Afrigo band’s Sekyanzi finally laid to rest

By Charles Otieno

Popular saxophonist Charles Sekyanzi of Uganda’s oldest band, The Afrigo Band was laid to rest on Tuesday. Sekyanzi passed away on the weekend. He becomes the second Afrigo Band member to pass on in two years after Saxophone maestro Mansur Bulegeya died in 2007. Sekyanzi started his music career in the early 1960s with splinter band and later joined Cranes Band in 1969.

In 1975 he formed Afrigo Band together with Matovu and other colleagues. The band rose to be the most sought after African outfit playing across the globe. Their lively stage performances got them dubbed the best live band in Uganda and also the oldest.

No split

For over 30 years the group has been playing actively without splitting as is common with many African bands.

The band has toured Europe and United States performing for audiences of all races. Apart from their scilitating live shows, Afrigo has released Obuganda Abwetisse in 2002 after releasing Afrigo Batuuse2 in 1999. Other great CDs include Mpeddembe and Tugenda Mu Afrigo released in 1996 and Julie in 1998.

The classic jazzy group scaled great heights musically fusing Rhumba, roots Reggae, Lingala with a tinge of Kadogo Kamu music.

When Lingala music was sweeping across East Africa in 1980s and 1990s, Afrigo was still one of the most popular bands. In related news, legendary singer Fred Masagazi has also died. In his hey days in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was most famous for his hit song: Ah lu lu lu. No mention has been made of the cause of death yet.