Migadde’s chronicles a delight for listeners

Aloysius Migadde’s much hyped live listeners’ concert Eka Ewaffe Chronicles lived up to its billing as he showcased his guitar plucking prowess and stage presence.

Migadde’s revolutionary virtuoso guitar style sets him apart from his peers. He uses his electric guitar to create sounds from indigenous African musical instruments producing a blend of Afro jazz and Afro fusion repertoire influenced by Ugandan folk music.

Eka Ewaffe Chronicles is a story that describes Migadde’s music journey right from childhood.  

Accompanied by his band, Mseto Arts, Migadde played songs off his seven-track debut album and new songs that he is yet to release. 

He kicked off his concert with Olugendo Lwe’Bukunja, a song that speaks about the journey of life. He says, depending on one’s point of view, the song works well in most situations. He followed this with Baxsalsic, which is a fusion of Bakisimba music and salsa music.

“This song was meant to show the unique nature of Bakisimba music fused with salsa. Therefore, a person can dance to it the salsa or Bakisimba way depending on what they feel like,” he says.

Nabisele Blues is about a traditional folk teaching that stops girls from climbing trees.

“They used to say that when a girl climbs a tree, it will dry up. I think it was aimed at encouraging girls to be decent in public and to avoid climbing trees because their underwear would show, thereby enticing the opposite sex. Blues was the best feel I had for it because of its repetitive nature, similar to our traditional folk music.”

Olusuku Lwa Jjajja that talks about the different birds in granny’s garden back in the village.

“This song has an open-ended nature to it. Being an instrumental song, I let the listener find their own meaning according to the kind of feeling it evokes,” he says.

Migadde then played Pearl of Africa, a song he says is meant to show the beautiful nature of Uganda.

“This beautiful nature is felt in the calmness of the song and the nostalgic feeling it has. The chorus was got from a traditional folk tune of the Baganda called Akanyoomonyoomo. It has lyrics Mugye abaana be’mbuga, literally meaning come kingdom children. It also calls upon people to embrace their heritage.”

He also played Ndeku Yange, and Abaana Bange and his new songs Akasozi Mwiiri (Mwiiri Hill) and Yelele Maama that he is yet to release officially.

Migadde was joined on stage by saxophonist Happy Kyazze aka Happy K to play Love Mumasanganzila and Embeli off their upcoming six-track EP titled Masanganzila.

Happy K also wowed the audience with his song Jangu Gyendi.

The curtain raisers were Andereya Baguma, who played his songs Tandiko, and Kiwojjolo; and the Naka Music duo of Brian Busuulwa and Madrine Nakabuye.

Released in February 2020, the album Eka Ewaffe is heavily influenced by traditional Ganda rhythms fused with modern sounds.

When asked how much the Ganda rhythms and Afro jazz influenced his album and his repertoire, Migadde said: “This was a Ganda\Bakisimba album, so all the songs had a Ganda touch to them. The Afro jazz nature came in mostly on the improvisation sections. Therefore, the biggest influence was the Ganda bit.”

As to why he named it Eka Ewaffe, he said: “It had characteristic features of my home place. The language, melodies and rhythmic texture. That is why I also call it a Bakisimba album.”

The album took Migadde four years to produce simply because, according to him, as the maiden album, it was hard to decide when it was ready.

Migadde featured on the 2019 album titled Ebikokyo (riddles in Luganda) by Faizal Ddamba Mostrixx and Susan Kerunen.

Migadde, who is a multi-instrumentalist, has settled for the electric guitar as his main instrument to express himself musically.

“During my Senior Six vacation, I had the chance to join music groups that did total fusion such as Umoja Cultural Flying Carpet and Furaha Africa. It did favour me in this case, but when I joined Makerere University as a music student, one was required to specialise in one instrument so that he or she does not become “a jack of all trades, and master of none,” he says.

Migadde has featured at music events and festivals such as Rondalla Plucked Strings Music Festival, Yilan International Arts Festival, Jazz Safari, Soul Safari, the Kirk Whalum Rotary Fundraising Concert, Bayimba Festival, Doadoa, Nyege Nyege, Fete De La Music in Uganda and Burundi, Yella Festival, and Blankets and Wine.