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Kokoroko premiere ‘Abusey Junction’
KOKOROKO (meaning ‘be strong’ in Urhobo), are a collective of young musicians brought together by a love for Afrobeat led by trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey. They specialise in a soul-shaking, horn-fuelled sound with West African roots and inner London hues.
Abusey Junction is a ballad written by guitarist Oscar Jerome (fast making a name as an artist in his own right). It was written on the roof of a compound in Gambia where the band spent time last year immersing themselves in the soundscapes of the region.
It’s taken from ‘We Out Here’, the album forthcoming is on Brownswood Recordings on the 9th February 2018. A primer on London’s bright-burning young jazz scene, the compilation brings together a collection of some of its sharpest talents. A set of nine newly-recorded tracks, We Out Here captures a moment where genre markers matter less than raw, focused energy.
Surveying the album’s running order, it could easily serve as a name-checking exercise for some of London’s most-tipped and hardworking bands of the past couple of years. Recorded across three long, fruitful days in a North West London studio, the results speak for themselves: they’re a window into the wide-eyed future of London’s musical underground.
Kokoroko will be performing Total Refreshment Centre on 25th January. It’s part of a two-day showcase with talks, DJs and food.
The album is released 9th February, on CD, digital, 2xLP.