OLUFEMI is the new face of the African Renaissance. Combining Afrobeat and jazz, gospel and blues, West African highlife with a nostalgic Sophiatown flavour, his music is a rich blend of deep and sultry jazz and contemporary groove. His music is urban and urbane. His life’s journey - a story of migration to the South - resonates in his music, which creates a conscious dialogue between West African and South African sounds. This musical fusion demonstrates the path to a new and culturally integrated Africa in which a common heritage is renewed and reshaped to meet the needs of today's world.
OLUFEMI’s debut album “Just in Newtown” is evidence of the rich melodies that result from this fusion. Through his versatility on the saxophone, he breathes new life into African world music. He is also an arranger, a producer and a songwriter.
His love for music began when as a child he danced around the village when the traditional drummers played in his father's compound in Akio town, Ikorodu Lagos Nigeria in the 80s. He then started playing trumpet as a choir member in his local church. He dabbled in the piano. But he soon discovered that his first love was for the saxophone.
His influences include Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Manu di Bango, Hugh Masekela, Salif Keita, and his elder brother, Kola Ogunkoya.
He has played in the presence of all-time greats, including John Legend in his first South African tour in Cape Town. He has shared the stage with Youss ou N’dour and Yvonne Chaka Chaka at the CAF (Confederation of African Football Awards) 2009 in Lagos. He performed alongside the king of Juju music, Sunny Ade, at the Glo launch in the Republic of Benin. Other colourful festivals such as the Calabar festival in Nigeria have felt Olufemi's hypnotic music, where he performed alongside the late, great Lucky Dube.
The highlights of his career include performing at the Crowning of Miss World 2008 in Johannesburg, at the FIFA Confederation Cup Draw in 2008, at the CAF awards in Accra, Ghana in 2010, at the Afrophonie concert at the Bassline in Johannesburg in 2010, at the Pan African Arts and Craft exhibition (PACE) in 2010. He was proud to honour Africa’s heroes by playing at the 50th year celebration of 17 African countries at the Pan African Parliament, in Midrand in October 2010 He has been a willing supporter of the Haiti Campaign spearheaded by the National Department of Arts and Culture, performing live on SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) TV in April 2010 and composing a song devoted to the Haitian people.
In recent months, his interests further extended into the African Diaspora, with performances together with Afroflamenco groups from Spain in Johannesburg and for the Cubans in celebration of Africa Day. In 2009 he participated in the Joy of Jazz as one of the Nigerian All Stars and was invited to perform with his band at the 2011 Joy of Jazz.
This is the African renewal in action, a flowering through a passion for music and the power of culture.
