Varied-Ali Farka Toure, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, Celestine Ukwu, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Femi Kuti,Hugh Masekela, Solomon Linda, Miriam Makeba, Leta Mbulu, Osibisa, Jake Solo, Paul Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, Tony Allen, Rex Lawson, Prince Nico Mbarga, King Sunny Ade,Nigeria 70, Bongos Ikwue, Manu Dibango,Ofege,The Oriental Brothers,The Wings, Jimmy Cliff,Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, The Wailers, Burning Spear, Lee Scratch Perry, King Tubby, Mad Professor,Augustus Pablo,Black Uhuru, Malcolm X,Jacob Miller, Culture,Third World,Sly and Robbie,U-Roy, I-Roy, Mutabaruka,Studio One, Lord Kitchner, Eddie Grant and The Equals, Mighty Sparrow, James Brown,Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Earth, Wind and Fire, Brothers Johnson,Stevie Wonder,Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin,Al Green, The Isley Brothers,Prince, George Michael,Kajagoogoo,The O'Jays, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, John Lennon, George Harrison, The Rollingstones, Carlos Santana, Anita Baker, Sade,The Wings,SOS Band, Rick James,The Stone City Band, Sheila E.,The Gap Band, Zapp, Roger Troutman, The Deele, Cameo, Celine Dion,Brass Construction,John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Monk, Louis Armstrong, Jimmi Hendrix,Eric Clapton,Christiana Akuadi Okafor, Jimmy Scott, Tina Turner, Madonna, Grace Jones, Billy Idol, Elton John, The Sugar Hill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Afrika Bambaata, Kraftwerk,Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, LL Kool J, Dr. Dre, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Culture Club, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Bill Laswell, Herbie Hancock, Jaco Postariuos, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, The Weather Report,Talking Heads, Bruce Springsteen and The E Stret Band, Little Steven Van Zant, Elvis Costello, KC and The Sunshine Band,Barry White,Kool and The Gang, Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, Blondie, U2, Bob Dylan, Woodie Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter Paul and Mary, Momas and Papas, Jim Reeves, Don Williams, Skeeter Davies, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp,Janis Joplin, Queen Latifah, Zap Mama, John McLaughlin, Ottmar Liebert, Zakir Hussein,Angelique Kidjo, Cesaria Evora, Gipsy Kings, Buena Vista Social Club,Baaba Maal, Yussou N'Dour,Trilok Gurtu, Tabla Beat Science,Ry Cooder, Courtney Pine, Ernest Ranglin,Yellowman, Manu Chao, Buju Banton,Parliament Funkadelic, Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway, Salif Keita, Toure Kunda, Albert Collins, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, BB King, Muddy Waters, Billie Holliday, Big Momma Thorntorn, Besie Smith,Robert Johnson, Robert Lockwood Jr.,Afro-Celt Sound System,The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Freddie Mercury, Queen, Falco, The Police, Sting, Men at Work, Big Country,Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Genesis,Frankie Goes To Hollywood,Twisted Sister, Guns N' Roses, Geoffrey Oryema, Franco, OK Jazz, Papa Wemba, Joseph Arthur, Remi Ongala, Kanda Bongo Man, Mickey Dread, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, Enugu Rangers, Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra, Ticklah (Victor Axelrod), The Skatalites, Ken Lazarus, Winton Groovy, Dandy Livingston, The Melodians, Toots and The Maytals, Justin Hinds and the Dominoes, Sugar Minott, Kotoja, Baba Ken Okulolo, Majek Fashek, Olatunji, Frankie Yankovic,Mozart.
Sounds Like
Nothing and everything you've ever heard of. Makes you wanna dance, cry, fall in love, love God and neighbour and then do it all over again. This is the perfect combination of modern, the contemporary, the future and what the heavens is going on. You just cannot put a handle on this, but you better believe that it is going to lead to the new musical revelation. "Oh God we need a new revolution. Maybe then we can break this illusion that you are superior to me" (New Revolution, C. Okafor 1999).
The Asante Groove is a collective whose mission is to usher in a new musical expression centered on Reggae and Afrobeat infused with a mega-dose of American Soul. The group..s members have played a variety of musical styles in the past, but reggae is the common thread. World Reggae? Ameri-Afrobeat? Call it what you will. When all is said and done, Asante Groove sounds like nothing you..ve experienced before- a perfect amalgamation of African, Caribbean and American influences. The group plays an even mix of trend-setting originals and choice cover tunes. Exceptionally versatile, Asante Groove will certainly entertain a wide variety of people. The members understand that truly great music transcends age, race and ethnicity, and they are deeply committed to uplifting and enlightening through their music.
Members:
Charleston Okafor (Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar), a native of Nigeria, has spent most of his adult life in the USA. His raspy tenor oozes soul in a manner reminiscent of not only great Jamaican singers like Marley and Burning Spear, but also great American soul singers such as Ray Charles and Sam Cook. He sang with Yankee Dreads in the 90..s and fronted Cleveland..s Riddim Fish in the late 80..s that included longtime friend and percussionist Tommy Fox. His earnest demeanor and charismatic stage presence consistently win over the hearts of all those possessing a pulse.
Baba Adetobi (Hand Drums & Vocals) is a Yoruba spiritualist who has performed with the late great Nigerian percussionist Olatunji. His tremendous grasp of rhythm far surpasses that which we..ve come to expect in the West; other hand drummers inevitably watch Adetobi in amazement. Multi-talented, he is an accomplished stage and screen actor and sings as well. Born in Cleveland, Adetobi has spent most of his life in New York City where he finds consistent musical work.
Bill Nalls (Bass) is a Cleveland born multi-instrumentalist who, while still in his teens, started working professionally with artists such as the O..Jays and Dennis Edwards of the Temptations. Also known as ..The Cat with the Hat,.. Nalls is legendary on Cleveland..s reggae circuit, having played since the late 70..s with acts such as Satta, ITAL USA, Harambe, and Nuhu to name just a few. He has backed internationally known reggae artists and founded the Asante Men, a group that in 1989 accompanied reggae legend Jimmy Cliff on a two-month West African tour.
Brian Marsh (Guitar) is from Traverse City, Michigan. His understated guitar licks can simultaneously draw smiles and tears. He..s a self-taught musician who also handles guitar duty for Cleveland..s legendary Jamaican expat Hugo Blackwood, as Istan Black and the Sweets, and for Cleveland rockers Broke By Monday. Once Marsh slips into his mojo, elephants and lions mate. Yeah, he is that good.
Marlon ..Rasta Foot.. Hatcher (Drums) is one of Cleveland..s premier reggae drummers whose style possesses dynamics, intensity, and fire. Rasta Foot played reggae around Ohio with the UAG Reggae Band and the Afi Nur Project before joining forces with Cleveland..s Ras T. Dubflex with whom the versatile Rasta Foot can regularly be seen playing either trap drums or percussion.
Terence ..Ras T. Dubflex.. Reynolds (Keyboards and Vocals) is a true musician who was born in Philadelphia but raised in Cleveland by parents of African American and Caribbean lineage. Best known for fronting his own group Dubflex, a regional favorite, Ras T. is also the head engineer at TD Audio and Recording. He has released a number of critically acclaimed CDs exploring the boundaries not only of reggae but jazz as well.
Tommy Fox (Percussion) is a reggae scholar who has been involved with Cleveland..s music scene for over twenty years. As drummer for the Mice, Fox released a handful of records prior to graduating high school. In 1988 he assembled the Riddim Fish, which featured singer Charleston Okafor. The entire next decade found Fox touring and releasing records with Cleveland rockers the Revelers. Currently, Fox can be seen playing trap drums or percussion with Istan Black and the Sweets, and heard hosting ..Rudie..s Hi-Fi,.. one of Cleveland..s most respected reggae shows on WCSB 89.3fm.
(Copyright 2006, T.Fox and C.Okafor).
Fore more info go to www.cdbaby.com/cd/okafor
For bookings, call 216.548.6412 or charleston_okafor@hotmail.com
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Charleston Okafor & TAG Project's Friend Space (Top 40)
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