We are excited to announce the first American tour of Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa, beginning in March 2009. During this first east coast tour, Kinobe will share the traditional sounds of Uganda and the African continent, performing exclusively on a wide variety of beautiful acoustic instruments. Here's what a recent presenter had to say:

"One Longfellow Square was very pleased to present Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa in our venue. Their genuine warmth with the crowd, impressive musicality and overall enthusiasm created a truly enjoyable and memorable evening for our audiences. The accolades are still arriving and we look forward to bringing this engaging group back."
- Tom Rota, One Longfellow Square, Portland ME

Soul Beat Africa is the new voice of Ugandan music, the inspired synthesis of African roots and world music, of traditional and modern instrumentation. These musicians represent the new vanguard of Ugandan performers, gifted instrumentalists steeped in the music of their homeland, but with ears opened to the sounds of the world at large. Driving poly-rhythms underlay transcendent melodies. Traditional African instruments – koras, kalimbas, adungus, endongos, ngonis, drums – blend with guitars and keyboards, drawing on influences from around the globe. This is a new groove for a new world. Read more.

Soul Beat Africa have been bringing their energetic and highly visual show to audiences across Europe and Africa for years. They launch their first American tour in 2009 with support from the Alliance Française.
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More About Soul Beat Africa

Kinobe (pronounced “CHI-NO-BÉ”) is an accomplished musician from Uganda whose early abilities in traditional African music quickly garnered acclaim on the world stage. Born in 1983 near Lake Victoria, he began playing music at the age of five, and five years later traveled to the Netherlands with a group of musicians for his first international performance. It was this trip that introduced him to the diversity of musical traditions throughout the world, opening his ears to new sounds, and launching a life-changing interest in world music. In the years that followed, Kinobe traveled the African continent, performing with such figures in African roots music as Toumani Diabate, Youssou N’dour, Salif Keita, Angelique Kidjo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Baaba Maal, Ismael Lo, and many others. He is a lifelong student, teacher, lover, and purveyor of the great diversity of African musical traditions.

In 2007, under the support of CulturesFrance, Kinobe made his first major tour to 18 countries around Africa and the Indian Ocean. He has given solo concerts and workshops on traditional instruments all over Europe. His first solo CD, Soul Language, was released in 2007 by Multicultural Media. Kinobe will tour the United States in 2009 with his band Soul Beat Africa.

Ouma Michael is a guitarist/multi-instrumentalist from Uganda. He met Kinobe in 1997 as a student, and since 2003 they have played together in countries throughout Europe and Africa.

Okia Allan plays the bass guitar and bass kalimba and adds back-up vocals to the band. He grew up playing gospel music in Uganda and was later inspired to take up traditional music after hearing international African roots musicians.

Sewagudde Richard has been playing music with Kinobe since they were both five years old, and they have been touring Europe together since 2003. Sewagudde plays calabash, kalimba, endongo and adungu. Tugume Ambrose is considered one of the greatest young drummers in Uganda today. He has been touring with Soul Beat Africa since 2005.

Bakkabulindi Samuel is Soul Beat Africa’s percussionist, a specialist in Ugandan traditional rhythms, and perhaps the greatest percussionist in Uganda today. He performed at the WOMAD (World of Music And Dance) festival in the USA and the UK in 1999, and has worked with Peter Gabriel. Bakkabulinda and Kinobe have been working together since 2000.

Lukwago Jude has been playing keyboards and kalimba with Soul Beat Africa since 2005. He is also a producer and produced Kinobe’s first CD, Soul Language. Ducottet Cyril is a videographer and photographer who has worked with Soul Beat Africa since 2005, orchestrating the visual dimension of the band’s live performances.

Click on full-size image for high-resolution download.

PRESS Monitor Online WCAX-TV WYPR RADIO PRESS KITS SOUL BEAT AFRICA FULL PRESS KITTECH RIDER

HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS - Click images for download

Photo: Monty Chandler

African Tour - SOUL BEAT AFRICA

June 2007
Antananarivo - MADAGASCAR
Mamudzu - MAYOTTE
Saint Denis - REUNION
Moroni - COMORES
Maputo - MOZAMBIQUE
Mbabane - SWAZILAND

May 2007
Windhoek - NAMIBIA
Soweto - SOUTH AFR.
Johannesburg - SOUTH AFR.
Kampala - UGANDA
Bulawayo - ZIMBABWE
Harare - ZIMBABWE (International Festival of Arts)

March 2007
Dar es Salam - TANZANIA
Nairobi - KENYA
Asmara - ERITREA
Djibouti - DJIBOUTI
Khartoum - SUDAN
Blantyre - MALAWI