Seby Ntege is a uniquely charismatic singer and songwriter from the Busoga region of eastern Uganda renowned for producing some of East Africa’s best multi-instrumentalists and is himself a master of half a dozen folkloric instruments, including the akogo thumb piano, endongo lyre, adungu harp, and the one stringed endingidi fiddle.
Born into a musical household Seby joined the family band Nile Beat Artists aged 13, introducing him early to the international stage and touring neighbouring African countries as an instrumentalist and dancer. Relocating to London in his twenties Seby quickly gained respect as an ambassador of traditional Ugandan music, whilst his musical curiosity soon led to fruitful collaborations with various celebrated artists notably acclaimed Gambian Kora player Sona Jobarteh, before Seby embarked upon a solo career championed by BBC Introducing and tastemakers such as Rita Ray, Max Reinhardt and DJ Ritu.
Following the release of his acclaimed autobiographical album Five Notes in 2018, appearances at UK festivals including Latitude and WOMAD followed along with a homecoming show at The Bayimba International Festival of The Arts in Uganda. The pandemic interrupted touring activities but provided Seby space to write, and in 2021 Seby and his band returned with the EP Nomads, teasing the album Love And Heritage released in early 2023
For this third long player album Seby Ntege comes correct with a return to his roots, simultaneously evolving and expanding upon Ugandan folkloric music. Recorded between London and Kampala by award winning Shuta Shinoda and Jude Mugerwa respectively, the result is an Afropolitan album that speaks of Seby’s experience in the diaspora, of love, what it means to travel and to return, and how home can be found in both a place and a person. From the motivational Pull me back to the allegorical Kiri, and the environmental plea of Tomorrow’s World, Love and Heritage spreads its wings wide and soars like the crane on the Ugandan Flag to which Nyonyi Nyange is dedicated.