East Africa’s most celebrated festival is back, the long anticipated four-day event is slated to take place from 5 to 8 September at Nile Discovery Beach, Jinja. Unlike the previous editions, the event organisers have decided to add a new twist to the festival.
This year the legendary Cranes, Uganda’s most popular 1970 teenage band will be reuniting at the Nyege Nyege Festival for a reunion performance. At the end of the 1970’s the cranes led to the birth of Afrigo Band which is still the country’s number one band.
Founded by Tony Senkebejje, Sam Kawuma and Clyde Mayanja, the Cranes produced 37 records and 33 albums, the band split into two; Cranes and Afrigo Black Power which was later renamed as Afrigo Band with Moses Matovu and Jef Sewava as band leaders.
Back in the day, the Cranes had a radio show called Top Ten Hits where their songs were played. It is well-known for hit songs such as Njatulira, Jay Beera Mwesigwa, Anne wange, Monica, Marcelinah and many more.
The five surviving members that recently reformed as the cranes are all in their late sixties and still dominate the music scene in Uganda with their respective bands Afrigo and Simba Sounds Band. Both banda have recorded more than 25 albums.