Nigerian-British musician and multi-instrumentalist, Tunday Akintan, recently released his fourth album, A Night In Africa.
The four-track Afrobeat live solo saxophone EP, produced by Allonga Records showcases an intensely personal acoustic trip into the artist’s memories and life experiences. Akintan is the creator of Yorubeat, a blend of soul and funk with Fuji-inspired overtones.
The warmth of the solo saxophone sound, his breath, articulation, and the vibration of the reed all bring a profound intimacy to the album, whilst also reflecting his Yorubeat explorations. The project centers around the nostalgia of folk songs and tales from the childhood of the artist in Nigeria and his musical journey.
Three of the four tracks , ‘Awanore’, ‘Ojo’ and ‘Oke’, are classical Yoruba folk songs, approached from an authentic angle. While the fourth track, ‘Mr Goldsmiths’ is a reflection of the experience of an African at Goldsmiths University, where the artist studied.
Tunday with Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters – Photo: JA
Tunday Akintan – Photo: Adam Szklenar
Tunday Akintan has collaborated with an impressive number of international acts and bands that include, Foo Fighters, Joe Armon-Jones, Gregory Porter, King sunny ade, Lemar Obika, Poppy Ajudha, Rosie Lowe, Jorja Smith, KT Tunstall, Dizzee Rascal, Queen salawa abeni, Fuse ODG, D’banj among others. Akintan’s first mentor in his teens in Lagos was Rilwan ‘Showboy’ Fagbemi, a legendary Afrobeat musician and Fela Kuti’s baritone saxophonist.
Reflecting on A Night In Africa, Tunday Akintan opined, “I am a strong advocate of finding one’s own voice and authenticity of sound, one that can be noticeable and distinguishable amongst the millions of sounds around. This album is a result of my own deep investigation, of finding my voice in sound. Of all the albums I have released, this one most genuinely reflects my time in Africa, takes me back in time to Nigeria, and pays homage to my Yoruba culture.”
He performs regularly in Southbank, London and toured the UK, USA, Germany, Italy, France and Poland. A Night In Africa encapsulates Akintan’s incredible fluency of expression with his instrument and an authenticity of sound rarely heard in modern recording.
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