BRACE YOUR EARS, SMOOTH JAZZ FANS

Isaiah Katumwa, acclaimed and innovative saxophonist, is about to unleash his tasty and inspiring vibe and let you know that it’s time not only to feel optimistic about life but to also get grooving and Dance Again!

Renowned for his infectious hybrid style he calls “smooth and divine,” Isaiah – affectionately dubbed Uganda’s “father of jazz,” – is making a name for himself in the States with a debut album “Dance Again”. The collection features tracks produced by two of urban jazz’s most acclaimed, sought after artist/producers, Darren Rahn and Adam Hawley. Rahn 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. Hawley is one of the genre’s hottest #1 Billboard charting guitarists.The album also features the legendary Dave Koz!

Testament to the great respect he has earned these past few years from the top artists on today’s contemporary jazz scene, Dance Again reflects Isaiah’s vast array of musical influences, from jazz and pop to Afropop and Latin music.

Paving the way for the drop of the collection, Isaiah is releasing two new tracks – the funky, vibey and exotic title track, a co-write with Rahn which will impact radio May 17; and “Nsiima,” whose title translates to “gratitude” in the saxophonist’s native Ugandan, which will feature his longtime idol Dave Koz. “Even though it won’t be a radio single, ‘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.

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.

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.

BEYOND MUSIC