James Ssewakiryanga Junior, professionally known as Ssewa Ssewa, is a Ugandan live performing musician, multi – instrumentalist, founder of

Janzi Band Janzi Band, sometimes simply Janzi, is a Ugandan afro-fusion, contemporary and world music group formed on 27 August 2009 by Ssewa Ssewa and friends Abraham Sekasi, Jackson Kirya and Steven Oundo. The band has a hybrid repertoire of music, inc ...

and inventor of

Janzi Janzi Band, sometimes simply Janzi, is a Ugandan afro-fusion, contemporary and world music group formed on 27 August 2009 by Ssewa Ssewa and friends Abraham Sekasi, Jackson Kirya and Steven Oundo. The band has a hybrid repertoire of music, inc ...

, a musical instrument.

Career

Son of a traditional drummer and a dancer, Ssewa Ssewa has never had any professional training. His first instrument was a xylophone, taught by his mother. He started studying business at university, but after being encouraged and taught by members of his father's band, decided to pursue music. Ssewa Ssewa started playing music professionally in 2000. He co-founded

along with his friends in 2009 and has been the director since then. He plays nine instruments, eight of them African, and is a professional percussionist. Ssewa Ssewa has frequently performed live. He has performed on many stages both in Uganda and abroad and has worked with many musicians including the Quela Band, Navio, A Pass, Isaiah Katumwa, Suzan Kerunen, Mame Ndiak,

Giovanni Kiyingi Giovanni Kiyingi, is a Ugandan folk singer-songwriter and world music artist. He is known for his skills as a multi-instrumentalist who plays the local Ugandan fiddle (endingidi), akogo, adungu, guitar, harmonica, flute, djembe, calabash, con ...

and Hugh Masekela. He was one of the main performers at World Music Day in Uganda in June 2017 alongside Apio Moro, Haka Mukiga, Mame Ndiak,

Jackie Akello Jackie Akello is a Uganda singer-songwriter and entrepreneur with a coffee brand Village Belle which she launched in 2017. She sings in Acholi, Luganda, Swahili, and English. She is known for her hit love ballad "Amari", the gospel hit "Samanya" ...

and many others. He performed with

, a fellow multi-instrumentalist.

Janzi (Instrument)

The janzi is a string instrument invented by Ssewa Ssewa. The instrument has been used on all Janzi Band and Ssewa Ssewa’s setups since its inception. The janzi is a based on the traditional

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

-like Ugandan instrument called the

adungu The a'dungu, also called the ekidongo or ennenga, is a stringed musical instrument of the Alur people of northwestern Uganda. It is an arched harp of varying dimensions, ranging from seven to ten strings or more. The physical form of the a'dungu ...

, but the janzi is different in several ways, unique and patented as a separate instrument. The name originates from the name of the band.

Discography

Ssewa Ssewa has worked with

since its inception and has also worked on his solo projects.

Albums

*2017 - Down in Uganda *2018 - Tuwaye *2020 - Nva K'La - Grooves from Kampala, Uganda

Songs

*Nsangi (feat. Pages) *Akabengeya (feat. Abraham Sekasi) *Africa *Hybrid *At Thirty *Down in Uganda (feat. MoRoots) *Bajajja *Journey

References

External links

DJ Vicky and Live Percussion by James Ssewa (Janzi Band) » Big Mikes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ssewa, James Living people People from Kampala 21st-century Ugandan male singers Ugandan world music musicians 1987 births Ugandan instrumentalists Musical instrument makers Janzi Band members