Isaiah Katumwa
FULL PROFILE
Isaiah is a self-taught saxophonist from Uganda, a land that has shaped both his story and his sound. Introduced to the saxophone at age 10 by a kind gentleman who saw his potential, He grew up during times of civil unrest and faced the challenges of life without his parents, limited resources, and financial hardships. Despite these obstacles, He persevered, fueled by a dream to not only succeed nationally but to contribute globally to the art of contemporary Jazz.
Isaiah has crafted a distinctive sound that he calls”Afro Smooth Jazz Fusion”—a blend of rich cultural influences and heartfelt expression. Over the years, he has shared the stage with global icons, but his mission extends beyond music. He aims to inspire others to embrace their uniqueness, rise above limitations, and tell their stories authentically.
Renowned for his infectious hybrid style that he calls “smooth and divine,” saxophonist Isaiah Katumwa, affectionately dubbed Uganda’s “father of jazz,” is making a name for himself in the States with a debut album “Dance Again”, produced by Darren Rahn, who as a producer and artist has scored over 25 #1 radio singles and multiple Grammy nominations working with genre greats like Nick Colionne, Julian Vaughn, Jonathan Fritzen, Dave Koz, Paul Brown, Eric Darius and Najee. The album also features the legendary Dave Koz and hit guitarist Adam Hawley!
To date, Isaiah has released three hit radio singles, all of which have been picked up by the influential Sirius XM Watercolors channel and have received extensive airplay worldwide.
“I want people listening to my music for the first time to feel at home, musically speaking, as I introduce a different sound from what I have recorded previously in Africa” – Isaiah Katumwa
Paving the way for the drop of the collection, Isaiah has released two tracks – the funky, vibey and exotic title track, a co-write with Rahn; and “Nsiima,” whose title translates to “gratitude” in the saxophonist’s native Ugandan, which features his longtime idol Dave Koz.
‘Nsiima’ is my way of expressing my gratitude not only to God bringing me this far, but also for the opportunity to work with Dave who has been a great impact on my journey as a musician and artist.”
These tracks follow two previous lead singles that have established Isaiah as a bona fide force in contemporary urban music these past few years. “Home Away,” another co-write with Rahn, was a powerful showcase for Isaiah’s lush, expressive soprano voice, with a cool, silky flow and soaring, horn textured hook. Released in June 2019, the track appeared on The Smooth Jazz Network Top 100 chart for several weeks and received airplay on thousands of smooth jazz stations and the influential SiriusXM channel Watercolors. Its title referred to the saxophonist’s drive to find a niche creating commercial instrumental music in America while staying true to his roots, which include numerous gospel flavored recordings in the early 2000s and later, starting with 2006’s Sinza, incorporating more African flavors into contemporary jazz.
“I always thought creativity and the joy that comes from it is strongly related to artistic freedom. One can’t create anything under pressure. But, freedom is mainly a state of mind. Don’t let anyone or anything set a barrier to your need for expression.” – Isaiah Katumwa
In its theme and vibe, Isaiah’s follow-up single, the funky, infectious and brightly optimistic “Smile On” – which dropped in May 2020 – was the perfect song our collective moment in history. I was a grooving, free-flowing reminder that no matter what challenges life brings to us, those we love and even perfect strangers, we can always use our ability to smile as a resource for uplift and encouragement. In addition to major airplay on Watercolors, it was on the Most Added Tracks list on the Billboard airplay chart for three consecutive weeks. Isaiah also had the opportunity to perform a duet of “Smile On” with fellow saxman Michael Lington on one of Lington’s hugely popular weekly shows on the StageIt platform.
Rahn previously mixed the track “Pamojja” from This Is Me, Isaiah’s 2016 album that he recorded in Uganda. Though not heavily promoted in the U.S., it received widespread international radio airplay and was #1 for four weeks on California’s Smooth 97 The Oasis, aka “The Smooth Jazz Place,” based in Palm Springs.
“My story of growing up poor, having to pay my own tuition while trying to make life happen for myself is a fairly common one in Africa”-Isaiah Katumwa
Throughout his multi-faceted career, Isaiah has collaborated and performed with the legendary Hugh Masekela, Angelique Kidjo, Jonathan Butler, Manu Dibango and his friend and influential mentor Kirk Whalum.
Often credited with turning many people in Uganda into jazz enthusiasts, Isaiah is the founder of one of his country’s largest annual jazz festivals, bringing 1,500 fans to Kampala City from across East Africa every April since 2007 to hear legends (Masekela, Dibango) and local musicians alike. The 2019 event featured international Grammy winning superstar Angelique Kidjo.
In an interview with BBC Newsday in June 2017, six months before he died, Masekela said, “Isaiah is the kind of breed that I was raised around who goes out there and hustles for the music to grow. Looks for musicians, works on the music, teaches people…if we had more musicians like that, music in Africa would change.” In addition to creating opportunities to play throughout the African continent (Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Ghana) and Europe (Germany, France, UK, Netherlands), Isaiah’s musical success has led to many opportunities to create impactful cultural events and a non-profit educational organization.
Often credited with turning many people in Uganda into jazz enthusiasts, Isaiah is the founder of one of his country’s largest annual jazz festivals, bringing 1,500 fans to Kampala City from across East Africa every April since 2007 to hear legends (Masekela, Dibango) and local musicians alike. The 2019 event featured international Grammy winning superstar Angelique Kidjo. The saxophonist for years has also hosted his television show called “Jazz with Isaiah” on Urban TV and NTV (popular Ugandan stations) that he launched in 2011 with the objective of discovering, educating, encouraging and celebrating talent.
LISTEN TO THE MUSIC OF ISAIAH KATUMWA
BEYOND MUSIC
Isaiah is the founder of Beyond Music Foundation/Isaiah Katumwa Foundation, a non-profit that mentors, funds and inspires young people from Uganda using his music and personal story of triumphing over the odds. The organization has taken several less privileged young musicians through school, and plans are underway to provide musical instruments and make teaching programs more accessible. He and members of his band participate in the “Talanta Music Mentorship Program,” which he launched in February 2014 to expose school children to instruments and offer training. Isaiah’s goals in breaking into the American contemporary jazz market are grounded in his desire for genuine cultural exchange.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to do my small part in localizing the globe, so to speak. I often bring in artists from America to play in Uganda, which is a great way to embrace cultural diversity. In turn, with my first official U.S. released project, I want to contribute on behalf of my home country flavors of the music I have grown up with and love to perform.
Music also allows me to experience one of my other great passions, which is traveling, being exposed to different cultures, ways of life, attitudes and mentalities. Music is how I express myself and it allows me to understand how others see the world.” – Isaiah Katumwa