Remembering a legendary voice, a remarkable group, and an unforgettable era of Ugandan music
There are some songs that you simply hear.
And then there are songs that take you somewhere.
They take you back to a particular time, a particular place, and perhaps even a part of your own life that you thought had been forgotten.
“Drums of Africa” by Jimmy Katumba & The Ebonies is one of those songs for me.
This new video is my personal tribute to a man whose music and performances left a lasting mark on Uganda’s entertainment history — Jimmy Katumba — and to the remarkable family of performers known as The Ebonies.
I call it:
Drums of Africa – Jimmy Katumba & The Ebonies | A Tribute Beyond Time
I was there
My name is George Williamz.
Long before I began creating music and videos with today’s technology, I was a young boy with a passion for music.
In the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, I had the incredible opportunity to become part of Jimmy Katumba & The Ebonies, performing as a percussionist.
I was very young – in fact, I was one of the youngest performers in the group at the time.
Looking back now, I realise just how significant that opportunity was.
As a primary-school boy, I was stepping onto stages with one of Uganda’s most recognised entertainment groups.
At that age, I could not fully understand what I was experiencing.
I only knew that I loved music.
But being part of The Ebonies gave me something much bigger than performances.
It gave me experience.
It gave me discipline.
It gave me confidence.
And most importantly, it gave me the foundation for the musical journey that would follow.
More than just a music group
To understand The Ebonies, you have to understand that they were never simply a band.
Their performances brought together music, percussion, dance, drama and storytelling, creating an experience that reflected different aspects of African and Ugandan culture.
That combination was part of what made seeing them perform so special.
You didn’t simply go to hear a song.
You went to experience a show.
There was energy.
There was movement.
There was humour.
There was drama.
There was music.
And there was a strong sense of African identity and pride.
The history of The Ebonies dates back to the late 1970s. Historical accounts describe the group evolving from its early gospel roots and becoming an important force in Uganda’s entertainment scene. By the 1980s and 1990s, Jimmy Katumba and The Ebonies had become particularly well known across Uganda.
Jimmy Katumba himself became known for his distinctive baritone voice and songs including “Twalina Omukwano,” “Drums of Africa” and “Fa Kukyolina.”
For many Ugandans of that generation, The Ebonies were part of the soundtrack of their lives.
The Ebonies were a family
Like any large group of creative people, The Ebonies had many members over the years.
There were musicians.
There were singers.
There were dancers.
There were actors.
There were performers working behind the scenes.
And there were many different personalities.
When you have that many creative people together, there will naturally be differences, challenges and difficult moments.
But what I remember most is something else.
When we stepped onto that stage, we were one.
Whatever personal differences may have existed away from the spotlight, the audience saw the Ebonies.
We performed as a family.
We gave everything we had to the audience.
That is one of the memories I carry with me to this day.
Jimmy Katumba – the man at the beginning
For me, this tribute ultimately goes back to one person.
Jimmy Katumba.
Jimmy’s musical journey began at a very young age through church music, before he went on to build a career that would make him one of Uganda’s best-known popular musicians. Historical accounts place the formation and development of the group in the late 1970s, during the period when Katumba and his collaborators were building what would become The Ebonies.
His influence extended beyond simply being a singer.
He was part of the development of a style of entertainment that brought music and performance together in a way that connected strongly with Ugandan audiences.
And for young performers like me, being around that environment was an education in itself.
Jimmy Katumba died on 13 August 2006, but the music and memories he helped create continue to live on.
Why create this video now?
That is where this project comes in.
Technology has given us new ways to revisit the past.
I wanted to use that technology to create a visual tribute — a glimpse of the kind of performance that many people remember and that an entire younger generation may never have had the opportunity to see.
This isn’t an attempt to replace history.
It isn’t an attempt to pretend that the past can literally be brought back.
It is an artistic recreation created from memory, music, imagination and technology.
It is my way of saying:
We remember.
And perhaps more importantly:
We want the next generation to know.
For those who were there…
If you watched Jimmy Katumba & The Ebonies perform during their great years, I hope this video brings back a memory.
Perhaps you remember a particular concert.
Perhaps you remember the sound of the drums.
Perhaps you remember the costumes, the dancing, the drama or the atmosphere when the performers walked onto the stage.
Perhaps you were one of the many people who simply loved the music.
If this video takes you back, I would love to hear your story.
What do you remember about Jimmy Katumba & The Ebonies?
Tell me in the comments on YouTube.
And for those who weren’t there…
This part is equally important to me.
There is a generation that never had the opportunity to see Jimmy Katumba perform.
They never stood in an audience waiting for The Ebonies to take the stage.
They never experienced the excitement of those live performances.
They know the name perhaps.
They may have heard the songs.
But they never saw the phenomenon.
This project is partly for them.
Consider it a small window into another time.
A time when a live performance could bring together music, dance, drama and culture and turn a stage into an entire world.
Drums of Africa
And that brings us to the song.
Drums of Africa.
The title itself feels appropriate for this tribute.
The drum has always been more than an instrument in African musical traditions.
It can carry rhythm.
It can carry celebration.
It can bring people together.
And in this project, the drums also represent memory.
The rhythm connecting one generation to another.
The musicians who played before us.
The performers who inspired us.
And the young musicians who will carry the journey forward.
A tribute beyond time
I chose the words “A Tribute Beyond Time” because music has a strange ability to outlive the people who create it.
Jimmy Katumba is gone.
Many of the performers from that era have moved on.
The stages have changed.
Technology has changed.
The music industry has changed.
But the memories remain.
And as long as people continue to listen, remember and tell the stories, a part of that musical legacy continues to exist.
This video is my small contribution to that memory.
From one former young Ebonies percussionist to the man who helped start it all:
Thank you, Jimmy.
And to all the musicians, performers, technicians, organisers, families and fans who were part of the Ebonies journey:
Thank you for the memories.
Watch the tribute
🎵 Drums of Africa – Jimmy Katumba & The Ebonies | A Tribute Beyond Time
Watch the video on my YouTube channel and experience this artistic recreation of a piece of Ugandan musical history.
👉 Watch the video:
If you remember Jimmy Katumba and The Ebonies, share this page with someone who was there.
If you’re discovering them for the first time, share it with someone who should know about this incredible chapter in Uganda’s music history.
And most importantly:
Subscribe for more
This is only the beginning.
I will be creating and sharing more music, memories, stories and artistic recreations inspired by the music and performers who shaped my journey.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel and join me as we revisit more unforgettable music from Uganda and beyond.
👉 Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@georgewilliamz
A final word from me
I was fortunate enough to be a young percussionist inside that world.
At the time, I didn’t know that those experiences would stay with me for the rest of my life.
Today, I look back with gratitude.
This video is not simply about recreating a performance.
It is about remembering where some of us came from.
It is about honouring the people who opened doors for those who followed.
And it is about making sure that the music and memories of an extraordinary generation are not forgotten.
For those who remember.
For those who never had the chance.
And for those who are discovering Jimmy Katumba & The Ebonies for the first time.
This is a tribute beyond time.
— George Williamz