<p>Kinobe and his acoustic group, The African Sensation, bring the traditional sounds of Africa to the North Coast. Submitted photo</p>

ASTORIA – Kinobe and his acoustic band, The African Sensation, share the traditional sounds of Uganda and the African continent. Traditional African instruments – koras, kalimbas, adungus, endongos, ngonis, and drums – come together to prove, once again, that music is the most beautiful, universal language.

The kora is a harp-like instrument with 21 strings that showers wondrous cascades of sound. It’s just one of the six that Kinobe plays onstage – all of which he makes himself. They range from the okogo (thumb piano) to endere (Ugandan flute). In all, he and the members of his group bring a dozen exotic-sounding (and looking) instruments to the stage.

“To say the band was a hit at the Islands Folk Festival is an understatement, they ended up being the top selling CD artist for the entire Festival.” -Robert McCourty, Islands Folk Festival, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

“Their genuine warmth with the crowd, impressive musicality and overall enthusiasm created a truly enjoyable and memorable evening for our audiences.” – Tom Rota, One Longfellow Square, Portland, Maine

Kinobe has been performing internationally since the age of 10, captivating audiences with virtuoso performances of Ugandan roots music as well as original compositions, reflecting a wealth of African and world influences. A multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, Kinobe leads his listeners into the soul of African music with traditional instruments, songs and stories from his homeland. Born in 1983 near Lake Victoria, Kinobe began playing music at the age of 5, and five years later traveled to Netherlands with a group of musicians for his first international performance. It was this trip that introduced him to the diversity of musical traditions throughout the world, opening his ears to new sounds and launching a life-changing interest in world music.

Kinobe and The African Sensation will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center at 16th Street and Franklin Avenue. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $17 for adults or $8 for youth ages 15 and younger. Tickets are available in advance from Coast Community Radio KMUN, (503) 325-0010, and will be available at the door. The concert is presented by and benefits Coast Community Radio.