My first encounter with Africa was back in 1996 when a group called Children of Uganda - Tour of Light  came into my life. Then, when we were all facing the terror of Y2K (remember that?) I took my first trip to Uganda and landed in Kampala on New Year's eve 1999 just as we were about to enter the new millennium. This was the most profound trip of my life where  I got to know the happiest most joyous children I've ever encountered. It was truly a life-changing experiencing and still fills me with emotion when I think about it.

 As if all this incredible adventure wasn't enough, while I was recording the group, this young girl appeared at my side and, without me even asking, helped shade my mixing console screen from the sun's glare. I didn't know it at the time, but Karigirwa Sandra had decided right there that I was going to be her new dad. She was a victim of the genocide in Rwanda and had lost both her parents. She told me that I reminded her of her father. Sandra is the most beautiful, loving soul I have ever encountered and we have a very special relationship. I went to visit her in 2002 and again in December of 2004. On my 2002 trip I had recorded Sandra singing and put together a cd of her singing in French, Lugandan (Uganda), Swahili and English. She has a gorgeous voice and people are just struck by the clarity and beauty of it. I told her I'd like to record more of her songs on this trip and she said she was going to organize and plan on doing songs with Ronald Kibirige who was part of The Tour of Light and who sang on a couple of the songs last time. Well, my trip this time was filled to capacity. As well as the Mama Africa cd, I did two video projects. (You can see those by clicking on the images below.) Anyway, Sandra and I took a taxi (* see at bottom page) quite a distance to Ronald's place and I wasn't prepared for the recording session that ensued.

Wednesday 15th December 2004 After a long journey in which we took two separate “taxis” (actually a Hiace minibus in which about 15 people are squeezed like sardines, I arrived at Ronald’s place which was in a fairly quiet neighbourhood. In my backpack, I had a video recorder, a Mini Disc Recorder, Stereo mic and small mic boom stand. I could hear some music (mainly acoustic guitar and singing) from an adjoining house which had two rooms. I got set up in one which was 12’ x 12’. In this tiny room, there were two African drums, one large wooden xylophone, African harp, tube fiddle, flute, trumpet, two acoustic guitars, two keyboards, four singers and, settled smack in the middle.........me!

          We got started recording at 11am and managed to print four songs before the power went off. That’s quite typical in and around Kampala, so although they were all disappointed, this wasn’t a big shock for the musicians. It was for me as I had only allocated this one day for recording and I wasn’t really very happy about having to come back and forfeit another day of my valuable time which had already been gobbled up. 

Friday 17th December         The previous night, there had been a second incredible thunderstorm. Rain was absolutely pelting down and I awoke to the sound of this deluge dreading the long journey out to Ronald’s as we’d likely had to trek over some seriously muddy terrain. It was still raining pretty heavily when we had breakfast but, yet again (just like on the day I was to videotape Roots Afrika when the rain stopped impeccably just before we set off) our faith was rewarded. The rain stopped just before we were due to leave and the sky slowly cleared up. Got to Ronald’s at around 9:40 but he was “on his way.” This is so typical. In Africa, you just have to accept that everything goes at its own pace. If you can’t accept this, be prepared for much frustration. On Wednesday, we had recorded four songs in two and a half hours and now, with 10am fast approaching, we had barely 3 hours max to record the remaining seven songs. Sandra and I had tickets for a show at Kampala National Theatre which started at 2:30pm and the latest we could leave Ronald’s would be 1pm to get there on time. I honestly didn’t think we’d make it. It’s tough to get musicians to compromise and be happy with a take. They’ll go on and on and on forever to try and achieve perfection. But Ronald had confidence in the takes and, only if really necessary, would he ask to listen to playback. This made all the difference and we actually got through believe it or not, at 12:30pm with some “wiggle room.” The whole group broke into the “Thank you” song. They sang it over and over  and it just seemed to go on and on. What a grrrreat experience!

          The whole album was recorded with one stereo mic direct to Mini Disc with no fancy preamp, no outboard eq, absolutely no multi-tracking or comping. In post production, I added some eq and light reverb for mastering. I edited maybe two alternate endings and that was it. What you hear on this album is pretty much what was recorded with some very minor tweaking. I had stressed ahead of time that the group should “mix themselves” and I would move my position from song to song to balance the mix.

    If I had been aquainted with the songs ahead of time, there’s no doubt that I would have been able to do a better job of capturing the vocals more clearly. As it was, I was hearing these songs for the first time and had no idea who would be doing what. The lead vocalist was usually playing an instrument whilst singing, so everything was pretty much a compromise but I think, all in all, this is an album that has much life and soul and spirit. Some of the songs positively leap out at you and are quite infectious.

This is what they call a "taxi" in Uganda. The whole time I was there, I was the only "Mzungu" (that's what a white person is called) who I ever saw in a regular taxi.  They manage to squeeze 15 people in one of these and I tell you it's a very tight fit. And, of course no air conditioning! So, it's very hot and sweaty plus all the unbelievable pollution.  All the Mzungus travelled in a "special taxi". That's the kind which we westerners know as a taxi. This made me feel so much more African and I really got a real taste of Ugandan life, especially with Sandra as my guide. We visited places that I can't imagine the average tourist would ever go.

            

And, if you wanted some personal transportation, you could take a "Boda Boda". I'm quite sure the average tourist could afford this mode of transport, but I'd be a bit hesitant myself : )