With deep resonance and an almost trance-inducing intensity, John Katokye brings the distinctive vocal traditions of Western Uganda to ALICE this September. Katokye is one of the foremost practitioners of ekyeshongoro – an improvised singing tradition that has been carried through generations by the Banyankore and Bahororo peoples. We are proud to present the Ugandan troubadour as he visits ALICE with his duo.

John Katokye has dedicated his life to the traditional songs of his homeland. As a child, he left home to follow herders and singers across the Ugandan countryside, absorbing the region’s vocal traditions through decades of immersion and practice. The result is a singular musical expression where poetry, storytelling and improvisation merge into long, flowing vocal passages. Deeply connected to life on the savannah and the iconic long-horned Ankole cattle that have shaped the region’s culture for centuries, the music reflects the rhythms and experiences of rural life. In ekyeshongoro, a lead singer introduces a phrase before additional voices gradually weave themselves into the performance, creating a continuous, undulating soundscape without the use of instruments. It is music that feels both ancient and strikingly contemporary in its minimalist and hypnotic form.

In 2025, Katokye released Obuhangwa bwa Banyankore na Bahororo on the influential Ugandan label Nyege Nyege Tapes. Recorded at Villa Nyege, the album documents a rarely heard vocal tradition with an intimacy and clarity that highlights the intricate interplay between the singers. The release has introduced Katokye’s music to a global audience and further cemented his role as one of the most important ambassadors of Banyankore and Bahororo musical heritage. Prepare for a truly extraordinary concert experience when Katokye performs at ALICE this September.

What has been said about Katokye
“These are absolutely stellar improvisations by singer John Katokye with his protégé Samuel Rujeru, rooted in cow-herding songs from Banyankore and Bahororo traditions from Western Uganda, which Katokye left home to learn when he was just a kid.” — The Quietus