Geoffrey Oryema has passed on

Sad news at our desk is that Ugandan musician Geoffrey Oryema has died.

Joel Sebunjo a friend and fellow musician, who broke the news, eulogized,  “Sad news for Ugandan Music. African Music, and World Music. The legend Geoffrey Oryema has passed on. What a tragedy! In September this year we had plans to record Lyon France; unfortunately it didn’t come to pass. Condolences to his family, friends and fans all over the world. This man is a true Ugandan Legend.”

Faisal Kiwewa of Bayimba had this to say, “I am totally saddened by the passing of my dear friend, a legend and Uganda’s world musician Geoffrey Oryema.

I am proud that we shared and celebrated part of his life at his home coming concert.

When Geoffrey came to Uganda for the first time after almost 34 years, I drove him around the city with so many memories, I could see in his eyes that he was truly happy to have a chance to visit his country of which he also got a chance to visit the land of Anaka.

He invited me to a family lunch and after, he picked his guitar and played me some of his favorite songs, with tears in his eyes … he gave me a hug and whispered in my ear … Thank you Faisal for doing this for me, bringing me back home, it really means a lot more than I could ask for! Geoffrey, you will always live in my heart and the hearts of so many.”

Geoffrey Oryema  was born 16 April 1953. He is an internationally renowned Ugandan musician.

In 1977 after the murder of his father, Erinayo Wilson Oryema, who was a cabinet minister in the government of Amin he began his life in exile. At the age of 24, and at the height of Idi Amin‘s power, Oryema was smuggled across the Ugandan border in the trunk of a car.

He sings in the languages of his youth, Swahili and Acholi, the languages of the lost country, the ‘clear green land’ of Uganda, and he also sings in English and French.

Oryema earned his international reputation on the release of his second album, Beat the Border. He has collaborated with Peter Gabriel and others, and was backed by French musicians including Jean-Pierre Alarcen (guitar) and Patrick Buchmann (drums, percussion, backing vocals), touring with WOMAD in Australia, the USA, Japan, Brasil and Europe. In 1994 the band performed at Woodstock 94 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary festival.

Gabriel’s record label, Real World, helped with the first three and Europe.

In 1994 the band performed at Woodstock 94 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary festival. Gabriel’s record label, Real World, helped with the first three of Oryema’s albums, before his move to Sony International, a label established in France, where Oryema has lived since his exile.

In July 2005, he performed at the LIVE 8: Africa Callingconcert in Cornwall, and with 1 Giant Leap at the Live 8 Edinburgh concert.