Uganda

Night to Night

Released 25 August 1996

Sardinia Memories (After Hours)
Medieval Dream
At My Window
Careless World
Miracle Man
Nàa Dream
LPJ Christine
Dancing Steps (Ballad)
To The Metro
Gari Moshi (Steam Train)
Passage At Dusk
Sardinia Memories (Early Evening)
On This Night
Bye Bye Lady Dame

Liner notes

Night to Night is best described as a 24-hour daydream, a soundtrack to a life taking in memories of the Ugandan capital Kampala’s late-night bars, of evenings lulled by the sound of the seven-stringed nanga harp, and of love stolen away on the Eurostar.

Cajun producer/guitarist Daniel Lanois sings in remembrance of a woman called “Christine,” while Oryema evokes an Everypoet figure on “Miracle Man” and sings of the Parisian Metro, where the outside is only bearable underground.

Expansive guitars and multi-textured percussion blend and vie with the whimsical, the melodic, and the mesmeric. This is Geoffrey Oryema at his most universal, a man forever influenced by his African heritage but expressing himself in English and opening wide to Jean-Pierre Alarcen’s pop rock roots. A unique talent whose musical identity has been established away from the confines of simple categorisation.

Listen

Further Listening

Exile

Geoffrey Oryema

Released 09 September 1990

Produced by Brian Eno, this album introduced the world to the struggles of singer-songwriter Geoffrey Oryema, who fled Uganda at a young age following the secret assassination of his father, a government minister. A wistful reflection on the Uganda of Oryema’s youth and the sadness of his exile.
Beat The Border

Geoffrey Oryema

Released 26 September 1993

On this album, the powerful roots of Oryema's African heritage have a more subtle influence on the music. The songs are now more universal, expressed in English, his second language, and influenced by guitarist Jean-Pierre Alarcen's pop-rock roots.

Night to Night

Further reading

The Breath announce Keep it Safe EP

The Almighty Groove offers Colombian rhythms and African roots on debut EP Frère d’Afrique

‘I’m really moved by people’s response to it’ – John Metcalfe discusses the album Tree

Swaken Lyrics