Orlando Julius & The Afro Soundz are set to perform on Friday, September 25, 2015 at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City. Nigerian music legend Orlando Julius plays classic Afrobeat with a psychedelic edge, continually pushing musical boundaries. Julius is one of the original Afrobeat forerunners, predating even Fela Kuti.
Starting in the 1960s, Julius brought together traditional African sounds and rhythms with American pop, soul, and R&B. He spent many years in the United States collaborating with Lamont Dozier, the Crusaders, and Hugh Masekela, and his voice has been an essential part of the invention, development, and popularization of Afro-pop.
Julius recently released a critically acclaimed album Jaiyede Afro. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of his 1966 release, Super Afro Soul that made him a national celebrity in Nigeria. The record’s dramatic, highly melodic incorporation of soul, pop, and funk was ahead of its time, and shaped the funk movement that swept over the United States in following years.
The evening’s opening act is Brooklyn-based Underground System. The culturally eclectic 11-member band, led by founder Peter Matson and Venezuelan-born front-woman Domenica Fossati, puts a New York spin on classic West African pop sound, inspired by Fela Kuti and a raw, uninhibited energy.
19:30 (7:30 p.m.)
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
Tickets $20 in advance /$25 at the door
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
