Duke Amayo is a well-recognized determine to followers of America’s pioneering Afrobeat band, Antibalas. A charismatic and flamboyant frontman, Amayo has supplied Antibalas reveals and recordings with an genuine shot of Nigeria-ness. And no shock. Amayo grew up in the identical Lagos neighborhood as Fela Kuti, and commenced attending reveals at Fela’s Shrine at a young age. Quick ahead to 2025, and Amayo is releasing an formidable, themed album referred to as Lion Awakes, an formidable mashup of Afrobeat punch, Chinese language martial arts lore, and optimistic Afrofuturism. Afropop’s Banning Eyre spoke with Amayo about his life, profession, passions and the brand new album. This is their dialog.
Amayo debuts his new music on the Brooklyn Bowl on January 29.
Banning Eyre: Amayo, I do not suppose we have ever performed a correct interview earlier than, so let’s begin at the start. Inform me about your beginnings in Nigeria and the way you ended up in New York.
Duke Amayo: If I can go a little bit bit additional again, it began with the Nigerian Civil Warfare [1967-70]. Like quite a lot of us, I used to be uprooted. I ended up in Ghana with my grandmother. She was the one which raised me and my different cousins.
Had been you within the East earlier than that?
No, we have been in Lagos, however consider it or not, the warfare affected us. My father was the top postmaster, and one way or the other his place positioned him in danger throughout that point. So, you recognize, our neighborhood, our home, typically bought caught up in fires, associated or not associated. I used to be 9 years previous on the time, and the local weather then was simply quite a lot of chaos. So I resulted in Ghana and I occurred to reach there the day that the neighborhood was internet hosting their month-to-month fights, an organized combat for the neighborhood.
Boxing? Wrestling?
No, simply freestyle combating, no matter. Wrap your t-shirt round your arm. It was simply to assist management violence locally. This was the day of aggression, the day you set free your aggression. Anybody that had points, this was your likelihood. Then there was by no means any violence locally.
Wow. Fascinating.
So, I arrived on that day and my grandmother pushed me. She stated, “Go. Make your self recognized.” So, proper there, that is the place I developed my combating spirit. When you undergo your first of these kind of organized fights, it type of eliminates worry. You’re accepted, and then you definitely’re one of many individuals. It is some form of communal glue, a ceremony of passage, if you’ll. “That is our neighborhood.” And each weekend we performed rhythms with congas. This man was educating us congas, and all the youngsters in that class realized this one piece. That piece has stayed with me ever since. I constructed round that piece. It was my consolation zone when it got here to enjoying. “Take a solo, Amayo.” That is it. That was my factor.
So, not figuring out that music was one thing I used to be gonna be pursuing, I went again to Nigeria after there was a authorities change. Sani Abacha got here into energy and Ghana tried to expel all foreigners. So I used to be in that group that was expelled. That was very traumatic. Afterward, Nigeria had their very own little revenge.
Yeah. I keep in mind that. Ghana Should Go!
Yeah, issues bought a little bit testy between Ghana and Nigeria then. However you recognize what? Nigeria’s revenge created this entire vogue assertion referred to as Ghana Should Go. Keep in mind that? Anyway, that entire period for me was all about educating and studying. There have been alternatives for me as a child. I used to be very, very fortunate to have learn this e book referred to as The Third Eye. The e book was given to me by this man who offered books in our neighborhood. He gave me comedian books after which at some point he gave me this one. “Yo, test this e book out.” And that modified my life as a 10-year-old.
I discovered myself pondering of myself as a yogi, you recognize? It felt like I knew what was occurring, and it was very pure. It gave me this little further factor. I lived in a family of 10 individuals, as a result of my father was a polygamist. My mother raised all his youngsters; she raised all people else’s youngsters. So we at all times had at the very least 10 individuals in our home. It was communal residing. My grandmother was additionally a priestess in a church, the Aladura Church. It is the Baptist Church and so they do a kind of worship the place you put on white robes. You all costume like popes, and we play music. There are sections for the worshipers, and the part for musicians, and the sections for dreamers. And I used to be one of many dreamers and I performed an instrument. I used to be allowed to play this banjo instrument, like a one-string banjo. The rhythms in church have been quite simple.
Okay.
That was my basis coming again to Nigeria. So I am watching how my grandmother was navigating. She was like a shaman, a priestess, rocking the church factor. We have been in a position to type of mix into that life-style as a result of she was doing it so easily. She really helped heal me. I used to be a really sickly little one. I used to be at all times sick. My mother did not know what was occurring. My grandmother discovered the treatment for me and it got here by way of conventional medication. So my basis was type of solidified. I did not should search for non secular conviction wherever else. I used to be residing it, it was round me.
I used to be additionally an illustrator. I had the power to see, I imply, not a superhero-style see by way of partitions. However I had a notion of area, type of a present. I used to be not simply an illustrator, I used to be a technical illustrator. I may do engine dissections, learn how to put all of it collectively. That was my world. So I utilized that to every thing I used to be doing, and music was simply a kind of issues the place that got here into play.
I see. There’s precision there.
Sure. Then martial arts was additionally my factor, and the music was just like the soundtrack for my martial arts. Fela Kuti grew to become like my instructor. I grew up in his neighborhood and that is who you aspired, to not be like, however to actlike. He simply had this air round him and what he was saying again then… These of us, my friends, we believed what he was saying. You understand, while you’re a youngster, you wish to be radical.
Had been you a kind of guys who would present up on the Shrine for these rehearsals? I do know he would rehearse new songs in entrance of followers to gauge their reactions.
Really, I didn’t go for rehearsals. I went for reveals. After I got here from boarding college Iin Benin Metropolis, I went straight to Shrine.
Boarding college?
Yeah. When my mother came upon that I used to be doing martial arts, she bought upset with me and put me on this boarding college. It was in a deep, deep, deep village, a spot referred to as Ashaka in Kwale. That is the world the place the perfect dancers within the nation come from, the Atilogu dancers. So I went to high school there at this unbelievable college that simply occurred to have actually cool individuals who have been forward of their time. Our faculty prefect was obsessive about vocabulary. He collected phrases. So he type of impressed us too. We had a little bit debating membership and he grew to become the debating society president. Then there have been courses in agriculture. They’d offer you a little bit plot of land. “Go develop your individual meals, and harvest it.” And you bought graded.
Hmm, fascinating.
So we have been on this actually cool college. Our basketball coach was the Reverend Father of the Catholic Church of the city. He was type of an alcoholic, however was so cool with us as a result of he fashioned our basketball group. He was like considered one of us, despite the fact that he was our coach. He was Irish, so he had this edge about him. He was a really activist kind man, just like the individuals me and my friends appeared as much as. And the village subsequent door to us was the place the place I might say many of the marijuana that will be delivered to Lagos got here from. So there was this man who drove this taxi, a Citroyen 504 station wagon, that was my transport to return to Shrine. I may take it again to Lagos, loaded with stuff.
That will need to have been a wild experience.
We might head into Ikeja for a brief break. However I spent my first two days on the Shrine earlier than I bought house to my mother.
And she or he in all probability did not know what your mode of transportation was, did she?
She knew. Everybody knew. As a result of that was the one solution to journey. It was the quickest solution to journey. You would take the mini buses or you possibly can take the 504s.
However the ganja automotive, the one which goes straight to Fela?
Nicely, nobody knew about that. That was inside information. However you recognize what? Apart from the truth that it was inside information, that entire village that we drove by… all the place smelled prefer it. You understand, while you drive by way of rural America, you scent the product, no matter it could be. So I grew up in that. My final yr, I ended up collaborating on this arts cultural occasion we had in that faculty. That type of set me up, as a result of in that occasion, I carried out as a singer, I did a Marvin Gaye music and I bought first place.
What was the Marvin Gaye music?
My God, man. You understand, “Sexual Therapeutic” was my mother’s favourite.
I had a sense. Lovely music.
Anyway, that a part of my life was what set me up in a path the place I may go into artwork. After which Festac 77 occurred. Throughout Festac, I used to be in a position to shine with all of the little abilities I had developed at school. I used to be supplied this gig to drive, to shuttle individuals from Festac Village to their performances. I used to be driving this little Volvo automotive that was owned by this man referred to as John Chuku, who was well-known Nigerian comic. He took a liking to quite a lot of youngsters my age who have been pretending to be Individuals, despite the fact that we have been simply being hip.
That will need to have been a enjoyable gig.
My goodness, Festac! Festac gave me the motivation that I wished to go to the place all these artists got here from. I wished to go to the place Stevie Marvel got here from, the place Solar Ra got here from. All these folks that I bought an opportunity to catch a glimpse of throughout Festac. And through Festac, I additionally bought to go to Shrine much more, as a result of all of the artists at Festac would go to Shrine after hours.
That was the place I first noticed Sandra Izsidore [the American woman credited with “radicalizing” Fela in 1969.] I bear in mind precisely: she had an afro, and he or she was sporting white, white, white, white denims. I do not know, Jordache was not in type then, but it surely was a kind of Jordache-like denims. Man, that was some spectacular instances. And hey, these have been the instances that I credit score for what I am doing as we speak, as a result of I attempt to encapsulate these moments, I attempt to categorical it each time, my Festac second, you recognize?
That is a very good muse to have, I might say. So when did you find yourself really pursuing that dream and going to the place all these artists got here from?
Proper after Festac, I used to be working in a financial institution, as a result of my mother was a financial institution supervisor. She was one of many first feminine financial institution managers again then, and when she was going by way of her personal troublesome instances. She was principally serving to to raise quite a lot of her pals to work in her circle. So she put me in a financial institution to work in international trade, proper after highschool. And whereas I used to be working in international trade, I used to be saving all my pennies as a result of I used to be planning to come back to America. In that financial institution, I had entry to repeat machines, so I might go to the library to gather college names. I had about 50 universities that I utilized to. It is type of the factor you do. I knew I wished to go to school in America, and my ticket out was to get accepted and use my acceptance letter to get my visa. That was the plan. Now, how that will occur was all going to be like a miracle. It was actually troublesome again then.
I am certain it was.
As a result of universities in Nigeria have been oversaturated. You would get accepted within the college in Nigeria, however you would be on a ready checklist. You would sit on a ready checklist for years. Lots of people who find yourself on a ready checklist simply principally gave up. So I had plan: I am gonna make my transfer to the U.S. by making use of to schools. I had excellent soccer abilities, and I ended up profitable some soccer scholarships. I bought soccer scholarships to 2 universities and I took the one in Texas. However Texas gave me a tuition-only scholarship. I wished to hustle for a full scholarship. So whereas I used to be in Texas, the varsity received the championship. Then I used to be eyeing different faculties that I may switch to the place I may discover a higher and get a full scholarship.
Fortuitously for me, my uncle, who was additionally a really well-known soccer participant, was going to Howard. So he invited me to come back as much as Howard and I went. After I bought to Howard’s campus, man, I used to be like, “That is Mecca. That is the Black Mecca.” Howard again then, man, had women, the best women!
So that is late 70s, early 80s now?
1979 was once I transferred to Howard. I got here to Texas in ’78, so in ’79 I used to be at Howard as a sophomore. The soccer coach stated, “We’re gonna lengthen your scholarship from Texas since you guys received the championship.” We have been recognized within the soccer neighborhood, however I used to be like, “Man, I nonetheless need the complete scholarship.” So at some point I used to be watching soccer follow. The primary recreation I had seen on tv was Dallas Cowboys enjoying Washington Redskins. And I noticed Rafael Septien kick a discipline aim. And once I noticed that discipline aim that man kicked, it left a little bit mark in my head. “I believe I ought to attempt that. That is how I can in all probability get my full scholarship.”
So at Howard, I attempted out with the Howard soccer group. They knew I used to be Nigerian, and so they knew I got here from the soccer group. I had the right state of affairs. Three seconds to the tip of the sport, and it got here all the way down to fourth quarter, and I needed to kick a 62-yard discipline aim. So the coach stated, “Put that Nigerian boy in there! What’s his identify once more? Duke Amoko?” He referred to as me Duke Amoko. “Get him up in right here!” You understand, they bought me on the sphere, and man, I appeared on the submit, I put my head down and I kicked that ball as a result of, you recognize, that was my factor in soccer. I used to be a midfielder, defensive midfielder, and I may put the ball wherever you wished.
You had that talent.
I had that already, you recognize. So I checked out that submit, man, I hit that factor. Then, you recognize, the everyday story. The entire group screamed. They picked me up within the air. They carried me up the mile. They have been calling me Mayonnaise, as a result of they did not know learn how to pronounce my identify. “Mayonnaise! Mayonnaise. Duke Amoko!” Then the coach was, “Give the boy a full scholarship.”
I adore it. That is nice.
That was how I bought my scholarship. Howard College was very gracious for me to have spent that entire, like the remainder of my three years with a full scholarship within the artwork division, which was one other a bizarre combo. I used to be within the artwork division with a soccer scholarship, enjoying soccer and being gone each weekend. know, like that was, that truly was my first expertise of being on a flight with a group, you recognize? Quick ahead, and right here I’m on flights with Antibalas. You understand, once I was 11, 12, 13, rising up with 10 youngsters, my consolation zone had at all times been in a bunch. So I at all times have a look at Antiballas as the purpose the place that group setting lastly met its match.
Discuss concerning the starting of Antibalas.
It was a complete bunch of leaders within the first era of the band, within the very starting. After I say very starting, it was 1998, pre-millennium. That is after we had a strong band. We have been prepared for the world. I joined in ’99, the yr earlier than the millennium. In order that entire subsequent yr was after we rocked out at No Extra in Manhattan.
I noticed you guys quite a lot of instances. I notably bear in mind your night-closing present at WOMEX in Spain in 2005. That was one thing.
Oh, man. Spain. That was a tricky one as a result of to get to that venue, we needed to carry all of our devices. I keep in mind that I used to be enjoying three congas then, so I needed to carry two and one particular person carried the third one for me. And we needed to stroll. Not solely that, there was heavy site visitors. We needed to stroll by way of site visitors, hauling gear, so we could not get to the venue on time.
Nicely, you guys killed it anyway. I bear in mind being so impressed by that present.
I will let you know, man, there are such a lot of excessive factors that made that occur. We have been on this excessive vibration. We’re enjoying, everybody’s feeling good, we’re altering the world. That was essential to really feel like you’re making a change, as a result of the primary yr of enjoying at No Extra in Manhattan, that was the defining second the place we had like an 18-piece band. Everybody who got here to New York would present up. It felt just like the Shrine in a manner, as a result of it had this natural really feel to it. That made every thing. And that was once I wrote my first music, “MTTT.”
Which stands for?
“Mom Talker Tik Tok.” I wrote a music and I stated, “This music is gonna be timeless.” So my first yr once I joined the band, I spent that yr writing that music as a result of all through the entire time the band was enjoying Fela’s repertoire, and a few instrumentals that Martin [Perna] and Gabe [Roth] pulled out of repertoire. You understand, all of us type of contributed. However largely, it was all Fela’s music to start with. However I used to be decided. I do know that if I am in Nigeria, I might by no means play Fela’s music. You would not dare. However we had the freedom of advancing his music with none interruption. Everybody was simply in awe as a result of we got here in with an genuine method, not attempting to dilute or make it sound higher. All you are able to do is simply honor it and hit your notes, proper? As a result of Fela has all these musicians who have been type of studying, so musicianship bought a lot better. Nevertheless it was that entire genuine sound, you recognize? That was so essential, and that was my position. My position was to lend authenticity. And I didn’t let notes fly by with out me making a remark.
Oh, yeah?
Sure. But additionally I had, if you wish to say, a sublime manner of doing it, with out sounding like I knew every thing. As a result of the person who I used to be coping with was Gabe. Gabe Roth was a grasp at taking the music and reverse engineering it. He may determine what makes this music work. The deconstruction of the songs is the place it is at. When you may determine learn how to deconstruct after which recompose. Clearly, that may be a high-level manner of creating music sound genuine, simply to have the ability to perceive the language that’s being written in and the nuances of these rhythms, as a result of Fela was writing primarily within the Yoruba language. So in the event you mess with that melody otherwise you mess with the form of it, you are now talking in one other language.
Yup. Completely.
Or you possibly can say you at the moment are talking the opposite dialects.
Certain. Afrobeat is like that. It is bought its core, however there’s room for innovation, as the brand new generations has proven.
Precisely. And hey, there are lots of extra rooms. That is only the start, you recognize what I am saying? Fela wrote in Yoruba. Nicely, how about Efik? How about Igbo? How about Ibibio? You begin taking a look at all these different languages that every one sit on a mattress of what? Orisha rhythms. All sitting on prime of the underlying clavé.
Let’s come to your present challenge. I noticed you guys opening up for Femi in Norwalk, CT, in 2022. I preferred the music. It felt to me like an unique tackle Afrobeat. Discuss concerning the level while you determined to have your individual factor.
Nicely, there have been many moments once I wished to try this. Proper after my first music, “MTTT,” which I offered to the band in direction of the tip of our run at No Extra and earlier than 11th of September occurred. I offered that music and it grew to become the one music that simply modified every thing for Antiballas at the moment. It began the journey to put in writing new materials. The originality door was open for me. That music grew to become my template for writing.
Now, after I did that one music, I began trying extra into my Kung Fu teachings. I used to be educating Kung Fu courses, and I used to be utilizing the methodology of how I used to be educating to put in writing songs. It was very intentional. I did not wish to be rushed. I used to be experimenting. I used to be in my laboratory as a result of it was my house, it was my dojo, it was my print store. I had all these items round. I began taking little items and simply messing round. I wasn’t a pianist, however I used to be studying learn how to play, so my limitations helped me create fascinating mixtures, call-and-response, all of the issues that I realized in Ghana, or from my grandmother. So all these issues have been seeping by way of now. That is how you discover your voice. Anyway, as these songs developed, I had a bunch of concepts, and the primary ones have been on the album The Fu Chronicles (Daptone, 2020).
All these songs have been taking their inspiration from my first music, “MTTT,” and from all of the touring that I used to be doing with Antibalas. That created that palette. However in between then, throughout holidays, I might write all these actually cool issues, as a result of I used to be at all times hanging on Thanksgiving Day, on Christmas–those days I did not go wherever; I did not have any household. I used to be at my workplace in New York, or my clothes retailer, as a result of I used to be designing garments and I might promote them. Each three months I might do a vogue present. In order that was the cycle of my inventive course of. So inside that, I might write issues.
And that is the place this album got here from. Lion Awakes. Speak about that.
The songs are primarily based on the lion dance. The lion dance was my factor, my specialty in martial arts. So once I was finding out, I specialised within the drums, and after we do the lion dance by way of Chinatown, you go to eating places and convey individuals good luck. However you gotta contact the lion to get good luck. That custom for me could be very African, very Nigerian. So I actually bought into it. I might play these drums for hours. My fingers would have blisters, and I might be bleeding as a result of it is chilly, it is raining, we’re enjoying the drum within the rain. We did that entire factor yearly, Chinese language New 12 months. In order that drumming created my palette. That is why it was referred to as Fu Orchestra: Kung Fu meets Afrobeat. That was simply me assembly myself, my African facet of me attempting to speak with the Kung Fu facet of me. It was like my yin and yang, if you’ll, or how I used to be collaborating with the 2 teachings I used to be concerned in.
Within the earlier elements of my days in New York, once I was in vogue actually closely, Chief Araba Adedayo Ologundudu was my Babalawo pal, an excellent pal. He handed away lately in Georgia. Fascinating story. As a result of he got here out of Nigeria too throughout Festac, and his entire factor was to unfold the information of the Orishas. He had a spot in New York referred to as Spoken Phrase Cafe, and I helped him do the development there. So I might do some reveals there. I introduced Antibalas to play there. I used to be serving to to get his factor going, as a result of I had my very own retailer. So each of us had very comparable inspirational sources to push and categorical the tradition, however he was doing it from an mental place as a Babalawo.
Chief Araba made quite a lot of visits to Cuba and Brazil. He began encouraging me to sing all of the Orisha songs. So being near him, and figuring out how he was near my mother and my grandmother, that entire lineage for me was one thing I am presupposed to proceed. So he and I had been like spending time collectively, and since he handed, actually about 4 months in the past, he did not get an opportunity to see the discharge of the songs. However he heard all of them. He introduced all his individuals to my reveals in New York, at Joe’s Pub, you recognize. He was actually considered one of my large followers encouraging me to always discover new methods to precise the tradition.
I want we have been right here to speak concerning the predictive energy of your music final fall, “Madam President”, however alas, it did not work out that manner.
Nicely, you recognize what? It is gonna occur sooner or later in our lifetime, you recognize? And for me, it marks the start of the Aquarius age, as a result of Aquarius simply started and all of the issues which are occurring now are just like the wrap-up of the earlier age. That is only the start of it. It is exhausting to carry on to issues that aren’t optimistic, you recognize? As a result of negativity can type of tear you up after some time.
It certain can.
I imply, we have seen this earlier than. While you pull the lens again, you recognize, you see a complete sample, it is a sample. That is the one that actually challenges you. They are saying activism just isn’t one thing that you simply do in a single lifetime. It takes a number of. It’d take many, many, many lifetimes. You construct on it; you stumble a little bit bit; one other particular person comes up and picks it up.
Let’s get to Lion Awakes. What was the idea of this album?
It comes from the parable story of the standard Chinese language lion dance. The Chinese language lion will get tossed out of the heavens. He lands. Clearly, I made up my very own story the place I needed to you recognize, embellish it extra with like one thing that will be extra in becoming with the place we’re, the place I believe we’re heading with revelations in our world. I positioned him in an historic Africa, earlier than the land was break up up.
Lets say this fable experiencing one other setting now, proper? So within the story of the Chinese language lion dance, the lion has to seek out the fitting medication so he can get his energy again, so he can return to his rightful place within the heavens. He had the best gig on the planet. His gig was to guard the secrets and techniques of creation, the flower of life. That was his gig, however he took it with no consideration. He will get tossed out of the sacred temple by the Jade Emperor. That is the story. So now he has to seek out the fitting medication, which is embedded on this factor referred to as Lin Chin. And when he eats this medication, he will get his energy.
And since he is so completely happy to have gained his energy again, he brings you good luck as he departs again to the heavens. So in my story, or at the very least within the music, it expresses not solely the regret of getting been tossed out of the heavens, he finds a brand new way of life. He meets a good-doer. And Africa at all times is rarely wanting good-doers. And I additionally put in Babalawo as a result of it at all times has a detrimental connotation. I put the Orishas in a optimistic mild the place they’re all good-doers. And we’re in an period of good-doers. Good-doers at all times come to save lots of the day. We’re those who’re going to set issues proper.
So that’s the manner I have a look at the story. The lion eats this medication, and never solely does he acquire his energy again, however then he begins to collaborate. In Chinese language tradition, it is a manner of me attempting to precise how the connection may seem like if the brand new colonizers of China have been utilizing their myths to inform the true fact of what they may do for our society. They might be colonizing in a way more optimistic manner, the place it is a win-win for everybody.
And if our cultures and our myths can collaborate and our gods can collaborate like all of our inside organs collaborate, we’d have a thriving society. So that’s what Lion Awakes in a broader sense means.
Wow. So these 5 songs inform this story. They take us by way of these occasions.
Sure, it is a steady story. The lion awakes, he is completely happy, I am a cheerful Lion. And whereas he is providing his good deeds, he turns into “Shadowless,” a very good doer that does not must be seen as a result of he at all times does all the nice whereas we’re sleeping. And a number of the issues that he does are issues that occur when we’re not conscious of what is really protecting us alive. That’s what the music “Shadowless” is representing. After which ascended Lion is the completion. Lion has now gained all his full energy, performed his job. Now he can ascend again to the heavens, to the seven stars. And 7 stars signify the Massive Dipper the place thunderstorms come from within the Chinese language fable. It is also the place of equilibrium the place life and demise meet, the place you may select life or select demise. So it is a cool fable idea that I am weaving into the music.
Lovely. Musically, I like the polyrhythms within the first two songs. “Lion Awakes” could be counted in both 4 or six. They each work. I like that. After which we get “Pleased Lion.” I hadn’t thought concerning the martial arts connection, however that music has a type of army vibe going.
Sure. Yeah.
Are you working with the identical musicians that I noticed in that present in Norwalk, while you have been opening for Femi?
Sure, lots of them. The one totally different lineup on the crew could be the percussionist, as a result of Dende, who performs with me usually, was not there then. Dende introduced all these unbelievable drums from Nigeria.
Dende is nice. He informed me about shopping for drums in Nigeria. Being from Brazil, he was very enthusiastic about that.
My goodness. Once we went on that journey to Nigeria, he had reached out to a Samba group. There is a Samba group in Lagos who reside on this favela-like state of affairs, very, similar to Brazil. And so they’re this small city in Lagos, a kind of reclaimed neighborhoods. I by no means went with him there, however this man got here and got here to our resort, and Dende was ordering drums. Then he got here to considered one of our rehearsals with like 4 units of speaking drums and to indicate Dende, and wow, he purchased all of them. So yeah, he featured on the album. I despatched him all of the tracks after which he performed every thing he had. I imply every thing. Once we bought to the studio, Tommy had quite a lot of work to do.
That is Tommy Brenneck, your producer.
Tommy is a genius. I like Tommy. And you recognize, he did not need me to inform, however he actually did quite a lot of work. You understand what producers do. He replayed some bass strains, all types of issues. We recorded at his studio on the West Coast, in LA. His studio was simply being accomplished. So we have been the primary band to play whereas the partitions nonetheless had recent paint.
An inauguration. Lovely.
It completely was. Anyway, Tommy performed second guitar on “Black Magic Sister.” He is multi-instrumentalist, wonderful pianist, wonderful every thing, quick employee. Mr. Analog. I knew him again when he began doing his factor in his bed room in Brooklyn, with Budos Band. He recorded all their first album there.
Nicely, Amayo, this album is an actual fruition of quite a lot of issues coming collectively. It drops on January 17, and I stay up for seeing you do that stuff reside.
You understand Eddie Vanegas who leads the Candy Plantain String Quartet? He performs violin and trombone, and he’ll be featured within the present. He is unbelievable. We have talked about doing a factor in Cuba. We will transpose quite a lot of Fela’s music with a string quartet and my voice and percussion.
How cool is that?
It was a very formidable challenge however the cellist David Gotay, who’s Cuban, handed away lately. He was the fireplace behind Candy Plantain and Eddie was his right-hand man. Anyway, they performed the strings on the album. Our thought is that when we get a brief tour going, after we do some cities, we’d work with just like the native symphony to beef it up a little bit bit so we are able to type of do a collaborative factor.
Nicely hold us posted on all of this, and all good luck with the discharge.
Thanks.
