The December 2016 edition of the Jazz Evenings with Johnnie Walker couldn’t have had a better artiste than guitarist Myko Ouma. In him, the organizers found the best act to close out another successful year.
The event started at 8:00pm with Ouma kicking straight into overdrive mode with his iconic single Flashback before jokingly announcing to the eager audience that he was only doing a sound test. The songs that followed next; Paradise, Aluru, Immortal, One day all showcased his mastery of the guitar, albeit in a laid back mode.
The audience at this point simply sat back while sipping at their Johnnie Walker cocktails and enjoying the sweet jazz sounds. He afterwards teamed up with Maurice Kirya to perform a couple of songs that included Maurice’s Never been loved. As usual, Maurice got the attention of the ladies.
Towards 10pm, Ouma upped the ante. His performance all of a sudden got everyone on their feet. Tekno’s Pana was followed by Wizkid’s Ojuelegba. Radio and Weasel’s Juice, A Pass and Lillian’s Memories had revelers rushing to Club Guvnor’s dance floor.
Proficient on a variety of distinctive traditional instruments, Ouma’s musical vision is to integrate Ugandan folk music and Jazz. As a guitarist, he has developed a unique playing style informed by the traditional rhythms and melodies of Ugandan roots music. He is an active producer both in studio and of live events.
Prior to the event, Lois Aber, the Johnnie Walker Brand Manager said that the Jazz genre in Uganda is at the take off stage and that this was the motivation behind their partnership with organizers of the evening.
“Jazz has gained acceptance in Uganda. This therefore calls for more support to the local jazz artistes. We are happy that the Jazz Evening has given our local artistes a platform upon which to showcase their skills to a unique audience,” she explained.
The Jazz Evening with Johhnie Walker has previously featured great artistes including Ernest Otim performing music off his Book of Groovation album, Kiracho Njoroge performing music off his Love is Spelled T.I.M.E album, Kaz Kasozi performing music off his Star Shift album, and Charmant Mushaga performing music off his African Love album.
The Live Jazz Evening is held every first Thursday of the month and is sponsored by Johnnie Walker in partnership with 106.1 Jazz FM, Radio One FM90, Fezah – entertainment’s booking app, Sauti Warehouse – for live sound, and Guvnor.