Nigerian fuji producer and former
King
Sunny Ade backing vocalist, Bola Abimbola releases his first solo recording
in the United States –
Ara Kenge (Fast Horse Recordings FH009).
Collaborating with a diverse group of both Nigerian and American musicians, Bola
creates unique new sounds by blending traditional Yoruba music with contemporary
styles from the US, Caribbean, and Brazil.
Bola Abimbola was born in 1966 and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, the same city of
thirteen million that gave us celebrated African musical pioneers Fela Kuti and
King Sunny Ade.
With a childhood full of singing and drumming in the traditions of Yoruba and
West African culture, a career in music came naturally to him. He debuted
professionally as a songwriter and producer for some of Nigeria’s most
successful young artists, including Daddy Showkey, Saheed Osupa and Pasuma.
In 1997, he released his first recording as a solo act, titled, Buyanga,
which earned him the honor of being named “Artist of the Year” at Nigeria’s Fame
Awards in 1998. His talents then caught the attention of King Sunny Ade, who
invited Bola to tour with him as a guest artist and backing vocalist.
Bola appeared with Sunny on his 1999 world tour and at several WOMAD (World
of Music, Arts, and Dance) festivals. King Sunny Ade’s most recent recording,
Seven Degrees North (2000), also features Bola’s voice.
Buy
Ara Kenge.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
