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Afri-kokoa
Who are ya?Baggy co-founder, Creative Director, DJ and good egg behind Afri-kokoa - an Afro-inspired music & arts collective based in London.
What's your night called?
Afri-kokoa (say no more!)
What have you been up to, before this?
Afri-kokoa has programmed its unique Afro-flavoured music & arts events at venues as diverse The Big Chill House (May Bank holiday 2007 all-dayer), The Big Chill Festival 2007 (DJ'd on the Finlandia Stage), Big Chill radio and currently programmes the Sunday Joint events on the 2nd Sunday of each month at Bernie Grant Arts Centre.
What's the music policy for your event?
All things Afro fusions - Afri-kokoa's mission is explore the universal sounds of new and old Afro-musical fusions from African Hip-Hop, Afrobeat to Afro-soul to Hip-Life, Afro-Eurasian grooves to Afro-house, Broken Beat to Dubstep and Bashment and Beat Poetry.
Who has played, or is going to play?
On Bank Holiday Monday 24th March, Indian jazzhead/clarinettest/composer/producer 'Arun Ghosh' performs with percussionist Aref Durvesh and a bass player. Also providing upliftment and consciousness will be a live performance from East-London-based roots-reggae group Reality Souljahs. Acoustic rap duo Hoursandminutes will also perform live. On the decks, Resident DJs AJ Kwame (Runaways) and Baggy are joined by Eric Soul (AFROGROOV) African MC Doug G.
If money was no object, and you could book any line-up of DJs and bands living or dead, who would play?
Fela Kuti & Africa 70, Sun Ra, Stevie Wonder, The Rotary Connection, Frimpong, Osunlade, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Donny Hathaway, Gil Scott Heron
What are your current top 5 tunes?
'Loves a Real Thing'- Super Eagles (Ubiquity)
'War Hero' - Antibalas (Ninja Tunes)
'Rolex' - Zumen feat Leafnuts & Aaron Phii'
'Money Honey' - Pressure feat Warrior Queen (HyperDub)
'Beng Beng Beng' - Femi Kuti (De Lata mix)
'Roots (Kaidi Tatum mix) (Blood Fire Vol III)
'Disinformation' - Lanu (12" mix)(Tru Thoughts)
What three things would your ideal bar have to have?
Live music, all the best dark rums from African, Caribbean & Latin America, all the best food from Africa, Caribbean & Latin America.
I'm just on my way to the bar - what I get you?
Excited.
Ideal evening chilling at home?
Listening to a new album from an exciting Afro-influenced artists.
Ideal evening chilling out?
Live music, food & friends.
Favourite places?
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Accra, Ghana
Salvador, Bahia(Brasil)
What are you reading these days?
'Can't Stop Won't Stop - A history of the hip-hop generation - Jeff Change (Ebury Press)
What are you working on at present?
Afri-kokoa fashion show on 9th March, 3pm-8pm at Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Tottenham Green...and Summer programme of events.
What would most like to achieve over the next five years?
Afri-kokoa stage at Big Chill festival, Afri-kokoa festival, Afri-kokoa tour, Afri-kokoa compilation, Being happy.
What's your idea of happiness?
Friend, family, moving and grooving to the sound Michael Jackson's 'Rock with me', Jimmy Cliff's 'Harder they come' & Bob Marley’s ‘War’
Highlight of your life?
Still to come.
At a festival - tent, B&B, or hotel for you, and why?
Tent - it’s a festival and getting back to the earth an opportunity not a threat!
Describe the essence of The Big Chill in a few words...
Relaxing alternatives to the mainstream.
Where can i find you online? website? myspace? facebook? etc?
www.myspace.com/afrikokoa, www.afri-kokoa.co.uk, on Facebook search for 'Afri-kokoa'
Afri-kokoa comes to The Big Chill House on 24th March.
Written: 26th Feb, 08
Read: 563 times
