Geoffrey Oryema
Ugandan musician (1953–2018)
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Geoffrey Oryema (16 April 1953 – 22 June 2018)[1] was a Ugandan musician. In 1977 after the murder of his father, Erinayo Wilson Oryema, who was a cabinet minister in the government of Idi Amin, he began his life in exile.[2] At the age of 24, and at the height of Amin's power, Oryema was smuggled out of the country in the trunk of a car.[3]
- World music
- Afro-pop-rock
Background and education
Career
He sang in the languages of his youth, Swahili and Acholi, the languages of his lost country, the "clear green land" of Uganda,[6] and he also sang in English and French.[7]
Oryema earned his international reputation on the release of his second album, Beat the Border. He had collaborated with Peter Gabriel,[8] Brian Eno 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, Brazil and Europe.[9] In 1994 the band performed at Woodstock 94 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary festival.[10]
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 had lived since his exile.[11]
In July 2005, he performed at the LIVE 8: Africa Calling concert in Cornwall, and with 1 Giant Leap at the Live 8 Edinburgh concert.
He resided in Paris, France, until his death from cancer.[12][13][14][15] His ashes[16] were delivered to Anaka.[17][18][19]
Personal life
Oryema was married to Regine. They had three children, Ajoline, Chantal and Oceng.[11]
Discography
Source:[20]
- Exile (1990)
- Beat the Border (1993)
- Night to Night (1996)
- Spirit (2000)
- The Odysseus/Best Of (2002)
- Words (with Melanie Gabriel) (2004)
- From The Heart (Released on Long Tale Recordings) (2010)