Etuk Ubong Breaks New Ground in Afro-Jazz
Etuk Ubong is a trumpetist, composer, arranger and bandleader from Lagos, Nigeria. Born in Akwa Ibom State in southeastern Nigeria, he was raised in Lagos where he showed early signs as a musical prodigy. He went on to perform with highlife legend Victor Olaiya and Afrobeat torch-bearer Femi Kuti. Today, Ubong leads his own band, and is among the most innovative, groundbreaking rising stars in African jazz. His 2020 album Africa Today was recorded direct-to-disc for the Night Dreamer label in Holland, and the album is featured on Afropop Worldwide
’s
“New Moves in Afro-Jazz.” In 2018, Ubong opened his own venue in Lagos, The Truth. Afropop
Africa Today
(Night Dreamer, B086Y5P9DW) (
first 13 seconds, then to bed)
GEORGES: WE’RE HEARING NIGERIAN TRUMPETER AND COMPOSER ETUK UBONG FROM HIS 2020 RELEASE
AFRICA TODAY, RECORDED DIRECT TO DISC IN THE NETHERLANDS. ETUK IS PART OF A POWERFUL MOVEMENT OF ARTISTS FUSING JAZZ AND AFRICAN MUSIC IN NEW WAYS.
ACTY:
01
Etuk-Africa.wav: Trust me, what made Hugh Masekela who he is? It was because when Hugh Masekela got to America, the likes of Coltrane, the likes of Miles Davis and Art Blakey told him, You need to play
African
jazz, man. You need to reflect Africa.” And then Hugh Masekela becomes great automatically. With my kind of music, it s just about the culture. It doesn t sound like pop. It doesn t sound like rap music. It sounds like Africa.