Zaake Nathan is a Ugandan musician who plays folk and traditional music on Ugandan musical instruments that he has handcrafted himself.
Zaake Nathan was born in 1986 in Lubiri, Uganda, the heart of the Buganda region which was incorporated into Uganda. Lubiri is the royal capital and the king’s palace employs the very best of the local musicians: the sounds from the drums in this palace wake up the whole village every morning and sometimes they play for 24 hours or more, especially during healing ceremonies and royal celebrations.
Nathan grew up near the palace and this gave him an early introduction to drumming and music. Like many young African men, a drum was his first instrument. The drum is the centre of rhythm in the music of Buganda and Uganda. It is also a symbol of respect and power in the kingdom. It’s therefore the pride of every Head of the family to have a drum in their home for music and for communication.
Nathan draws on this influence to develop his music as a storytelling tool, to communicate a particular message to the listener.
Nathan started his musical journey at the early age of 7, and by the time he was 15 he had already toured throughout Africa, Europe and Asia. At 16 he began to tour as a support act to professional groups, representing his country in Africa, Europe and America.
In 2003 he travelled to France and Spain with the Akadinda K’Africa Cultural Troupe to perform in the International Festival de Pyrenees.
In 2004 Nathan joined a more professional and bigger group the Ndere Troupe with which he has performed both locally on weddings, special occasions, anniversaries and also on the international scene in Rwanda (2005), Macedonia in the Skomrahi (2007 and 2008), Texas Dance Africa (2007), Austria (2008), Slovenia (2008), Trinidad and Tobago at the emancipation day celebrations (2008), Spain at the Expo in Zaragoza (2008).
Nathan has also done solo performances and conducted workshops both on the local and International Scene. Locally he has conducted workshops with SchoolNet Uganda in the World Starts with Me project (2008 and 2009), workshop with the Oxford Dance Company during the 2009 Aberdeen International Youth Festival. Internationally he has performed in Rwanda (2006), Kenya (2006) and the in Scotland (United Kingdom) in the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (2009), Gallowgate Festival (2009), Turriff show (2009) and in Edinburgh in the Edinburgh MELA festival (2009).