Geoffrey Oryema - Beat The Border (1993; 2018)

Beat the Border is the result of some significant collaborations. The first is with Jean-Pierre Alarcen, a brilliant guitarist and composer/arranger who is featured throughout the album. Jean-Pierre brings the electric soul to this cultural collaboration of western pop/rock and African traditional melodies. The second was with producer Bob Ezrin who has worked with, among others, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, and Paul Simon. Ezrin produced the original demos for the album as well as the powerful single ‘The River’ with Brian Eno, and two other tracks, ‘Kel Kweyo’ and ‘Gang Deyo’. The balance of the album was produced by David Bottrill, who has worked extensively with Peter Gabriel and came to this album fresh from co-producing the Robert Fripp/David Sylvian album The First Day.

Geoffrey Oryema’s music has developed and matured and with Beat The Border the powerful root of his African heritage has come to influence his music in more subtle ways. His songs have become more universal and although their expression is still to be found in the Swahili and Acholi of his native Uganda, he increasingly writes in English as well. He uses his memories of Africa as well as his theatrical training to realise the images and situations he wishes to impart. What is real comes from within — and Geoffrey Oryema’s music will continue to merge the language, culture and sounds of his childhood homeland with his European home of exile.

Tracklist:
6:31 | 01. Geoffrey Oryema - The River
4:10 | 02. Geoffrey Oryema - Kel Kweyo
3:18 | 03. Geoffrey Oryema - Market Day
3:57 | 04. Geoffrey Oryema - Lapwony
4:15 | 05. Geoffrey Oryema - Umoja
4:34 | 06. Geoffrey Oryema - Gang Deyo
4:29 | 07. Geoffrey Oryema - Hard Labour
4:16 | 08. Geoffrey Oryema - Payira Wind
2:48 | 09. Geoffrey Oryema - Lajok
3:21 | 10. Geoffrey Oryema - Nomad
3:43 | 11. Geoffrey Oryema, Loy Ehrlich - Lapwony (Loy Ehrlich Mix)
8:25 | 12. Geoffrey Oryema, Joaquin Joe Claussell - Kel Kweyo (Joaquin Joe Claussell Remix)