performed frequently to enthusiastic audiences throughout Uganda until 1982, when he was forced to flee to Kenya as a political refugee. Samite immigrated to the United States in 1987, and now he and his wife Sandra make their home in Ithaca, New York. Today his smooth vocals accompanied by the kalimba, marimba, litungu, and various flutes mesmerize audiences throughout the world.
Samite has released eight CDs internationally and in 2009, the film Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, which features his original score, debuted nationally on PBS. Samite released My Music World, in 2010 and, as he states, the album captures more of who he is than any of his previous albums. "It represents influences from all the places I have been, from my childhood in Uganda, and my life in Kenya as a refugee, to my current travels in Africa with my work for Musicians for World Harmony. I am always inspired by my surroundings– my childhood hikes into the forest, my teenage years in Kampala, and my visits to refugee camps and orphanages." Most recently, Samite composed the soundtrack for the film Addiction Incorporated and his ninth CD, Trust {Inspired by the soundtrack for the film "Addiction Incorporated"} is scheduled to be released in early 2012.
Samite is the subject of the documentary, Song of the Refugee, distributed by PBS in 1998. It was while filming this that Samite's work as a humanitarian began. In 2002, he founded Musicians for World Harmony, an organization dedicated to enabling musicians throughout the world to share their music to promote peace, understanding, and harmony among people. In that capacity he travels to sing, play music, and exchange stories with victims of war, poverty and HIV/AIDS. He has traveled extensively the war-torn and distressed countries of Uganda, Kenya, Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Latvia, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire to work in refugee camps, with former child soldiers and AIDS orphans. In his role as Founding Director of Musicians for World Harmony, Samite is fortunate to bring his message of peace to a wide audience. He performed his arrangement of the traditional Baganda song, Ani Oyo for The Dalai Lama in 2007 during Bridging Worlds with His Holiness The Dalia Lama in Ithaca, NY. In 2009 he performed at "Connecting For Change," part of the 2009 Vancouver Peace Summit: Nobel Laureates in Dialogue, hosted by the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education. In the fall of 2011, Samite performed and spoke at the UNHCR 60th Anniversary Celebration in New York City.
Tony Cedras:BORN in Elsies River, Cape Town in 1952, Tony Cedras is a sought after session player who has toured the world as part of the Gracelands show band,and before that, as a member of Amandla cultural ensemble in exile.
Cedras' first musical experiences were in the local church choir, singing and also playing accordion. He soon progressed to trumpet, taking in the local jazz scene, as well as the American jazz influences prominent in South Africa at that time.
Cedras' became a key session player in the Cape jazz circuit, working with artists such as Jonathan Butler, tenor saxophonist Winston Mankunku Ngozi,altoist Robbie Jansen, flautist/guitarist Russel Herman, and bassist Basil Moses. The Estudio project, together with Robbie Jansen and others was acknowledged as a highlight of this period.
After touring inside South Africa, Cedras relocated to Gaberone, in the neighbouring state of Botswana in the early 1980's. At that stage, Botswana was a home-away-from-home for many exiles, and it was here that he met trombonist/bandleader Jonas Gwangwa. Gwangwa was the musical director of the Amandla ensemble of the ANC, which Cedras joined, travelling not only in Africa, but also in Europe, Canada and Brazil.
While working with Amandla, Cedras spent time in London, where he made contact with other South African artists who were part of the ex-patriot South African music scene. He moved there in 1985, and soon formed the group Kintone, a band which "explored the common musical ground between its West Indian and South African membership". Kintone recorded two albums for Sterns Africa, and built a solid live performance profile in the UK
Late in 1986, Cedras returned to Southern Africa. He again worked with the exile artists community, participating in the Buwa project headed by Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu. This musical toured extensively in Africa.While in Zimbabwe, Cedras was contacted with the request for him to join the Graceland tour band. Hugh Masekela had recommended to Paul Simon that Cedras could provide valuable musical input. Cedras thus toured with Paul Simon's Graceland for most of the period 1987 - 1989, and then from 1990 -1992 with Simon's Born at the Right Time tour.
Having built a solid working rapport with Masekela and Miriam Makeba (who also participated in the Gracelands tour), he did extensive work with their respective bands. He also toured with Harry Belafonte during 1993 and Henry Threadgill in 1994. His debut solo album, Vision Over People was released during this period, and he also returned to perform in his home, Cape Town.
Recording credits include work with Paul Simon, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, Ziggy Marley, Henry Threadgill, Milton Nascimento, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Cassandra Wilson, Samite and Jonathan Butler.
Tony Cedras is based in Brooklyn, New York, where he regularly perform with fellow ex-patriots such as bassist Bakithi Kumalo and saxophonist Morris Goldberg. He frequently works with trumpeter Chris Botti, drummers Damon Duewhite and Maciek Schejbal, percussionist Cyro Baptista, and Cameroonian-born vocalist Kaissa
Charles Evans Jr:
At age nine, Charles Evans Jr.’s first film work was clearing 16mm trim bins (reconstituting picture and sound scraps) for his mother, documentarian Frances Evans, while she edited.
Evans earned his undergraduate degree at UC-Berkley with a major in “Short Story Writing.” His thesis, a collection of short stories, won the University’s Eisner Prize For Literature.
Evans went on to complete the production program at University of Southern California’s film school. He wrote, produced and directed his thesis, “Second Son”. Shot in 35mm, the film went on to win twelve awards including the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand’s competition.
Evans worked for two years at Touchstone Pictures as Director of Development for Randall Kleiser Productions, before founding Acappella Pictures in March, 1993.
Evans produced Johnny Depp’s directorial debut, THE BRAVE, based on the novel by Gregory Mcdonald. Johnny and Marlon Brando starred. The production was an official selection for competition in the 1997 Cannes film festival
