James Kakande

Soulful Music with a Melodic Twist.

For James Kakande, art, especially music, is the light that can illuminate the dark sides of the soul. He records music to preserve this light and to be able to call it up in dark times. In this way, he is reminiscent of Frederick, the protagonist in Leo Lionni's famous children's story, who brightens his family's cold winter days with the rays of sunlight he has collected in the summer.

Writing gives James Kakande support, helps him find his focus and concentrate his inspiration. Some ideas haunt him longer, linger in his head, go to his heart, stir up pain, appear in his dreams - until they are finally written down. Yet minor is his major. Each song tells its own story, and each story waits for someone to be touched by it and carry it with them.

Although James Kakande's main instruments are his voice, piano, guitar and bass, in his head he is always accompanied by a full band. He lets saxophone, trumpet and trombone flow into his arrangements, adds the rhythm of drums or percussion and does not shy away from electronic elements to accompany his extraordinary lyrics. It is this mixture that makes his music so inimitable and fascinating.