ORLANDO JULIUS WITH THE HELIOCENTRICS-JAIYEDE AFRO.
ORLANDO JULIUS WITH THE HELIOCENTRICS-JAIYEDE AFRO.
Nowadays, collaborations are commonplace in modern music. So much so, that many music lovers have become complacent. However, the new collaboration between Orlando Julius and The Heliocentrics, Jaiyede Afro, is guaranteed to refresh even the most jaded musical palettes. That’s no surprise. This is a collaboration between one of the legends of African music Orlando Julius, and The Heliocentrics, who are one of London’s most exciting groups. As collaborations go, it’s a tantalising prospect.
There’s more to Jaiyede Afro which was recently released by Strut Records, than a collaboration between two musical cultures and genres. Jaiyede Afro is also a fusion between two generations of musicians.
Tenor saxophonist and singer Orlando Julius has been around since the mid-sixties. Back then, Orlando Julius was fusing highlight and R&B with his band The Modern Aces. A year later, in 1966, Julius released his album Super Afro Soul.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Super Afro Soul, is one of the most important records in the history of Afro-beat. It was akin to a template for several generations of Afro-beat and Afro-funk artists. What Orlando did in 1966, they followed in his footsteps. As the seventies dawned, Orlando’s career took off.
Soon, Orlando was rubbing shoulders with the great and good of music. He met and played with Louis Armstrong, Hugh Masakela, The Crusaders and Lamont Dozier. Then in 1978, Orlando Julius released his critically acclaimed album Love, Peace and Happiness.
Orlando Julius and The Ahiko released Love, Peace and Happiness in 1978, on Jungle Records. It was a fusion of Afro-beat, folk, funk, soul and world music. Essentially, Love, Peace and Happiness was musical melting pot, a delicious one at that. Love, Peace and Happiness introduced the world to one of the rising stars of African music, Orlando Julius. A year later, Orlando returned with his most compelling album.
This was Disco Hi-Life. It was released in 1979 on the Nigerian label, Jofabro. Disco Hi-Life saw Julius jump on the disco bandwagon. He combined this with his unique brand of Afro-beat. As fusions go, this was a delicious one. The only problem was that Disco Hi-Life was only released in Nigeria and France. This meant that Orlando’s music wasn’t being heard by a wide audience. So he remained one of African music’s best kept musical secrets. Sadly, it would be another five years before Orlando released another album.
It wasn’t until 1984 that Orlando Julius released another album. This was Dance Afro-Beat. It was released on Afro-Beat Records. Just like previous albums, Dance Afro-Beat was a fusion of musical genres and influences. Despite the quality of music on Dance Afro-Beat, it failed to make a commercial breakthrough. Since then, a new generation of music lovers have discovered Orlando Julius.
This includes the London based group The Heliocentrics. They’re huge fans of Orlando Julius and invited him to their London studio. It’s an old school studio. Fully analogue, it’s where The Heliocentrics previously collaborated with Lloyd Miller and Mulatu Astatke. The Heliocentrics next collaboration was with Orlando Julius.
At The Heliocentrics’ North London studio, they recorded eight songs with Orlando Julius. These songs became Jaiyede Afro, which was recently released by Strut Records. It’s a breathtaking fusion of two musical cultures given a moderne twist. You’ll realise that, when I tell you about Jaiyede Afro.
Buje Buje opens Jaiyede Afro. Gradually, the arrangement unfolds. Soon, drums play, horns bray and percussion joins a crystalline guitar. They set the scene for Orlandos’ vocal. Heartfelt and tender, it’s enveloped by the hypnotic arrangement. It unfolds in waves and has you spellbound. Later, The Heliocentrics add a dramatic twist as Afro-beat, funk, highlife, jazz and soul melt seamlessly into one beautiful musical melange.
Uber funky. This describes Love Thy Neighbour. It sounds like a track from an African blaxploitation soundtrack. As The Heliocentrics rhythm section get busy, the horns drive the pulsating arrangement along. Percussion and a wah-wah guitar join keyboards as funk meets Afro-beat. It’s a glorious musical marriage where Orlando Julius with The Heliocentrics’ help rolls back the years.
Just like Buje Buje, Aseni featured on Orlando’s ultra rare Orlando Julius and The Sounders’ 1973 album. Literally, the track bursts into life. Hissing hi-hats, a probing bass and chirping guitars combine with growling horns. This is the perfect way to frame Orlando’s lived-in, all-knowing vocals. He sounds like a cross between a sage and shaman. Stabs of a dusty Hammond organ fill in the spaces left the blazing, swirling horns. Soon, they’re joined by chiming guitars. Mostly, it’s Orlando’s vocal and the horns that take centre-stage. Alongb with the rest of The Heliocentrics’ Aseni metamorphosis into a glorious, epic Afro-beat jam.
Sangolede is quite different from the previous track. It has a much more understated sound. It meanders moodily along. Guitars wah-wah, reverberating into the distance. Meanwhile, the rhythm section provide a moody backdrop. Crucial to this is the meandering, probing bass. Along with the shimmering guitar and keyboards, this gives the track a cinematic sound. This is best described as psychedelic funk, with a hint of Afro-beat.
Percussion, rhythm section and short, sharp stabs of horns signal the entrance of Jaiyede Afro. His vocal enters, and almost immediately, drops out again. When it returns he delivers an impassioned, soulful vocal. It’s accompanied by tender, heartfelt harmonies. Before long, Orlando’s vocal grows in power. This is the signal for The Heliocentrics to cut loose. They showcase their considerable skills as Afro-beat and funk become one. Add to this the heartfelt, soulful offerings of Orlando Julius. The result is a captivating, dramatic and beautiful, genre-melting track.
Oma Aba Blues is a traditional song Orlando sung at school. He later rearranged the song in 1965, for his band the Modern Aces. Here, he revisits the song and sings call and response with female backing singers. As for the arrangement, it’s understated, floaty and dreamy. It allows the vocal to take centre-stage. A bubbling bass and a myriad of percussion are omnipresent. Later, braying Afro-beat horns are unleashed. Their raison d’être is to provide a backdrop to Orlando’s vocal, as he reinvents a song he first sung covered nearly fifty years ago.
Back in 1985, Orlando was living on the West Coast of America. That’s where he wrote Be Counted. It was meant to feature on his 1985 album SIsi Sade. Sadly, the album was never completed. Be Counted makes its debut on Jaiyede Afro. With the help of The Heliocentrics, it becomes a spellbinding fusion of Afro-beat, fee jazz, funk, jazz and soul. Braying, screaming free jazz horns protest, as if demanding “Be Counted.” They’re accompanied by a pulsating rhythm section, chiming guitar and percussion. Just like previous tracks, the bass is prominent in the mix. It bubbles away, while horns bray and Orlando delivers an earnest, hopeful vocal. What follows is a moving, dramatic, funky and hopeful musical call to arms from Orlando Julius.
Straight away, In The Middle grabs your attention. The rhythm section combine with chiming guitars and percussion. Soon, free jazz horns are wailing and braying. Just like previous tracks, the horns play starring roles. Meanwhile, the rhythm section and guitars are in a groove. They’re determined to explore the grove to its funkiest and fullest. Atop this irresistible groove are stabs of grizzled, worldweary horns. Their all-knowing sound is reminiscent of a track from a classic seventies Blaxploitation album.
Alafia closes Jaiyede Afro. Stabs of keyboards set the scene for the rhythm section as they explode into action. They’re joined by blazing, jazz-tinged horns. Soon, the arrangement takes on a dubby sound. It’s drenched in reverb. As the wash of reverb dissipates blistering rocky guitars take centre-stage. By now the track as taken on a 21st Century psychedelic sound. There’s more than psychedelia to this track. Afro-beat, dub, funk, jazz and rock melt into one as Orlando Julius, and The Heliocentrics, close Jaiyede Afro on a genre-melting high.
For anyone whose musical palette has been jaded by disappointing collaborations, Jaiyede Afro is guaranteed to refresh even the most jaded musical palettes. That’s no surprise. This is a collaboration between one of the legends of African music Orlando Julius, and The Heliocentrics, who are one of London’s most exciting groups. When the project was announced, it was a tantalising prospect. Somehow, the reality is even better.
During the nine tracks, Orlando Julius The Heliocentrics create a captivating, genre-melting album, Jaiyede Afro which was recently released by Strut Records. Everything from Afro-beat, dub, free jazz, funk, highlife, jazz, psychedelia and rock melt into one. Jaiyede Afro is a case of expect the unexpected.
You never quite know which direction Jaiyede Afro is heading. It’s the ultimate music mystery tour. Curveballs are thrown. They wrong foot you. You think Jaiyede Afro is heading in one direction. Then Orlando Julius The Heliocentrics do the musical equivalent of a handbrake turn. Suddenly, you hare off in the opposite direction. Subtleties and surprises then assail your senses. Sometimes it’s far from subtle. However, it’s jazzy, joyous, funky, soulful and truly irresistible. It’s a truly captivating, mesmeric and tantalising journey, one you wish would never end. When it does, you press play again and enjoy the glorious magical musical mystery tour that is Jaiyede Afro once again.
ORLANDO JULIUS WITH THE HELIOCENTRICS-JAIYEDE AFRO.
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