The entire soulful experience began for me one fateful afternoon back in the late 70s, when I walked into the main living room at home to find my older brother dancing to Parliament's One Nation Under A Groove, followed by The Ojays' Used Ta Be My Girl, finally rounded off with the infectious Take Me In Your Arms Tonight by Teddy Pendergrass. That was it. That was the moment the spell was cast. The moment my little young life was changed forever and I havent looked back since.
My musical experience became - and has remained - one huge gumbo filled with everything soulful, from the multi-textured rhythms and incendiary Afrobeat of the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (and The Afrika 70), the Afrofunk of Segun Bucknor, Ofege, BLO, Joni Haastrup and Monomono, the rhythmic Juju of Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade and I.K. Dairo all the way to seminal US soul groups like The Temptations, The JBs, The Jackson 5, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, The Dazz Band, The O'Jays, Lakeside, Dynasty, Change and more, all played around the clock on what was then known as Radio Nigeria 2.
As a music-loving youngster growing up in the sprawling urban city of Lagos, it was difficult to begin collecting records early, as whatever available funds had already been earmarked for other essential commodities. The collecting only began in later years. However, luckily for my soul and funk-loving brothers and I, most of the Radio Nigeria Deejays and presenters had stepped in and done quite a lot to satisfy the never-ending hunger for all sounds soulful that found its way to that part of the world. Needless to say, the collecting continued apace, just as soon as I re-located to the UK at the end of the 80s.
Some of my personal highlights include playing drums in my school band - yes, a rarified experience for a young man back then - and much more recently, having the privilege of working as Studio Manager at the sadly now-defunct www.Soul24-7.com, where I had the all-too-brief opportunity to work with some of the finest, music-loving personalities in the UK music industry, as well as having the opportunity to meet a large number of headline acts from all over the world. A most treasured experience.
At present, my love of the music is reflected in many different ways, from writing album and single reviews for various music magazines to handling Media and Publicity duties at London-based internet radio station Starpoint Radio, with the aim of discovering and assisting talented artists worldwide in getting their music heard through radio exposure and support. I also operate my own promotional outfit (Soul Currents and Music) with the sole purpose of securing the right artists with the right recording and distribution deals. In that overall context, I work in close collaboration with the highly regarded DJ Andreas Hellingh out of Amsterdam, as Publicist and UK Representative for The Soul of Amsterdam Entertainment Company.
Of the contemporary artists out there, my favourites include the ultra-talented Raphael Saadiq, Bilal Sayeed Oliver, Alison Crockett, Ursula Rucker, Eric Benet, India.Arie, Take 6, Mint Condition, Adriana Evans, King Britt, Rahsaan Patterson, KUKU, Omar, Don E, Jamie Hawkins, Jill Scott, Amp Fiddler, The Roots, Femi Kuti (my former school-mate) and other like-minded souls with a deep respect for the enduring traditions of the soul sound.
Links:
www.ramjamradio.com
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