By Wenebi Youde-owei
The invite was christened “First Afro-Jazz Night”, featuring Dede and the Kalafrica Band. TURAKA JAZZ at the Ebony life place on Victoria Island Lagos was the venue.
Dede does not pretend to deify Fela. He does so with reverence.
At the Turaka that thursday evening, you wouldn’t notice the calibre of guests, the sitting arrangement departed from the norm like they knew something special was going to happen, it really did happen, Dede was at his best!
Eyinmisan, that’s the name she was christened by Dede, had made a reservation for me in the front row seats, special placing it seemed, at the Turaka everywhere is special.
Onyeka Owenu, Donald Duke and his lovely wife Onari with other very dignified persons were all tucked in that space unrecognisable.
The Ibru music clan were seated too, the average age of those at the Turaka that night was about 55, my guess.
The Thursday evening was fully booked for Dede.
Not that the Turaka can sit so many, it is progressively expanding. It can only take so much music buffs, and most were seated that evening Dede adorned Afro Beat the clothing of Jazz with such romantic expression and flair.
Dede flirted with the music he played at the Turaka as he promised Dr. Bayo Adepetun in his intro to the audience, something special for the night.
He was true and audacious after starting off with Satchmo’s What a Wonderful World.
He rendered Mister Magic, one of Grover Washington, Jr.’s best-loved recordings, considered a classic with an unrecognizable blend of Afro Beat instrumentation in his arrangement, captivating the audience. He warned his audience about its Afro form for recognition.
You can hardly beat the ambience of the Turaka, a casual Rooftop Bar and Restaurant with a 300° view of the Atlantic located in Ebony Life Place, Victoria Island, it is a beautiful place. Only musicians in the class of Dede can take the shrine to the Turaka. Dede nailed the music he played. He later did his usual stuff after jazzifying the Afrobeat with flair and brilliance.
For those who know, music found expression in Afro Jazz at the Turaka that evening as churned out by Dede.
“Summertime,” written by Gershwin is one of the most recorded songs in history. Gershwin will be jealous of Dede’s summertime with an Afrobeat flavour if he were alive.
Lest we forget, Dr Bayo Adepetun’s solo, palava spiced the evening. It was all about Afro jazz. What’s really the difference between Afro Beat Instrumentation and Jazz, Dede quipped rhetorically.
What A Wonderful World, Mister Magic, Summer Time, Spectrum, Aiye Ile/ Oni Dodo, Water, Army Arrangement, Lady, Shakara, B.O.N.N, Igbo, Palaver were all on the play list.
Dede remains about the best Fela act to date in style and music. He was his protégé turned disciple. He is First Class Honours from the Shrine School. He wasn’t there to smoke only “Igbo” which was part of the curriculum and course 001. His song IGBO was part of the menu at the Turaka. The shrine was a damn music school for the serious.
Dede plays very serious music, acts Fela. He is one of the best. You can find just a few with the kind of versatility he exudes. Dede’s afro jazz will thrill any audience in the world even the academic. He could remind you of Sting the history teacher turned musician who has included elements of Rock, Jazz, Reggae, Classical, New-Age, and Worldbeat in his music.
Dede Mabiaku is an Afrobeat, Highlife & Jazz musician. He is a maverick.
Wenebi Youde-owei wrote from Lagos.
