I Speak Luganda

The endongo is an eight-stringed lyre from the area around the Great Lakes in East Africa. Joel Sebunjo has performed with the instrument from a very young age and has played a part in several Ugandan traditional music ensembles. On his third solo album he fuses his own country's traditional music with a modern world music style – backed by guitar, bass, keyboard and drums. He also plays an electrified version of the West African kora. There are many parallels between the endongo and the kora – in their repertoires and in their significance within their own respective cultures, for example – and Sebunjo has frequently travelled to West Africa in order to explore their similarities.

The music on this short record is pleasant enough and the musicianship accomplished. However, at times the conflict between the traditional instruments and the modern style of backing and arrangements leaves this particular listener slightly confused. Sebunjo's voice is a little shrill for my taste and I would personally rather have heard much more of his endongo and kora playing in a more traditional ensemble and setting.