John Katokye ist einer der prägendsten Stimmen der vokalmusikalischen Überlieferungen Westugandas. Verankert in den Gesangspraktiken der Banyankore- und Bahororo-Gemeinschaften verdichtet er pastorale Klangtraditionen zu schwebenden, mitunter entrückten Vokalformen voller melismatischer Windungen, repetitiver Beschwörungen und poetischer Miniaturen. Seine improvisierten „ekyeshongoro“-Gesänge oszillieren zwischen kontemplativer Versenkung und ritueller Ekstase, getragen von der engen Verflechtung von Landschaft, Erinnerung und Viehkultur.
John Katokye has spent his life immersed in the traditional songs of the Banyankore people of Western Uganda. Growing up herding cattle to support himself, he honed his craft over decades and is now recognized as one of the region’s most talented traditional singers.
Specializing in ekyeshongoro (literally “song”), Katokye improvises short, poetic phrases reflecting on family, regional history, and the landscapes where iconic longhorn cattle graze. Backup singers often overlap his lines in a continuous vocal flow that can exceed 10 minutes, transforming each performance into a mesmerizing, meditative experience.
With the release of Obuhangwa bwa Banyankore na Bahororo (Nyege Nyege Tapes, 05.09.2025), Katokye brings the hypnotic vocal traditions of Western Uganda to a global audience, delivering an album that is both culturally vital and unlike anything most listeners have encountered.