend and Mbabazi on the other side is one of the most talented vocalists that can translate her music and lyrics in any music genre, Jazz inclusive.
The night was opened by Opera singers, George Semaganda – high baritone, Francis Mutesasira - baritone, Charles Awany – tenor and Ben Katumba - a bass Baritone, together; they are the all boyband Sauti Ya Africa.
Well, many of the songs performed were quite unfarmiliar but still amazing, the growing crowd at the moment was mostly lit up when the boys performed Alexander Burke’s Hallelujah.
They perform with such vigor and charisma, though the most interesting thing was a fact that the boys clearly understand what they do, how high or low their vocal ranges can go.
The problem though, for a night themed as a Jazz Central, there was nothing ‘jazz’ about that performance. Not that they tried to fuse what they do with the genre, NO, it was simply a well delivered opera performance, like the many that followed.
For some reason, even with all her talent Mbabazi too, never even tried to jazz things up, she opened with Yegwe weka, one of her best done songs, but well it was just that. She easily performed it the same way she could do it on a cool Saturday at a nobody’s wedding.
Smile and Nsanyuka nawe were really well done though not memorable. And then came the renditions, I guess it will only be good behavior for Mbabazi to stop taking local music lovers for granted, it is an insult that after eleven years in the industry, one of Uganda’s most talented vocalists still chokes us on covers.
Adele’s Make you feel my love or Bob Marley’s Turn your lights down low performances were literal jokes about the artiste and a night celebrating a fine palate genre of music, they might have been well delivered but they are not the kind of performances someone pays about shs100,000/= to watch. Covers are meant for cheap cash in bars as uninterested art buffs sip away on anything before them.
I guess that’s why the show was called Jazz Central with ‘Isaiah Katumwa and Lillian Mbabazi’, not ‘Mbabazi and the people she emulates’.
The night though had some Jazz performances, one by Michael Kitanda and Pragmo. They have that chemistry which makes their performances feel more of collaborations rather than leads and backups.
“Sax brings out the soul in me,” he said before winding his performance with a tribute to Mariam Makeba.
Then Katumwa and his soprano sax, his always draping smart and has that soul even when he plays. His music was infectious getting many couples into a valentine mood - the sharp vibe from his instrument doesn’t only stand out but gives music direction.
It sits on top of different musical layers like drums, guitars and keyboards, yet never at one time does it override the fruity sound – it complimented the package.
What makes Katumwa stand out is his understanding of not only Ugandans but Africans as a whole – we are happy people who love to dance thus even when you are tempering with a sacred genre like jazz, it is only prudent to make it danceable and funk.
Just like his Sunrise and My joy singles, heavy on bass guitars and one has a heavy zouk feel to it. His music is a direct answer to artistes that believe creativity should be pale and boring.
Katumwa left people yearning for more - a nice way to end a night that pretended to serve a complete dish of jazz music.

Bebe’s Everywhere I Go not that bad

Well, it was the most anticipated videos at the beginning of the year; we had watched it’s behind the scenes only days after the artiste had posted pictures of himself on set.
That’s the story of Bebe Cool’s second single off the Go Mama Album, Everywhere I go.
You had that arresting footage of Bebe Cool involved in a white wedding, choreography plus the drama that followed – he was allegedly slapped by Zuena for the kiss in that video.
Well as you may know, Bebe even went as far as wishing fans a merry Christmas, cautioning them to enjoy carefully so as to live to see his new single, which he would release on 1st January.
The video however wasn’t released until Friday 23, was it worth the wait?
Shot by one of Africa’s best video directors, God Father, Bebe’s song hit the hard rocks upon release, one of the fans called it a miscarriage and that it needed a re-shoot while others posted on social media asking the producers to refund the monies.
The song sets off with Bebe clad in Red and black bolting away line ‘everywhere I go’.
The video, at least according to the story board is about a couple that has been seeing each other for years, they met while toddlers and have held each other through thick and thin – kind of a rags to riches love story.
The video choreography was criticized especially for a fact that the girls don’t have booty – you know how it is done Ugandan style?
Though when you think about it, Bebe was singing about a woman he wants to take everywhere he goes not a one night stand one, you can’t sing about commitment with booty shakers on set.
This could highly qualify as Bebe’s mostly creative and artistic video, the producers used red and yellow curtains as collage for the Ugandan flag and the story telling was perfect.
The effect though are ordinary, there’s nothing to gaze about them, then the Christmas light concept!
The song also suffers on a creative front, its instrumentation and melody are so much identical to Anthony B’s My yes and My No, seems A-Pass (the song writer) plagiarized it. Though Everywhere I Go’s biggest problems are Bebe’s predeceasing song Love You Every day which was so over the top that he has to fight to break it and the fact that he made people wait for twenty days, their anticipation was raised twenty times.
But above everything, this song has what it takes to be an African hit, the video is not worth waiting for since 2014 but it is still world class.

When Shakespeare’s Hamlet visited Kampala

He smacks his head several times, looking suspicious and reminding those close to him that he is indeed planning his move. Whether they like it or not, he has to make someone pay for his father’s death.
It is not surprising that this sweet young prince of Denmark, Hamlet, ended up organising that disastrous play, The Murder Of Gonzongo for the king to simply judge his guilt by reaction.
Well, if you missed London’s Globe To Globe Theatre Company in Kampala, you have only yourself to blame. The touring group of eight British actors, with each of them somehow connected to the site of the first production of William Shakespeare’s masterpieces, have since April 2014 carried the responsibility of delivering the world’s greatest playwright’s 1600s tragedy, Hamlet, to all the countries in the world.
In the opening phrase of a soliloquy in the Nunnery Scene play, Prince Hamlet creates his own ‘to be or not to be – that is the question’ moment, in a speech, where he seems to be contemplating death and suicide.
It is one of those outstanding Shakespeare quotations we have heard in various remakes of the play. From Kenneth Branagh, David Tennant to Mel Gibson, the soliloquy is such a speech to baffle about. 
Yet, last Wednesday’s performance in the theatre gardens, this spectacle was unveiling before our eyes.
The theatre company is touring with Shakespeare’s most laudable work to mark his 400th death anniversary, which surprisingly fell with his 450th birthday last year.
Since they are a small cast for such a huge project, actors move within different roles.
It is a good thing, especially in times where cost cutting is a common song. However, with too many roles, some actors were more true to particular characters than the others.
The role of Hamlet is played by two alternating characters: Naeem Hayat and Ladi Emeruwa. Since it is one play with a thousand interpretations, Hayat gave us a delicate Hamlet, struggling with inner pains, conflicts and anger. But he wanted to find peace and justice on finding out about his father’s murder. He denounced his love and cause, constantly seeing the late king’s ghost.
Being a minimalistic production, the directors Dominic Dromgoole and Bill Buckhurst aimed at engaging the audience’s imagination when it came to picturing some of the locations and scenes. And yes, it was easier if you had already read the book.
The scene where King Claudius (John Daugall) and Queen Gertrude (Miranda Foster) are literally forced to watch a play of a poisoned Gonzongo, they doubled as actors and the audience at the same time. Though, everything happened so fast that if any Ugandan had paid his ‘cool’ Shs 30,000 for his blonde girlfriend to watch the show, she must have left cursing.
So, how good was this Hamlet from the ones we have watched on DVDs or in theatre by local directors? Exceptional and professional, not to water down that action-packed fluff with Mel Gibson; these energetic young actors did way a lot with so little. They took it a notch higher when it came to parts by Amanda Wilkin as Heratio, Jennifer Loeng as the crazy Ophelia and Miranda’s Gertrude.
Rawiri Paratene was amazing, especially with his versatility. On the tour, he doubled as Polonius and Claudius – as well as one of the grave diggers and the priest at Ophelia’s burial.
The show that started at 7:30pm was a sellout, probably because it was highly publicised on social media, or, the British are good at pushing what culturally-connects to them. The gardens were packed with almost three quarters of the mzungu community in Kampala.
Before proceeding to Uganda, the company had been to USA, Netherlands, German, Finland, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya, among others.
Uganda was their 74th country, though, the National theatre was their 85th venue, considering that they held more than a show in United Kingdom and USA.
After Uganda, they headed to Rwanda and Tanzania.