Babá Ken Okulolo Explained
| Babá Ken Okulolo |
| Birth Date: | September 12, 1950 |
| Birth Place: | Aladja, Delta State, Nigeria |
| Instrument: | Bass guitar, drums, vocals |
| Genre: | traditional, Afrobeat, Afrorock, highlife |
| Occupation: | Musician, instructor |
| Label: | Inner Spirit Records |
| Associated Acts: | The West African Highlife Band, the Nigerian Brothers |
Babá Ken Okulolo (born September 12, 1950) is a Nigerian bassist and bandleader who was first seen in the U.S. in 1985 with King Sunny Ade's world-touring band. He has played with renowned Afrobeat creator Fela Anikulapo Kuti, highlife master Victor Olaiya, and was a founder of the Afro-rock group Monomono in the 1970s. Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he leads four bands that represent his various musical specialties: Kotoja (an international Afro-funk band); the Nigerian Brothers (traditional folk music); the West African Highlife Band (highlife hits of yesteryear); and the Afro-Beat Connexion (modern Afrobeat collaboration with other African and American musicians).[1] Babá Ken has also headlined such venues as Lincoln Center, The Fillmore, The Warfield, LACMA, the Oakland Coliseum, Yoshi's, The Greek Theater, and the Great American Music Hall.[2] [3] [4]
Discography
Albums
- 1976 – Ken Okulolo Talkin' Bass Experience (E.M.I Nigeria Ltd)
- 1990 – Babá Ken and Kotoja Freedom Is What Every Body Needs (Inner Spirit Records)
- 1991 – Babá Ken and Kotoja Freedom Is What Every Body Needs (Mesa/Blue Moon Recordings (Re-Issued))
- 1992 – Kotoja "Sawale" (Mesa/Blue Moon Recordings Inc.)
- 1994 – Kotoja "Super Sawale" (Putumayo World Music)
- 1998 – West African Highlife Band Salute To Highlife Pioneers (Inner Spirit Recordings)
- 2001 – Babá Ken Okulolo & The Nigerian Brothers Songs From The Village (Inner Spirit Recordings)
- 2008 – Babá Ken Okulolo and the Afro Groove Connexion "Deep Down Beat" (Inner Spirit Recordings)
- 2009 – Babá Ken Okulolo "We Are All From Africa" (Inner Spirit Recordings)
- 2012 – Babá Ken Okulolo "African Drum Songs" (Inner Spirit Recordings)
Contributions
- 1971 – Monomono – Adele (E.M.I Nigeria Ltd)
- 1972 – Monomono – Give a Beggar a Chance (E.M.I Nigeria Ltd)
- 1973 – Monomono – Dawn of Awareness (E.M.I Nigeria Ltd)
- 1978 – Emma Dorgu We Need Freedom (E.M.I Nigeria Ltd)
- 1979 – Tee Mac Collections Wake Up (E.M.I Nigeria Ltd)
- 1983 – Orlando Julius Ekemode Dance Afro-Beat (Afrobeat Recordings Inc.)
- 1995 – King Sunny Ade E Dide/Get Up (Mesa/Blue Moon Recordings)
- 1996 – Bata Ketu Bata Ketu (Bembé Records)
- 1998 – Chalo Eduardo "Samba Nova" (Carnaval Records)
- 1998 – King Sunny Ade Odu (Atlantic/Mesa Recordings)
- 2003 – Kelly Takunda Orphan "Give It to the People" (All of One Records)
- 2016 - Santana IV "Freedom in Your Mind" (Santana IV Records)
Notes and References
- News: Kotoja's Ken Okulolo is at home in California's city by the bay . Darling, Cary . Orange County Register . June 10, 1996 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121104104034/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18371467.html. dead. November 4, 2012.
- Web site: Baba Ken at Yoshi's . SanFrancisco.com . October 28, 2009 . 2010-08-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110716003903/http://www.sanfrancisco.com/baba-ken-okulolo-and-the-west-african-high-life-band-e718851 . July 16, 2011 . dead .
- Web site: Baba Ken at LACMA . Los Angeles County Museum of Art . 2010-08-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100808123543/http://www.lacma.org/programs/ArtandMusic.aspx . August 8, 2010 . dead .
- Web site: Baba Ken Okulolo Comes Home . Berkeley Daily Planet . September 3, 2009 . 2010-08-01.
