A Return to Melody, Rhythm and Lyrics

Uche simply delivers good music, the way it used to be.

To draw attention, some musicians are known simply by their first names. Uche’s (pronounced oo-chay) lengthy last name makes this mostly a necessity. Born outside of London to Nigerian parents, Uche Onwugbufor moved to the United States and spent his childhood in the Midwest. “I’m a Wichita boy,” he says.

Uche’s music and his influences are somewhat surprising. “When people look at me, they think I’m going to pull out some jazz or blues,” he says. “I’m an unabashed pop guy. I grew up listening to everything on the radio, like the Beatles, Mellencamp, Springsteen, the Doobie Brothers and the Jackson Five.”

Sometimes he sounds like Hootie and the Blowfish. Uche’s contagious beat and strong vocals evoke a relaxed feeling and an image of someone sitting on the front porch, strumming a guitar, feet up on the railing. “I call it the return of good music,” he explains. “Melody, rhythm and lyrics.” Woven throughout are themes of lost love, triumph and regret—“Heavy on the regret,” he says. “I love the sad songs. The best compliment is when people become emotionally connected to my songs and say, ‘that is me.’”

Five years ago, the budding songwriter who’d never played outside his home made a fateful trip to the Artichoke. He hasn’t missed more than six monthly sessions since. “The great thing about Bryan Masters’ group is that it isn’t an open mic or jam. You have to play things that have come out of your mouth.”

Mojo, Uche’s first CD, was a mostly acoustic, mostly solo extended play. His new project called Gunshy is a full-length CD that should press after January 2007. Joining him is The Krash, his new back-up band: guitarist Carter Robert Green, bass player Adam Ewing and drummer Justin DeFever. “They add texture to my music, more rhythm,” he says. National steel-guitar player Stephen Bennett will also play on the acoustic version of the song “Angels and Devils.”

Uche’s Gunshy will be available online after the first of the year at CDBaby, AwareStore and iTunes.