Wealth of regional talent on display at Sauti za Busara

The seventh edition of Sauti za Busara international music festival to be held in Zanzibar from February 11-14, promises a rich diversity of musicians and repertoire.

From the region, pop princess Juliana Kanyomozi, kora-playing prodigy Joel Sebunjo and the hyper Sosolya Dance Academy will represent Uganda, while acclaimed artistes Makadem, Nyota Ndogo, Mapacha Africa (from the Sarakasi Trust) and Maia Von Lekow will fill the bill for Kenya.

The fete, which touts itself as the world’s most friendly festival, will feature 40 performers from the region and beyond.

Kanyomozi hopes to enchant with her flawless vocals and Swahili-tinged breezy zouk sounds.

Sebunjo will definitely blow many away with his adeptness at playing the multi-stringed kora and a host of other Ugandan musical instruments while the Sosolya Dance Academy hopes to get everyone dancing to their high-energy popular Ugandan dances.

Kanyomozi kicks off the festival on February 11 with a 45-minute performance starting at 5.15pm.

Kenya’s Makadem, a ragga-hip hop artiste who has performed with Maxi Priest, Awilo Longomba, Lokua Kanza and Gregory Isaacs, is also scheduled to perform on opening night.

The festival will definitely be a baptism of fire for Kanyomozi — the only female artiste to have won Artiste of the Year (2008) from the now defunct Pam Awards — since organisers require that artistes perform live and the challenge for her will be to make the transition from singing layback to live.

In preparation, she has hired Uganda’s most prolific world music band Soul Beat Africa, which backs up the globe trotting Ugandan Afro pop prodigy Herbert Kinobe.

However, Kanyomozi can count on the instant name recognition she enjoys in the region.

Her 10-year career is testimony to her growth from a karaoke singer in the late 1990s to a regional R&B sensation.

Her big break came in 2005 with the release of Nabikoowa, an album which struck a chord with listeners for its catchy vernacular lyrics and smooth arrangements from her long time producer Steve Jean.

She has gone on to enjoy cross-border appeal by adding Kiswahili songs to her repertoire.

The songs Usiende Mbali featuring Tanzanian youthful crooner Bushoke and her recent collaboration with Burundian Afro pop musician Kidum on Haturudi Nyuma — which is enjoying massive radio airplay on regional FM radio stations — have enhanced her regional cross-border appeal.

The kora-playing Sebunjo is not new to the international stage and is expected to impress in his hour-long set on February 13.