Afro Jazz Music by Shola Emmanuel

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Albums By Shola Emmanuel

Known as a major form of musical expression in traditional and popular music, the afro jazz music stems from the African-American and European-American musical parentage.

For the African jazz style, it’s the blend of jazz, blues and soul with a spice of the traditional African rhythm that adds flavor to it – which makes up for the reason why it is called the Afro jazz music.

Your erudite saxophone player Shola Emmanuel is no less a master of his craft as he professionally and creatively blends his music with the African jazz style bearing in mind the importance of maintaining western voice, class and African rhythms.

AFRO JAZZ ALBUM BY SHOLA EMMANUEL

KIND OF MUSIC

Though not Emmanuel’s first album, the Kind of Music album took his career to a whole new level internationally and locally. The album has been reviewed in over 60 articles, newspapers and music magazines. It has also aired on over 146 radio stations globally since its release on July 7, 2020.

One of its hit songs ‘Ife’ is currently making waves, breaking barriers, connecting and building relationships. By definition “Ife” is the Yoruba word for love. it’s was first a single before it was added to the album ‘Kind of Music’. This afro jazz music reveals all the intricacies involved in loving someone – the tears, the joy and the laughter hence, the phrase “we love, we laugh, we cry”.

Other list of songs on the album are: Ododo, Biowe pt2, Blessed Assurance, Salt of The Earth, Kind of Afrika, Afro Jazz, Story Story and Revelation,

KIND OF HIGHLIFE

Kind of highlife is a highlife jazz compilation of classic music, with specialization on no specific Nigerian language but with the musical instrument saxophone in view. A typical example is the cover Ekwe O a highlife jazz, making a list in the album ‘Kind of Highlife’, originally sang by Onyeka Onwenu from the album Golden Song Vol.2, released in 1984.

For the love of good music, great sound and culture, Shola Emmanuel did a cover of the song blending it with the African jazz style of music.

Here’s more:

Wazobia
Love Adure
Old Times
Luciann
Oro Leye

YORUBA AFRO JAZZ PROJECTS

The Yoruba afro jazz compilation captures the traditional African-Nigerian music of the Yoruba tribe. With Biowe making a playlist in the album, it is a special afro jazz music that springs from the depths of the heart to the lips of its singer – Emmanuel, reflecting deep Yoruba proverbs.

The song is a blend of jazz and soul; it was released on April 14^th 2018. And in 2020, Emmanuel did a live performance of the song during world music day hosted by the Institut Francais du Abuja, Nigeria.

NINE LESSONS

Nine Lessons is Shola Emmanuel’s second album after Time. Known for his three-way street musical expertise – music, culture and gospel, in the album ‘Nine Lessons’ Moti Layo, Emmanuel preaches the gospel as he expresses his love and joy for God. Moti Layo means ‘I have joy’.

TIME

Emmanuel’s first album ‘Time’ paved the way for his career as a renowned afro jazz artist. With Bibeli Mi on the playlist of the Time album, Emmanuel thrills his audience and brings to them the awareness that ‘Home is Where Music Is’ – with the African jazz style.

AFRO JAZZ SINGLES BY SHOLA EMMANUEL

ANTHEM NIGERIA

As a patriotic citizen, in a bid to celebrate Nigeria’s independence and its achievement, Emmanuel used the African jazz style to rearrange and orchestrate the Nigerian anthem. With the traditional African rhythm in view, this afro jazz music was released on November 19, 2015.

IFE

“Ife” was first recorded as a single in 2019, Atlanta, mixed and mastered by Femi Ojetunde and engineered by Marlon Patton. Before it was added to the album Kind of Music.

In a bid to portray the African rhythm in afro jazz music, the recording session graced the likes of Nick Rosen on piano, Brandon Boone on upright bass, Frank Quifiones, Luis Gonzalez also known as Chunky on conga and percussions, Darren English on trumpet and Eric Fontaine on clarinet and tenor sax. And of course, Shola Emmanuel with the vocals, lips on saxophone and fingers on orchestral strings.

BIOWE

“Biowe” is a special afro jazz music that springs from the depths of the heart to the lips of its singer – Emmanuel, reflecting deep Yoruba proverbs.

The song is a blend of jazz and soul; it was released on April 14^th 2018. And in 2020, Emmanuel did a live performance of the song during world music day hosted by the Institut Francais du Zimbabwe.

MODUPE

“Modupe” is another thrilling song by Emmanuel with an African jazz music blend.

Produced by Corey Giessen, Modupe is a classic instrumental afro jazz music, with Eddie Owen as the executive producer. This classic was first recorded live by Blue House Productions, followed by a trailblazing performance at Eddie Owen Presents @ Red Clay Music Foundry on July 1^st 2020.

Memoir: Style of Music, Career and Lifestyle

In an interview with D Afrique Shola Emmanuel plainly states that the environment where he grew up has a great influence on his style of music. In the same documentary, songstress Suzanne West defines Emmanuel as “a fantastic musician”. With an inspiring life of music, Emmanuel has successfully built relationships through music that can last for a lifetime.

One could possibly think that music is all that there is with Shola Emmanuel, on the contrary, he is a professional in Information and Technology with i800services.