FourSum is composed of seasoned theatre and film actors Mpaata Williamson Otako, Edwin Mukalazi, Felix Bbale Bwanika and Simon Kivumbi that have joined forces to give a new impulse to theatre, most especially comedy, in Uganda. The FourSum quartet recently raised the bars with the introduction of their quarterly Newspaper Theatre shows that bring current affairs as headlined by Ugandan newspapers into new life and dimensions, bringing them to the public in an artistic form, with physical and improvisation theatre techniques of acting.

All FourSum members have an impressive record. Mpaata Williamson Otako worked with Theatre Factory as an actor, writer and assistant creative director, was part of the Confluence of Rivers World Tour with the play “Ashes Blood Rivers”, worked on stage productions like “Cooking Oil” by Deborah Asiimwe as stage hand, “Mama Obama” by Pamela Acaye as an actor, “Crazy Storms” and “Pinocchio” by Philip Luswata as an actor, “The River and The Mountain” by Beau Hopkins as an actor, worked on various film productions, and has directed and worked street theatre. Edwin Mukalazi is a renowned theatre and TV personality who has featured extensively in leading TV productions such as NTV’s “Trick Stars”, “Katemba mu Kooti”. He has 8 years of stage and on screen performance under his belt. His recently played in “Cooking Oil” and “Maria Kizito by Erik Ehn. Bwanika Baale Felix, originally a plumber, decided to pursue his dream in the arts. He has worked on a range of theatre and film projects, including “The Pardon”, “Katemba mu Kooti” and “Pinocchio”. Also Simon Kivumbi has worked on various theatre and film projects, including “Strength of a Stranger” by Mariam Ndagire, “Trick Stars”, “The Pardon”, “Crazy Storms”, and “Pinocchio”.

Henry Tigan aka Henry Kirumaganyi is a multi-talented reggae en afro-beat musician from Uganda. He joined the music industry while still in secondary school in 2000. Ever since his breakthrough in 2004, Henry Tigan has produced mega hits in and outside Uganda.

Already his first single “Emiranga” made clear that he was heading for big international platforms. Although collaborations with Jamaican musicians, such as Marlon Usher and Mighty Mystic, opened the way for this, Henry Tigan decided to concentrate on entertaining his home market, with his inspirational songs that include “Muzudde”, “Abogezi”, “Lwaki Oninza”, “Waddawa”, “Nsiimye Gwe”, and collaborations with local and international artists such as “Love Enzita” with Ritah Kigozi, “Empisazo” featuring Renah, “Aneganye” alongside Bobi Wine, “Woman of my Life” featuring Rayvon, and “World of Scandal” with Marlon Asher the Ganja Planter.

After his period with Suudi Entertainment, he kicked off his solo career in 2010, released a collaboration with Dr. Hilderman titled “Mr. Matama” and went on recording more songs. In 2013, Tigan moved back under Suudi Entertainment management and he is now bound to add more fire to his already shiny portfolio.

Some of Henry’s music

Visit Henry’s YouTube Channel

Bana Mutibwa is a direct Luganda translation that derives from his original nick name Burney MC. He was born Walakira Richard in 1989 in the suburbs of Kampala. Bana Mutibwa is a Hip Hop activist who raps and talks for Hip Hop in Uganda. “The 2011 Music and Entertainment Young Achievers Award” winner is also member of the Luga Flow Army, a rap group that fronts and protects the uniqueness of rapping and emceeing in local languages. As an ambassador of the global End of the Weak in Uganda, a movement aimed at Hip Hop cultural improvement, he advocates for languages so call him the Luga Flow Revolutionary Activist. Bana Mutibwa released his first CD “Uganda Passport” on 12/12/12, packaged with messages of a Ugandan who wants to be a global citizen. His currently working on an album entitled “Soldier of the Year”.

Bana Mutibwa has played in Kenya, Tanzania, Germany, France, Denmark and Czech Republic. He has opened up for Emmanuel Jal and shared the stage with world reknown Hip Hop artists like Kendrick lamar, Dela Soul, Big Daddy Kane, Prago Union among others.

Skin Tosh and Ajambo Barbie both hail from Mbale and have established themselves in the local scene. Their performance at the recent Bayimba Regional Festival in Mbale was well received, reason why they are now scheduled to perform at the Bayimba International Festival to present themselves to a larger crowd

Born in Mengo, Kampala in 1977, Angela Kalule started her singing odyssey like many other musicians, in infancy. Her experience with belting vocals at Aga Khan nursery school in Nairobi as well as in church Sunday school set the foundation for her entry into the professional music circles in Uganda. Her break through into the music field came in 1997 through a friend who was a member of the virtuoso group Diamond Ensemble. Angela joined as a back up vocalist, in the process of transforming to lead vocalist. With Diamond she released her ballad single ‘Akamuli’. She then collaborated with Abby Mukiibi of Afri-Talent on the ‘bulemezi’ songs.

After her time with Diamond, she attended to Light Rays band. Her time at Light Rays was short before she was wooed back to Diamond. During her second term at Diamond she released a six-track album with Diamond male vocalist Dan Kabenje titled ‘Akasisi’. Angela then worked with Rachael Magoola’s band, joined Splash band and unleashed the hit singles ‘Mbipinga’ and ‘Watali Sebo’. In late 2003, she was invited to join The Afrigo band en was regularly on stage as Misty Jazz’ lead vocalist. In 2006, Angela released a six-track solo album, that was mastered at Soul Recording Studios, with two songs in English and four in Luganda. With this album she made a move from her jazz and soul sound to pop music. Her singles, such as groovy “Njagala” and tender “Owo Omwana” were soon climbing up the popular charts and paved the way for an increasingly busy concert schedule. She currently heads her own band, the K’angie band which plays at different venues in and around Kampala.

Some of Angela’s music

Visit Angela’s YouTube Channel

Angela’s music on REVERBNATION

A former member of Eagles’ Production, Haruna Mubiru started his own career and formed his own band, Kream Productions, in 2011. Two years later he launched his album “Binyuma”. Haruna is known for “Ekitooke Kifa Nsalira”, the song that shot him into the limelight. His recent album launch has already proven that Haruna is a new force to reckon within the Ugandan music scene. During the Bayimba International Festival he will undoubtedly entertain the crowds and “bring out the cream and enthusiasm in you”.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1yKJf–Weo

Haruna Mubiru’s music on Hipipo.com

Sandra is a talented female artist that hails from Jinja in Eastern Uganda. She started performing music when she was 7 years. Her professional music career however blossomed in 2011 when her vocal versatility earned her a record deal from sound box recording studio for her first single “Some Time”. Soon she she boosted her record collection to seven singles and seven collaborations with artists like Maro, Santana, Ziza Bafana and Crazy MC. Sandra has become a house hold name in Jinja and the whole of Eastern region, having performed at almost all the major shows in Jinja since 2012, including the recent Bayimba Regional Festival in Jinja in May 2014. Having conquered the Eastern region she is now ready to win the hearts of music fans in the heart of Kampala and sees her stepping on the stage of the Bayimba International Festival.

Tunesia-born Jean-Pierre Smadja, or ‘Smadj’, has a passion for two things: music and technology. He was influenced from an early age by an eclectic mix of Oriental and Brazilian music, jazz, funk and soul. As a guitarist, Smadj toured the jazz clubs of Paris with a variety of groups, such as French band Faudel and Fela Kuti’s drummer Tony Allen. He also built an impressive reputation as a studio sound engineer. He then began experimenting with electronic music and embarked his very own ambition to marry jazz sounds with Arab and African instrumentation, a new sound that he dubbed “Tatoum”.

His first two albums intrigued and excited the music media and audiences across Europe and were backed up by a number of stunning live performances in European clubs and festivals, including #WOMAD. Live and unleashed, Smadj controls all samples and electronic programming whilst playing Oud and guitar, which will undoubtedly excite the BAYIMBA Festival audience. Smadj is brought to you by Alliance Française Kampala.

SMADJ on SoundCloudl

Ruyonga is a Ugandan Gospel Hip Hop artist collaborating with YEGO Productions Ltd under Kinetic Management Group (KMG). Having been out of the country for about a decade, he seems to be making up for lost time.

Ruyonga’s music seems to cut across different ages and class brackets, but mostly urban youth and young adults. In just the last two years being back home, Ruyonga has had songs top most of the city’s urban radio countdowns. He has been interviewed on many of the Country’s main TV and radio stations, and has done songs and remixes with many of the country’s artists, both gospel and otherwise. In addition, he won a continent wide competition to do an alternate version of South African Rap Icon Proverb’s “Writer’s Club”, getting picked out of over 300 submissions. His launch and subsequent album release early August 2012 and 2013 was not only very well attended but heralded as one of the surprisingly better live shows. His music reaches a wide array of audiences with his focus on the day to day relevant issues concerning his generation and community, as well as touching deeply on his strong Christian faith. Outside of Uganda, Ruyonga has collaborated with and performed alongside quite international artists as well.

CAB – that is brought to you by Alliance Française Kampala – is the meeting of African, Caribbean and Brazilian music orchestrated by Canonge (A Carib from the Caribbean) – Adriano( Brazilian from Brazil) – Bassy (an African from Cameroon)

Mario Canonge

Mario Canonge is a pianist from Martinique. He started playing in his teen years and accompanied the church choir. From 1979, he studied music in Paris and played in several bands before forming Ultramarine, a jazz-rock-fusion band along with Nguyen Lê and Etienne Mbappé. His talent won quick recognition and he becomes in demand. In 1991, he started a solo career with “Retour aux sources”. It is a turning point in his career which leads him to go back to his roots and its music: Mazurka and Biguine mixed with jazz and zouk. Mario continues to play with other artists though: with Andy Narell, Michel Alibo and Jean-Philippe Fanfant he creates Sakésho. He also plays with musicians originally from Africa such as Etienne Mbappe, Gino Sitson, Manu Dibango. In 2004, he releases his album “Rhizome” which was followed by a Pan-American tour. In 2008, Mario tours Europe and the American continent with Linley Marthe and Chander Sardjoe and releases a «live» album.

Blick Bassy

Blick Bassy formed his first band, The Jazz Crew, which already reflected his penchant for bossa nova, when he was 17. In 1996, at the age of 22, he took part in the creation of Macase, one of the most inventive “jazz fusion” groups that proliferated in the clubs in Cameroon and that collected well-known African prizes (Prix Découvertes RFI, Masa, Kora). His debut album “Leman” was released in 2009 by World Connection Label which was followed by performances at festivals and venues all over the world including Japan, Brasil and USA. Blick is “a man of the world” in the best sense of the word: rooted in his land but also a traveller in his soul, open to all cultures. His second opus, “Hongo Calling”, is a passionate musical travelogue. He follows the tragic “slave route” from Cameroon to Brazil, passing through Benin, Senegal and Cape Verde. In the course of his musical travels, he uncovers the missing link between the two continents that once were one.

Adriano José dos Santos Tenorio

Born in 1981 to a great bass player, Narriman Tenorio, Adriano José dos Santos Tenorio quickly revealed his great talent for music when he built his first own drums made of large dishes and casseroles. Being born in one of the richest cultural place in Brazil, Adriano inherited a great diversity and fickleness which makes his music unique and special. Having hundreds of rhythms, hundreds of instruments, thousands of melodies and harmonies in his mind, he has a great deal of fun creating a new musical sensation each time. He has worked as a percussion and bass player on the BACIA SONORA project, with percussion player Gustavo Di Dalva and Gilberto Gi. Settled in Europe since 2007, Adriano saw his music grow, mixed with other sounds and great artists such as Javier Ruibal, Lyexà, Lilbert Fortuny, Paulinhos Lemos, Munir Hossn, Mokhtar Samba, Tekere, Marcia Maria, Catia Werneck, Vincent Bidal, Woz Kaly, Mayra Andrade. Adriano enjoys this cultural mixture and uses it to show us that music is infinity.

https://vimeo.com/73187392