aaamusic | On 05, Sep 2011

Femi Temowo
“Orin Meta”

New album and live dates from one of the UK’s most talented and unique musicians

Official album launch @Under The Bridge 23rd September 2011

Composer, producer, musical director and critically acclaimed jazz guitarist Femi Temowo releases the genre-defying album ‘Orin Meta’ this month, with an official launch performance at Under the Bridge, West London.

Until now, Femi has been one of the music industries’ best kept secrets. While working as her musical director and band leader, Femi made un-paralleled contributions to the success of Amy Winehouse.

He has also collaborated with a diverse range of high profile artists such as George Benson, The Roots, Estelle and Soweto Kinch. Now the launch of his groundbreaking album ‘Orin Meta’ will secure Femi’s turn in the limelight and insure that his innovative compositions and accomplished guitar playing will be praised by music lovers for years to come.

Loosely translated as ‘Three Songs representing Birth, Life and Death’, ‘Orin Meta’ fuses contemporary jazz with the folk music tradition and song culture of the West African Yoruba.

As Femi explains “The project was inspired by my need to re-connect with who I am on a geographical level…..(Orin Meta) is a microcosmic look into the way we live our lives…..I liken a single day to an entire lifetime, we live a day as we live a life. Orin Meta is my translation of what these songs may mean to me…if I was to write a song to represent the different aspects of each day, or the different aspects of an entire life.”

Track 1 on the album, ‘The Storyteller’s Psalm’ showcases a plethora of soloists on Sax, Flute, Violin, Piano, Bass, Moog Synth and Hammond Organ while other tracks feature accomplished vocal performances from Cleveland Watkiss, Xantone Blacq and Jean Toussaint.

Throughout the album, the presence of the traditional Yoruban ‘talking drum’ seamlessly compliments elements of acoustic jazz, its tonal nature blending perfectly with other instruments, while its intricate rhythms add to the concept of a microcosmic look at time.

Live Dates (London):

September 23rd (Album Launch) – Under The Bridge, Chelsea

http://underthebbridge.co.uk/events/femi-temowo/

October 28th – The Forge, Camden Town

http://www.forgevenue.org/whats-on/gigdetails/28-oct-11-femi-temowo-the-forge/

November 16th – London Jazz Festival (details TBC)

http://www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk/