Pick of the Week - Peterson Tusuubira Mutebi (Uganda)

"...has an almost dreamlike quality that would not sound out of place on a soundtrack to a David Lynch movie."

Mutebi’s performances had great entertainment value, and dressed in the outfits of the day, bell bottoms, and platform shoes (or bongos, as we used to call them) which was usually an all-white or blue attire,” Bewulira, a renowned actress and film director, further recounts.

Solome is one of his popular songs in which he seeks love; he confesses to a woman that she is the reason for his living, and should she turn down his advances, he would be so heartbroken that his life would end. He goes on to heap more praises on Solome who is naturally endowed.

His fame also lies in hits such as Nyongera ku Love, Weekend, Bamulete, Tubere Nga Nooyo, Fina, Love Enzigumivu, Leka Tusanyuke, Telephone Operator, and Embaga in which he fuses modern and traditional instruments and dances such as bakisiimba and muwogola.

According to one source, Peterson Tusubira Mutebi & the Thames were the first Ugandan group to release an album. As I noted in a previous Pick of the Week:

A poor nation, Uganda’s music industry was modest, particularly in regards to its recording facilities, which were nonexistent. Thus, most Ugandan musicians traveled to Nairobi to record, and there they were usually backed by local studio bands, who played in the Kenyan pop style.

Mutebi passed in 1992. Thirty years later his family commemorated his passing and the local press made note of it, calling him a "natural entertainer [who] was noticeable for his charm and signature dress code." Read the article here.

"Solome" was one of Mutebi's biggest hits. I shared it as the Song of the Day in our Notes section a while back, calling it "kind of a moody sounding oldie." I stand by that. It's has an almost dreamlike quality that would not sound out of place on a soundtrack to a David Lynch movie.

The song appears on Endamutso, a nine-song album by Peterson Tusubira Mutebi and The Tames Band, from 1975.

Here's our Amazon affiliate link for the album.