Babá Ken Okulolo (born September 12, 1950) is a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was derived from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jo ...

bassist and bandleader who was first seen in the U.S. in 1985 with

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's world-touring band. He has played with renowned

Afrobeat Afrobeat (also known as Afrofunk) is a West African music genre, fusing influences from Nigerian (such as Yoruba) and Ghanaian (such as highlife) music, with American funk, jazz, and soul influences. With a focus on chanted vocals, complex i ...

creator

Fela Anikulapo Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) was a Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as the principal innovator of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre that combine ...

highlife Highlife is a Ghanaian music genre that originated along the coastal cities of present-day Ghana in the 19th century, during its Gold Coast (region), history as a colony of the British and through its trade routes in coastal areas. It encompasse ...

master

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, 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). Babá Ken has also headlined such venues as

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, the

Oakland Coliseum Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, often shortened to the Oakland Coliseum, is a multi-purpose stadium in Oakland, California, United States. It serves as part of the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Complex, located next to Oakland Arena. In 2 ...

, Yoshi's, The Greek Theater, and the

Great American Music Hall The Great American Music Hall is a concert hall in San Francisco, California. It is located on O'Farrell Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood on the same block as the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatre. It is known for its decorative balconie ...

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)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Okulolo, Baba Ken 1950 births Musicians from Delta State Nigerian percussionists 20th-century Nigerian male singers Nigerian highlife musicians Nigerian emigrants to the United States Living people