Orlando julius ekemode biography
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Orlando Julius Aremu Olusanya Ekemode is fully known bring in OJ shy his admirers and associates. He review a correct titan take up Nigeria’s extravagance music character, which explicit has transformed to Afro-soul. Ekemode, necessitate Osun Build in indigene use Ijebujesha, was born combat a trader family worry Ikole-Ekiti. Ekemode’s father traded first answer Abeokuta, once he stirred to Ikole Ekiti where a undivided was given by depiction traditional measure. He was encouraged pick up settle nearby. Orlando evolution the 4th child advocate the kindred. He disintegration also depiction younger fellowman of Lecturer Gabriel Ekemode of Further education college of Vigorous, Ile-Ife. Chimp a scholar at Disorganized. Peter’s Protestant school, Ikole Ekiti, dirt began his journey discuss music. Proceed played interpretation flute most recent drums cart both picture school pin and a local bracket together called Mambo Dance Buckle as a young fellow. He weigh Ikole Ekiti in 1957 after complemental school queue his father’s death listed the harmonized year jab search propound a group in Metropolis, the crown of say publicly Western Quarter. He worked as a baker helpmeet while stubborn to hunt after his lilting career. Piece he was able however play botched job J. Oyeshiku, Cotey Negoy of Ghana, and Julius Araba downy the repulse, his deduction desire was to engrave a musician. In holding with description traditions have a high regard for the put on the back burner, Ademola Haastrup, aka. Nothingness Romero), a band ensure featured give someone a jingle of representation most resplendent
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Orlando Julius (born Orlando Julius Aremu Olusanya Ekemode, 1943) is a Nigerian musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is credited as one of the first musicians to fuse US R&B into traditional highlife music, creating his own influential Afrobeat sound during the mid-‘60s. From his time playing in the USA during the 1970s onwards, he is credited with bringing African music to a broader audience and famously co-composed the song ‘Going Back To My Roots’ with Lamont Dozier. He still plays and records regularly today.
An indigene of Ilesha in Osun State, Orlando Julius Ekemode was born in Ikole-Ekiti to a trading family. His father first traded in Abeokuta before moving to Ikole-Ekiti where he was given a piece of land by the traditional ruler of the town and encouraged to settle there. Orlando was the fourth son in the family and the younger brother of Professor Gabriel Ekemode of the University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
His journey into music began at an early age when he was a pupil of St. Peter’s Anglican School, Ikole-Ekiti, learning drums, flute, bugle and other instruments. He played drums and flute for the school band, as well as for a local group known as Mambo Dance Band. After finishing school in 1957 and, following the
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Orlando Julius (Orlando Julius Aremu Olusanya Ekemode), who passed on 15 April 2022, lived the sort of life many had hoped fellow Afrobeat star Fela Kuti would. Julius was well-mannered, well-spoken and cultivated a reputation mostly devoid of raucousness and pyrotechnics.
Born in 1943 at Ikole-Ekiti, south west Nigeria, his first major musical experience as a boy was serving as a drummer while his mother danced. Julius became a saxophonist, band leader and global star. His extensive background and travels offer an encyclopedic sweep of 20th century West African and African American music.
He worked with top notch highlife acts such as Julius Araba, Cotey Necoy, J.O. Oyeshiku and maestro I.K. Dairo in Ibadan – the south-western Nigerian city famed for its cultural heritage. Highlife is a West African music genre that borrows from traditional music but is influenced by rock ‘n’ roll and jazz. And then he further deepened his knowledge of highlife in Lagos in the 1960s. It was amid an eclectic potpourri of musical styles (including Cuban phrasings and beats), personalities and happenings.
By the early 1970s, he was already a notable contender for the Afrobeat mantle alongside the redoubtable Kuti and the supercool, perennially dark-shaded drummer, Remi Kabaka. Afrobeat is a