Geoffrey Oryema

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Geoffrey Oryema
Uganda
Died22 June 2018(2018-06-22) (aged 65)
Paris, France[1]
Genres
  • World music
  • Afro-pop-rock
Occupation(s)Musician
Years active1990–2018

| website = geoffrey-oryema.com }}

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. 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.

He sang in the languages of his youth,

Acholi, the languages of his lost country, the "clear green land" of Uganda, and he also sang in English and French
.

Oryema earned his international reputation on the release of his second album, Beat the Border. He had collaborated with

WOMAD
in Australia, the USA, Japan, Brazil and Europe. In 1994 the band performed at Woodstock 94 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary festival.

Gabriel's record label,

Sony International, a label established in France
, where Oryema had lived since his exile.

In July 2005, he performed at the

Live 8 Edinburgh
concert.

He resided in Paris, France, until his death from cancer. His ashes were delivered to Anaka.[2]

Discography

  • 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)

References

  1. ^ a b "France Based Ugandan Music Legend Geoffrey Oryema Dies at 65". Kampala Post. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  2. ^ "French police to escort Oryema's ashes to Uganda". Observer.ug.

External links

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