http://www.kasiisiproject.org/playlists/AfricaJuly2008.htm

1. Julianna Kanyomozi (Uganda) - Diana - 5:22
Beautiful Julianna, a Mutooro from Fort Portal, is the pride of the Batooro people. Here are photos and a bio on musicuganda.com, a fine new resource for Ugandan popular music. Listen to a sample from this song.

2. Dream Galz (Uganda) - Weekend - 5:08
This is a classic summery song, Mighty Abwooli's new fave. Dream Galz are associated with Dream Studios of Kampala, a powerhouse producer of Ugandan music. Read more about the Galz here. You can also watch and listen as the Galz dance and sing in the rain forest, on YouTube, accompanied by painted boyz in grass tutuz. Or listen to a sample of Weekend.

3. Geoffrey Lutaaya (Uganda) - Easy Come Easy Go - 6:06
Here's recent news about Geoffrey Lutaaya's latest album. His music is characterized as a cross between reggae and Congolese rumba. There's not much about him on the Internet. But when you ask Ugandans, what music from your country should I look into, Lutaaya's name comes up again and again. Listen to a sample of this song.

4. Geoffrey Lutaaya (Uganda) - Nasanga - 4:27
See above for more about Geoffrey. Listen to a sample of this song.

5. Julianna Kanyomozi (Uganda) - Kibaluma - 3:15
See above for more about Julianna. Listen to a sample of this song.

6. Julianna Kanyomozi (Uganda) - Tombowa - 3:52
See above for more about Julianna. Listen to a sample.

7. Geoffrey Lutaaya (Uganda) - Nice and Lovely - 5:11
See above for more about Geoffrey. Listen to a sample.

8. Julianna Kanyomozi with Bushoke (Uganda) - Usiende - 4:29
See above for more about Julianna. Ruta Bushoke is a popular Tanzanian singer - here's an interview with him. The word "nakupenda" in this and other songs in this playlist means "I love you" in Swahili. Watch and listen to this song on YouTube. Listen to a sample.

9. Grace Nakimera (Uganda) - Anfuukula - 3:25
Grace Nakimera at age 23 has begun emerging this year from karaoke to full-fledged stardom. Here's an article about her in one of Uganda's leading newspapers. This song is about being crazy in love at first sight. Listen to a sample.

10. Micheal Ross (Uganda) - Yooyo - 3:23
There's not much about this singer on the Internet. This song was nominated for best R&B single in Uganda in 2007 but lost to the group Blu*3 (see below). Listen to a sample. Or watch and listen on YouTube

11. Iryn Namubiru (Uganda) - Yoono - 4:48
Iryn and Julianna rose to fame together as the duo I-Jay in the late 1990s. Now rivals, both have risen even further since they split up. Here's an excellent bio with photos of Iryn and embedded music videos. Listen to a sample of this song. Watch and listen on YouTube. Iryn's album with this as the title song has several more fine cuts.

12. Iryn Namubiru (Uganda) - Nkuweki - 4:11
See above for more about Iryn (formerly Irene). Listen to a sample.

13. Qute Kaye (Uganda) - Ginkese - 3:36
Like Julianna and Iryn, Qute started out in karaoke in Kampala. Here's an interview with him. This superficially cheerful song is about infidelity and betrayal. Watch and listen on YouTube. Or listen to a sample.

14. Eddy Yawe (Uganda) - Gwagiya Nene - 5:44
Eddy Yawe apparently runs the Dream Studios in Kampala, source of much of the music in this playlist. He's also a singer in his own right: he and others opened for Geoffrey Lutaaya at a June 2008 concert in Kampala. Watch and listen to a different cut, the title song from his debut album, on YouTube. Listen to a sample of this cut, Gwagiya Nene.

15. Obsessions (Uganda) - Jangu - 4:06
Irresistible pop music. Watch and listen on YouTube. From a YouTube comment: "...Jangu means 'come/move over'. It's basically Dance Hall. They are imploring you to join them on the dance floor for a frenzy. They are praising God for the art and skill of music and dance while loathing the devil for being envious about their talent. Pretty much like 'Saturday Night Fever.'" Listen to a sample of this song (you might remember from Lion King that "hakuna matata" means "no problem!" - and in Rutooro that would be "tikina kizibu"). There's a photo of the Obsessions and chatty news about them in this article.

16. Blu*3 (Uganda) - Ndibeera Nawe - 4:36
"Blu*3" are Black Ladies of Uganda, times 3 of them: Lillian Mbabazi from western Uganda, Jackie Chandiru, and Cinderella Sanyu. Here's their home page, on MySpace. Here's a page on Uganda Pulse with photos, videos and a very detailed bio. This quiet and lyrical song was awarded best R&B single for 2007 in Uganda, beating out Micheal Ross (see above). Listen to a sample of this song.

17. Iryn Namubiru with Qute Kaye (Uganda) - Osindise Asitamye - 4:25
See above for more about Iryn and Qute. Listen to a sample of this song.