AFRICOSMIC | Musicosity

AFRICOSMIC

Lekan Babalola

In addition to having a pretanatural sensibility for percussion in post-modern improvisational music, Lekan Babalola is a curator at heart. Founder of the Ifa-Yoruba Contemporary Arts Trust, his singular passion has been to elucidate and bring full forward the culture and arts of the Yoruba, encompassing the wide range of its expression in Africa and the diaspora. Babalola started his career playing in the Yoruba-Christian church owned by his father, Olayiwola Babalola. As his skills as a master percussionist grew, he was invited to join Gasperlawal in 1980.

Read more about Lekan Babalola on Last.fm.

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Junior Murvin

Junior Murvin (born Murvin Smith Jr. in Port Antonio, circa 1949) is a Jamaican reggae artist. He is best known for the classic single "Police and Thieves", produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1976. Murvin's soaring voice and the infectious rhythm made "Police and Thieves" into an international hit during the summer of 1976. The song was so influential that it was recorded by the punk rock pioneers The Clash on their debut album the following year.

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Batida

Batida is the name of a radio show that, since 2007, promotes DJ Dj Mpula's favourites on everything Afro or Afro inspired urban music. Stuff like Kwaito, Kuduro, Brazilian Funk, Dancehall, Pretoria and other Afro House, etc, on the national station Antena 3. Radio Fazuma is now presenting “Dance Mwangolé”, to make you move your hips like a Mwangolé. The story of the record goes like this: Dj Mpula did a research on archives of old Angolan Music...

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Lone Ranger

Borrowing his stage name from the popular TV Western hero of the same name, the Lone Ranger was one of Jamaica's most influential early dancehall DJs. He helped pioneer a newly rhythmic, on-the-beat rhyming style that led DJ toasting into the modern age, and punctuated his lyrics with bizarre exclamations and sound effects ("bim" and "ribbit" were his favorites) that made him perhaps the most imaginative stylist of his time.

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Buika

Buika (b.1972) is a Spanish singer. Her music mixes flamenco with soul, jazz ,and funk. Born Concha Buika in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, her family came from Equatorial Guinea; she grew up among gypsy people. Ever since she was a child her musical talent was evident, but it was after a visit to London to study drama when, after being invited to a Pat Metheny concert that her life changed. From that moment she began her musical career. During the 1990s she took part in different productions, such as Ombra by La Fura Dels Baus and the soundtrack for the Spanish film Km.

Read more about Buika on Last.fm.

Norman Connors

Norman Connors (born March 1, 1947 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and headliner, who has led some influential jazz and R&B groups. He had some big R&B hits of the day, especially in the area love ballads and songs with a positive statement in both titles and lyrics. Connors became interested in jazz as a child, and began playing drums early, once sitting in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance he attended while in middle school.

Read more about Norman Connors on Last.fm.

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