Kasule: Blowing the saxophone for 44 years

When you meet 67-year-old Saidi Kasule, the first thing that strikes your eyes is how he wears his trousers. Unlike the old Congolese style of wearing trousers up to the belly button, Kasule wears his up to the armpits.

He wears it with a scarf and a green unbuttoned shirt. His height also makes him easily noticeable in a crowd. Kasule has been blowing the saxophone for the last 44 years.

“I loved playing music as a child, not necessarily blowing a saxophone. My mother used to sing at parties. It is from how beautifully she sang that I got the inspiration for blowing a saxophone,” Kasule says.
Kasule started blowing a saxophone by taking lessons from different people in 1972 at the age of 23. Through his learning stages, he was guided by Mansur Bulegeya (RIP) who was part of the Rwenzori Band.

“He taught me how to play different keys of the instrument. I would meet him three days a week at 4pm. On each of those days, he would teach me one scale, write it and play it,” he recounts.

An instrument that was costly at that time, Kasule couldn’t afford to own one but instead blew saxophones that belonged to Cranes Band that was stationed where present day Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi sits.

“I stayed at the band’s premises because I was also taking care of the equipment and had to do the wiring and setting up of the instruments before any performance. Every time I got a chance to practice, I would use it. I had the talent and the band members kept an eye on me,” he says.

Getting confident
After realising that he was talented at the saxophone, Sam Kawuma who was the band leader, invested more in Kasule by paying skilled people to further sharpen his talent. After mastering the art of blowing the saxophone, Moses Matovu of Afrigo Band encouraged Kasule to hit the stage.

“It was not easy but I had to gather the confidence and play the seven scales of the saxophone on stage. It was another big challenge for me but I was confident that I would make it because Matovu cared enough and taught me to play all the right notes at once. He told me that once I focused on the saxophone as opposed to looking at the audience, with time, I would get better at both,” Kasule says.

When Cranes Band members parted ways in the 1970s and some of its members went abroad for greener pastures, the likes of Matovu formed Afrigo Band. From the relationship he had built with Kawuma, he (Kawuma) asked Kasule to push on with Cranes Band and take it forward.

Around the same time, Kawuma met Philly Bongole Lutaaya when he had just returned from DR Congo and wasn’t attached to any band. Davis Kiyingi who was a backup singer also stayed with Cranes Band.

In 1976, Kasule quit Cranes Band and joined Afrigo that was stationed at Cape Town on Ggaba Road. He quit because of too travelling, something he didn’t like.

“At Afrigo, I met Matovu again and we started working together because at that time, he had lost his saxophonist. I stayed with Afrigo Band until the 1980s when I quit and got in touch with a German called Andreas and started working with him,” he says.

During their short working time together, Andreas bought him a saxophone at Shs2 million that he still uses to date. Kasule adds that: “Andreas was a sound engineer and after he taught me how to mix different sounds, we formed Cross Roads Band.” In early 2000, Kasule rejoined Afrigo simultaneously with Percussion Discussion Africa until today.

Achievements
Much as different people join bands to earn a living, for Kasule, that wasn’t his target. “I’m happy. It’s one achievement that I’ve got from blowing the saxophone. I cannot say I have earned a lot of money from it, neither have I built a house. I met my wife when I was on stage and together we had four children before she passed on,” he says.

Through blowing the saxophone, Kasule, together with members of Percussion Discussion have played their music at Kampala Serena Hotel, Club Guvnor, Speke Resort Munyonyo and many other different places on different occasions.

Sometimes when the National Budget is to be read at Serena, the band performs for the audience.

During CHOGM in 2007, Kasule and other members of his band played music for different international dignitaries at Speke Resort Munyonyo.

“I have performed before the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, and the President on days when the National Budget is to be read and on other many important functions that I don’t recall,” he says.

Own music
Currently, Kasule is recording his own music to improve his talent. He has about six recorded songs. They include Akatumberere, Africa, Twebaze, Kunali Mwana, Amazing Grace that is in instrumental and Naaza Gwaki.

In his free time, he listens to Jazz music. “I also visit friends with whom we share music ideas, sing and chat, nothing else. I stay away from town when I have no performance,” he says.

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