Roforofo Jazz
Combining Afrobeat, Hip-Hop and Jazz in an explosive mix
After more than fifteen years of slashing Les Freres Smith’ afrobeat with his guitar strokes, Martin Smith stirred sediments and musical silts in a swamp of hip hop radicality, funk groove, afro power, of jazz freedom, with a pronounced taste for adventurous blends. Roforofo, or «muddy» in Yoruba, is muddy only because it agitates, not because it stagnates. Fixed in wax or developed on stage, its seven musicians know only one and only channel of expression: the stage, this moment of alchemy between them, this connection by groove.
Just formed, the group was invited in October 2019 by the Fela Kuti family to participate in the Felabration, annual mass tribute to the inventor of afrobeat, in Lagos (Nigeria). With this founding tour at the roots of afrobeat, Roforofo Jazz recorded a first 5 tracks EP at the end of 2019 and released the music video to ‘Fire Eater’, shot in Lagos. The record released in early 2021 will be particularly favorite of Radio Nova who will play it for 3 months in a row.
And at the beginning of 2023, Roforofo Jazz stands out again with the release of its second opus ‘Running The Way’, praised by the media (Le Monde, Télérama, FIP, RFI, France Musique,…). A solid album that once again demonstrates the ability of the band to produce a unique sound, inspired by the legends of the afrobeat, on which the MC ʻDaysʼ aka RacecaR finely drops his old-school hip-hop. The 2023 tour began with 2 live radio recordings: Live at FIP and RFI Musiques du Monde, as well as a release party at the festival Au Fil des Voix. The sequel is no less exciting since Roforofo will be on the road this summer, among others on the stages of the Festival des Cultures (77), in Festival Fiest’A Sète (34), at the Macadam Jazz Festival (24), then at the Tamanoir in Gennevilliers (92) and at the Silex in Auxerre (89), among other tour dates.
Roforofo Jazz’s furiuos jazz hop raises to its top the fusion of afrobeat, jazz and hiphop.
selection fip
„The first french afrobeat band to have ever played at the Lagos Felabration.“
Le Monde
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