Jazz calls out to Lyton

Music: With a voice suited for higher forms of art, the artiste would be looking to settle on a genre that would establish her.

Though it is not always easy to make a good estimate, there are many Ugandans holding up the country’s flag abroad in the music industry. Many times, it is these individuals who find themselves with the task of being ambassadors for their country and they usually do it with surprising selflessness. Out there, it seems, Ugandans undergo a transformation in the way they view their homeland.

Lyton Namubiru might not want to face it now but she might be coming full-circle with the inevitable change that Ugandan artistes must all experience. Having been in the industry for quite a while, she is at the crucial time when she must choose her signature sound, at least going by her latest work. There is the usual tendency for musicians to be distracted by “shinny things” and they tend to tarry for long away from their calling. Namubiru seems to be coming to the realization that she needs the jazz scene probably as strongly as jazz needs her.

The artiste’s latest efforts, a new album in the works, features some songs in her strongest mold and some that sound like they have been foisted upon her and because she is a performer, she’s taken on her ‘burden’ without complaint.

In the past, Namubiru has produced music in different genres, probably to prove that she is a versatile performer. She is versatile, no doubt. She has tried her hand at different art forms in the past and she has not disappointed. From small screen and stage performance to live musical shows to the silver screen, she has represented. Probably it is now time to put her mind to the one thing that she can do better than anything else – jazz.

“I admit, I have been very unserious in my music,” she offers. “But my music is what I would rather do if there was a choice. I keep on going away from it because of the busy life I lead. Music needs much more time than I have been giving it. That must change starting now.”

So she is putting that conviction into action. As she discusses her plans and musical journey, the artiste is signing seasons cards to different organisations and musicians. That is another peculiar things seeing as many would think the music scene has already been sullied by fights between the different turfs. Which musician in her right mind would want to send good tiding to those who would rather write an abusive line in a song about her?

Namubiru is not the first artiste to maintain two homes. “I have to keep shuttling between here and the United Kingdom. I have a job there, which I have to do well. But I also have my music career here and that is more important to me now,” she explains. This time round, she has stayed for longer than the three months she usually does.

The artiste’s music might be rare now but her voice is unmistakable. The track Omutima has been enjoying a good amount of airplay on local TV and radio for some time. Funayo’mulala is another that is notable for the way she shows the reach of her vocal range. Munno Muveeko is a 2012 album that was released locally. The new track, Sexy Teacher will probably be a club favourite in a few short months.

Jazz is the strongest genre Namubiru could choose because of her performance on songs like Njagala and Mazima Lwaki, a charity effort by artistes from Uganda living in the UK clearly marks her out as a jazz musician. Her strong voice, which she manipulates in different octaves many times, comes out when she does jazzy music. That is usually when she comes alive.
“I have been told about the jazz bit,” she acknowledges. “I am trying to explore to see if I am comfortable doing just that one genre but I know that I can do a lot more music than jazz.”

Lots of work to do
As she tries out collaborations with those she thinks would complement her voice well, she is also trying to learn as much as possible about her target. According to her, many musicians in the UK make their music targeting Ugandans but they are often puzzled about what is appropriate and what is not. “Many times, artistes are thrown completely off when a song in their arsenal that they had not given much thought turns out to be the biggest attraction on an album. Ugandan tastes cannot just be predicated easily,” she says cautiously.

Efforts like the recent sojourn to the Katalemwa Cheshire Home for Rehabilitation, where she launched the 1000 Smiles initiative could be seen as part of this drive to know what makes her target audience tick.

As the struggle to get Ugandan music on the world map continues with artistes in foreign countries taking up the battle, others like Namubiru are opting to bring the music home and in the process, finding their true calling. It remains to be seen how long she can run from the call of jazz.
stendo@ug.nationmedia.com