I ate Serena Dinner, drank AYF music!

It was the occasion of Fundraising for the All Saints Cathedral Building Project. A fundraising dinner it was. Where else could the Archbishop host His Excellency the President as chief guest with a select 300 guests from a congregation of over 6000? Kampala Serena Hotel was the ultimate choice, and in Victoria hall - an acoustically rounded and furnished cozy room - the party filled the air. Gone was the tingly tension of organizing this when the Prime Minister arrived shortly after 6pm to represent his boss, and the many guest soon concluded their networking and cocktail in the lobby.

When all were seated, AYF took to stage and started with their timeless "Seasons come and seasons go". This song seems to be unlike seasons - it never expires! Led by the Music Director's high tenor voice and flavoured with a balanced harmony over a great arrangement of instrumentation, "Seasons" provided the right cushion to get everyone comfortable. The nice ballad soon slid into reggae with the drum and bass moving in sync like siamese twins. A great display of disciplined art accompanying sweet words - only those words can explain how it all came together: Jesus, He never change, Messiah.

But the best was yet to come. I cannot tell you details of all that happened - the speeches, the fundraising, the good attendance, the good food - I'll write about that elsewhere. Let me go to the song that ripped a shy doctor's pocket and scooped a million shillings: that was "Anyonga". It started when I had moved out, and when I found it in the middle, I was too far from the speakers to feel it deep down. But when it was bought encore, I heard every note loud and clear. The intro ended in a sizzling high to low roll on warm lively keyboard tines. Was it the keyboard or the keyboardist? I don't know - it was just great. Then entered a voice that sounds like two put together; and this is truer when he hops from the low to high octave with more ease than a ball rolling downhill. At every end of line, a slap bass gave the song such flavour to connect the well calculated harmonies. And when the story in the lyrics was at its best, just before we could lift up our songs of praise, the chorus "Anyonga" just drove house mood ecstatic. Some danced, others brought money and the Prime Minister included his heartfelt gratitude in his speech at the end.

Other songs from all over Uganda (except the West where I come from) were sang. Others by Joint Heirs. I forgot about the great hotel juices and the tea; did I take any? What I'm sure of is I ate the Serena Dinner and drank AYF music. Thanks guys.