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DJ Lubi presents...

K.O.G "Zone 6, Agege" album launch

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After a blazing sold out show at Brudenell in November 2021 with his explosive afrofusion band K.O.G & The Zongo Brigade, the main man/bandleader/vocalist K.O.G is back at the venue on 12th March 2022 to launch his debut solo album "Zone 6, Agege" on French label Heavenly Sweetness. Once again, many of the great musicians from the Zongo Brigade join him live on stage to perform new original music written and produced by K.O.G.

Kweku Sackey aka K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana) is a multi-dimensional creative force, combining exquisite writing skills with shamanistic live performance, fierce raps, perfectly on pitch singing across a massive vocal range and some absolutely wicked dance moves. Not to mention his skills as a percussionist, arranger, bandleader and art director. A true poet and storyteller, he uses a mix of English, Pidgin and Ga to paint sonic pictures that reach deep into the souls of everyone ready to listen.

Born in Accra, Ghana, he grew up with a diverse range of international influences alongside Ghanaian styles. Resident for over 10 years in Sheffield, UK, music has taken him to perform in 15 countries at huge stages all over the world. Kweku is deeply aware of his heritage and of his role as an ambassador both through space and time, negotiating culturally both between African and Western influences and between the traditional and the modern. To quote him directly - “I view MUSIC as a major WEAPON in the BATTLEFIELD for PEACE of MIND in the world”.

Always open to new innovations and ideas while firmly rooted in a deep lineage. This openness has informed collaborations over the years with a wide wide range of producers and writers, including iZem, Afriquoi, Scrimshire, Congo Natty, Dark Sky, Dizraeli, Chiminyo, Tongue Fu and Umoja to name a few.

A prolific writer and collaborator, he is the lead vocalist for afro-futurist project Onipa (Strut Records, Wormfood), band leader/vocalist/percussionist for hi-life/hip-hop/afro-funk band K.O.G & The Zongo Brigade (Heavenly Sweetness), as well as collaborating extensively for years with top UK jazz/global beats stars Nubiyan Twist. His song ‘If I Know’ off their "Freedom Fables" album (Strut, March 2021) was performed live on Later With Jools Holland and A playlisted twice on BBC6 Music. In January, it hit 1 million streams on Spotify!

He will launch his debut solo album "Zone 6, Agege" on 25th February 2022 via the French label Heavenly Sweetness. It's co-produced by master French producer Guts (Alliance Ethnik) and longtime friend and collaborator Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, Onipa). Check out the video for the debut single “Shidaa” on this page. For this album promo tour, he's invited longtime collaborators rappers/MCs Franz Von and Otis Mensah to join him onstage alongside the killer band and backing vocalists. 

MEDIA QUOTES

“Ghana’s finest” – Jools Holland, Later with Jools Holland, BBC2, March 2021

“...highlights include the riotous beats and irresistible delirium of Onipa, whose rogue strain of griot hip-hop and charismatic frontman KOG had the entire marquee beaming” – The Guardian, March 2019 (review of Damon Albarn’s Africa Express)

“KOG and Tom Excell reach for the stars together as Onipa” Metro, April 2020 (review of Onipa album)

"A searing, righteous piece of afro-futurism with a funky edge, a vibrant, rhythmic club burner that refuses to sit in one place” – Clash, March 2019 (review of K.O.G & the Zongo Brigade album)

“An effervescent, life-affirming Pan-African tour” Mojo, April 2020 (review of Onipa album)

Support band are Leeds/Bradford highlife jazz combo Kontiki who have built a strong local following with their Highlife meets Afro-Jazz/Afro-Psyche fusion - a blend of sweet sounding West African guitar vibes, a driving rhythm section topped off with firing sax solos from tenor and baritone saxes. They smashed it at Brudenell in January opening the show for ONIPA (K.O.G's other band) that K.O.G himself personally asked for them to open this gig. Great to have them back.

Support DJs are another firing new crew from Leeds playing great past and present African music. Afroshake are a Pan-African DJ Collective centred on playing music from the African continent and the African Diaspora. Their mission is to explore the full berth of African musical styles and to broadcast them to dancefloors via their excellent Leeds club night Katiki and then all around the world via their DJ mixes. They'll be playing the full spectrum of great African music from classics to the latest releases from 7.30pm and before/between/after live sets.

Saturday 12th March 2022

Price: £12 adv

Doors 19:30

Band Links



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