Rather than launching straight into writing their own music, since the band’s formation in 2014, they immersed themselves in the sounds of Pat Thomas, Ebo Taylor and others by playing covers to sell out crowds. “We don’t want this music to die”, he added. Aside of the primacy of love for the music, a subtext of the bands creation was a sense of alienation at London’s thinning pool of afrobeat and highlife nights – particularly of black listeners and players. “We love this music and want other people to love it the way we do”, shared Edgeworth. For Maurice Grey, part of the drive behind their creative impulse to is ask: “what does this music sound like for my generation?” Make no mistake, this is not a band interested in performative tributes or pastiche. Whether it's the social commentary, the political stance of acts like the Black President, or the high power energy of afrobeat nights: the music is teeming with a potent energy the band want to propel forwards, London style. “This is not idle music!” says Sheila Maurice-Grey, reflecting on the rich history of sounds that have inspired the band. Powered by seismic horn section (Maurice Grey, saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi, trombonist Richie Seivewright), guitar (Oscar Jerome), keys (Yohan Kebede), drums (Ayo Salawu) and percussion (Onome Edgeworth) Kokoroko are on a mission to fashion new languages using the medium of afrobeat. Sonically living up to their name, Kokoroko are an all star band featuring leading lights from the London jazz community. The band’s name is an Urhobo – a Nigerian tribe and language – word meaning ‘be strong’. The following decade, a young Fela Kuti (and his Koola Lobitos outfit with drummer Tony Allen), would jam with Campbell, and the seeds for his global Afrobeat revolution were sown. In the 40’s World War Two veteran Ambrose Campbell and his West African Rhythm Brothers, were enticing Soho music lovers with sweet palm wine sounds. London has long been a hotbed for experimentation for music from West Africa, and it’s into this global-local story that we can situate London’s newest afrobeat innovators: Kokoroko.

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