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. In the 40’s World War II, veteran Ambrose Campbell and his West African Rhythm Brothers were enticing Soho music lovers with sweet palm wine sounds. 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.

The band’s name is an Orobo – a Nigerian tribe and language – word meaning “be strong”. Sonically living up to their name, KOKOROKO are an all star band featuring leading lights from the London jazz community. 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.

“This is not idle music!” says Sheila Maurice-Grey, reflecting on the rich history of sounds that have inspired the band. 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. Make no mistake, this is not a band interested in performative tributes or pastiche. For Maurice Grey, part of the drive behind their creative impulse to is ask: “what does this music sound like for my generation?”

“We love this music and want other people to love it the way we do”, shared Edgeworth. 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 high-life nights – particularly of black listeners and players. “We don’t want this music to die”, he added.

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. “I remember speaking with Dele Sosimi [frequent collaborator of Fela Kuti, ndr] about the structure of Fela’s songs – every element plays a part. But, before melody or harmony, there’s rhythm. The rhythmic aspect of the solos from that era is amazing. The West African approach to jazz and improvisation is hip!”, offered Maurice-Grey.

In writing their own music, Edgeworth emphasised how much the KOKOROKO sound is shaped by the capital. “We didn’t want it to sound too clean – that doesn’t really fit into the London sound”, he said. Instead, the band opt for grooves with added grit: “We wanted it to sound rough, like going out and hearing music pushed through speakers or the energy of people dancing at Afrobeat parties: its music we’ve seen work on dance floors”.

– Teju Adeleye – Artist bio on Bandcamp