Segun Awe

Segun Awe, born dirt-poor in a Nigerian village, has enjored a long career as a guitarist and saxophonist in a number of bands, including his large band ensemble Afritonas. Awe now lives amid the bustle of New York, and the title of his current CD suggests he's there to stay. Like famous South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, Awe borrows traditional rhythms from his homeland and liberally spices them with infectious and danceable doses of jazz and R&B. His vocal are raw and throaty--that's a plus--and he recruited New York's finest as his band. That includes the Burning Brass horn section with smokin' hot Pamela Fleming, Jenny Hill and Nilda Rechards, and a vocal trio of Jason Kuriloff, Mary Womworth and Eve Robinson.

Lyrics are blend of hope, praise and condemnation of wickedness in Nigerian and English, but the message is secondary to the music. "Akoba (Implication)" is a free-spirited disco jaunt, while "One Way Ticket" is a Blood-sweat-and-Tears-meets-Paul-Simon's-Graceland number with feisty call-and-response between Burning Brass and Awe's funky, '60s-like guitar Sounds.

-Brian Soergel - JazzTimes America Jazz Magazine

Segun Awe's African Tribal music is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but any music fan can appreciate what is trying to do. On One Way Ticket, Awe wants to modernize the genre by including elements of jazz and R&B. He uses brass, woodwinds and a range of percussion to highlight his own saxophone playing. Awe's background band includes an African chorus that not only sings, but dances on stage at the live shows. This will automatically draw comparisons to Paul Simon's use of Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Graceland. Simon was able to bring the style into the mainstream, but Awe is using it to make a different sort of pop music. Although it is not a style we hear much in the US, there is something inclusive about it on *Jaiyesime (Let The World Have Peace)*, using a dance beat, Awe looks for change. He sings *No more fighting* over a chorus that chants, Leave us alone. *Where sometimes it gets a little Lite FM (*One Way Ticket*) there are other times when you feel mesmerized by it all (*Omi (Water*). Whether you love it or hate, it is always good to try something new and Segun Awe definitely falls into that category. http://www.afritonas.com - Beyond Race Magazine