Resilience

Musician, humanitarian and photographer Samite has dedicated his career to the exploration of the power of music as a healing medium. As a child in Uganda he initially learned traditional flute from his grandfather and at the age of 12 took up the Western flute. Now based in the US, he travels the world as part of Musicians for World Harmony, visiting traumatised and disadvantaged communities, working directly with victims of war, poverty and those infected with HIV/AIDS.

This, his 11th album, has layers of ethereal, predominantly acoustic instruments, and his own multi-tracked voice; it is a sublime example of Africa-rooted New Age music. His flute playing is melodic and remarkably soothing, at times transcendental, and the backing musicians play in a sympathetically serene and gently rhythmic fashion. On some tracks Samite also plays the adungu (traditional harp) and litungu (lyre). His vocals are mostly in the form of repeated looping chants rather than actual lyrics. The end result is an album of sophisticated beauty – meditative, uplifting and organic.