Detail
For the Friday 2nd April, AFROSPOT features Studio 1 roots reggae legend EARL 16 live on stage.
Plus live:
The AFROSPOT ALLSTARS led by KODJOVI KUSH and ADESOSE WALLACE
ABOUT EARL 16
When it comes to reggae, Earl Sixteen, is in the same league as Bob Marley. Born in 1958 in Kingston, Jamaica, he has become a legend in his own right, with one of the most distinct, and unique voices in the scene.
Influenced by American soul and Jamaican artists, such as Dennis Brown, Earl eventually became the lead vocalist for The Flaming Phonics which led him to a solo career working with the likes of Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Derrick Harriott and his childhood idol Dennis Brown.
In the 1980s he relocated to England, where he has since worked with a number of acclaimed UK artists, recording albums for Gussie P’s Sip A Cup imprint, the French Patates Records, Mad Professor’s Ariwa Music, and with the electronic dance group Dreadzone.
Daley’s collaborations occurred around the same time Horace Andy linked with Massive Attack in the ‘90s, and the Dreadzone/Earl 16 tracks were nearly as popular in England and elsewhere. In Europe, Daley tours with the No More Babylon band and records exclusive dubplates for soundsystems like Holland’s King Shiloh.
With his journeyman career music marked by myriad studio and production collaborations that reflect artistic consistency and a unified sentiment, Earl “16” Daley has made a lasting impact in the international music scene.
ABOUT KODJOVI KUSH
Bordering Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso, Togo has blessed the world with much in the way of music. King Mensah, Bella Bellow and Jimi Hope are luminaries of days gone by but what of today’s artistic exports? Enter Kodjovi Kush Togo’s unofficial ambassador in the UK. Dealing strictly with a message of love, and observing the Rastafarian code of word sound and power, special envoy Kush has diligently honed his craft, earning the respect of some world famous musicians in the process.
Kodjovi’s incredible ear for sound has seen him working on both sides of the mixing desk, having played with or produced the likes of Finley Quaye, Bush Doctor, Gregory Isaacs, The Funkees, Adesose Wallace, Johnny Clarke and Sa Mon Di. His musical versatility has even landed him a stint working on Togo’s National Ballet. Kush is a multi-instrumentalist. His current weapons of choice being his bass guitar (fretless, naturally) and soothing yet penetrating vocals. Both of these are skillfully wielded as part of the highly-acclaimed Soothsayers and Red Earth Collectives. Not being a man who gives any power to boundaries, Afrobeat, Reggae, Jazz and Blues are consistently intertwined with the Ewe rhythms of his native culture – a culture which he regularly shares via drum workshops in schools and hospitals.
Patrons and performers at Kodjovi Kush’s monthly Afrospot event are a regular who’s who of London’s vibrant roots music scene, adding credence to our claims of how talented the man really is. As an integral part of the Passing Clouds family, we enthusiastically advocate his message of peace and unity and his unceasing drive in the establishment of Afrikan roots music as a force for positive change.