Veteran musician Orlando Julius will perform at the Prince of Anthony Hotel, Anthony Village, Lagos, this evening starting by 7.00 p.m. The concert is to celebrate the over five decades of Orlando Julius' journey in music and icons of highlife, jazz, contemporary Afropop music and music aficionados who recognise and love excellent music are expected to attend the concert.
Latoya, the musician's wife and such notable artistes as Yinka Davies, among others, will also take part in the show. Both a pioneer and innovator, Dr. Orlando Julius Ekemode has been vital to the creation, growth, and popularisation of Afro-pop. He has also had great influence on American soul and the parallel roots of modern Afrobeat and jazz.
His hit track, 'Back to the Roots', which he did with the American singer Lamont Dozier and his group remains evergreen. Starting in the 1960s, Orlando Julius fused traditional African sounds and rhythms with those of American pop, soul and R&B. In his early life as a musician in Nigeria, he played with such popular highlife musicians as Eddie Okonta, the American Jazz great Louis Armstrong, V.S. Akinbosun and I.K. Dairo, among others.
He later formed the Modern Aces then moved to the United States of America, where he worked with top musical acts such as the Crusaders, Hugh Masekela, James Brown, Isaac Hayes, Chaka Khan and Rufus, Gil Scot Herron, the Ojays, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Staple Singers, Curtis Mayfield and others.
The Afro highlife legend will use the opportunity to pay tribute to a departed highlife icon, Fatai Rolling Dollar. The music of the singer cum saxophonist, like fine wine, has continued to be a favourite of fans worldwide. The event will be a night of excitement as people of class and style are sure to savour the melodious good music of the ageless Orlando Julius.
