By Athene Oveh, Lagos

originally published in TARUWA MAGAZINE

Music Review: ‘Asoju Oba’ by AYETORO
Ayetoro is an internationally acclaimed Afrojazz collective led by one of Nigeria's most talented composers and pianists Funsho Ogundipe.

Ayetoro was formed by Nigerian Pianist, Composer and Music Director, Funsho Ogundipe. It straddles both the Afrobeat and Jazz worlds equally creating a sound which draws energy from the highly percussive Afrobeat keeping music lovers excited with its intensity. A global band which exists in different forms in different places, the creative sounds evolve constantly under Ogundipe’s direction to create different versions in Lagos, London and Accra. 

With this, the third international release and coming on the heels of the critically acclaimed Omo Obokun Afrobeat Chronicles Ayetoro take Afrobeat into modern territory with Soul and Hip Hop added to the rich brew of Afrofuturistic Jazz and Afrobeats.

Asoju Oba is the first Ep from the third in the Afrobeat Chronicles series. It features all three versions of the group and was recorded in Accra Lagos and London.

The album in the Afrobeat Chronicles series. Featuring the cream of African and Diasporic talent this EP introduces Lady Jay from Ghana who sings lead vocals on Baba Don Go, a tribute to Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Other talents featured from the Hip Hop camp include Lagos based producer and rapper Hakeem Yesufu aka Mendo and Akinyemi Ogundipe aka Skillz a young Lagos based Rapper.

Who both feature on 'Seeds in the Pod' a Hip hop meets Afrobeat Jazz like joint. Its diminished chords and minor scales provide a platform for some deep Jazz/Rap inspired by the Sufi Poetry of India's Ibn al Arabi.

The Jazz heavyweights are still flexing their improvisational skills. Music muscles as Music Director Composer Funsho Ogundipe on Piano and Keys and Trumpeter Byron Wallen and Clarinetist Shabaka Hutchings illuminate the album with entrancing colours.

Asoju Oba is an imagining of what Afrobeat would sound like in the hands of the great Thelonious Monk.  It's a funky dance floor number with sax and piano solos and a free Jazz outro.

Its cover is a collaborative work involving Prila Paiva, a Brazilian artist who is steeped in African culture. It is an esoteric representation of an Ifa story. The new album is titled Asoju Oba, which roughly means the King's eyes. It is inspired by the writings of the Brazilian author Jorge Amado who exposed Yoruba culture to the Portuguese speaking world.


Official. 'Asoju Oba' Ayetoro's new EP available online as digital download
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ayetoro/id78713249


Ayetoro EPK
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- Taruwa Magazine

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