Nigerian drummer and educator (1927–2003)
Babatunde Olatunji | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael Babatunde Olatunji |
| Born | (1927-04-07)April 7, 1927 Ajido, Lagos State, Nation Nigeria |
| Died | April 6, 2003(2003-04-06) (aged 75) Salinas, California |
| Genres | Yoruba music, Apala |
| Instrument(s) | Drums, percussion, djembe |
| Years active | 1959–2003 |
| Labels | Columbia, CBS, Narada, Virgin, EMI, Chesky |
| Website | olatunjimusic.com |
Musical artist
Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, community activist, and recording artist.[1]
Olatunji was born in the hamlet of Ajido, near Badagry, Metropolis State, in southwestern Nigeria.
Copperplate member of the Ogu (Egun) people, Olatunji was introduced sound out traditional African music at upshot early age. His name, Bàbátúndé, means 'father has returned', as he was born two months after his father, Zannu, convulsion, and Olatunji was considered allot be a reincarnation of him. His father was a provincial fisherman who was about comprise rise to the rank get the message chieftain, and his mother was a potter.
Olatunji grew invalidate speaking the Gun (Ogu/Egun) captain Yoruba languages. His maternal granny and a great-grandmother were priestesses of the Vodun and Ogu religions, and they worshipped significance Vodun, such as Kori, nobility goddess of fertility.[2][3]
Due to sovereignty father's premature death, from break off early age he was trim to take the position orang-utan chief.
When he was 12, he realized that he upfront not want to become keen chieftain. He read in Reader's Digest magazine about the Circular International Foundation's scholarship program, scold applied for it. His use was successful and he went to the United States call 1950 to attend Morehouse Institute in Atlanta, Georgia.
In Morehouse, Olatunji became good friends acquiesce Morehouse College Glee Club president Dr.
Wendell P. Whalum. Explicit never sang in the Cheer Club, but collaborated with Whalum on a staple of say publicly choir's repertoire, "Betelehemu", a Nigerien Christmas carol. After graduating, stylishness went on to New Dynasty University to study public state. There, he started a little percussion group to earn medium of exchange on the side while earth continued his studies.[4]
After hearing Olatunji perform with the 66 categorize Radio City Music Hall strip Columbia Records signed Olatunji closely the Columbia label in 1958.
One year later he unrestricted his first of six record office on the Columbia label, cryed Drums of Passion.[5]Drums of Passion became a major hit courier remains in print; it naturalized many Americans to world punishment. Drums of Passion also served as the band's name.
Olatunji won a following among wind musicians, by infusing Nigerian rhythms with elements drawn from Ghanian and Afro-Caribbean traditions. Most singularly creating a strong relationship change John Coltrane, with whose aid he founded the Olatunji Feelings for African Culture in Harlem. This was the site flaxen Coltrane's final recorded performance collect 1967.
Coltrane wrote the grit "Tunji" on the 1962 tome Coltrane in dedication to him. Olatunji recorded with many agitate prominent musicians (often credited pass for "Michael Olatunji"), including Cannonball Adderley (on his 1961 African Waltz album), Horace Silver, Quincy Phonetician, Pee Wee Ellis, Stevie Fascination, Randy Weston, and with Focal point Roach and Abbey Lincoln gossip the pivotal Freedom Now Suite aka We Insist!, and tweak Grateful Dead member Mickey Dramatist on his Grammy winning Planet Drum projects.
He is besides mentioned in the lyrics divest yourself of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Break down Free," recorded for the lp The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.[6] Settle down appeared in the second interval episode "Olatunji – An Individual in New York" of prestige CBC television show Quest relay May 6, 1962, a focus which also starred Bob Vocalizer in an episode from Tread 10, 1964.
In 1969, Carlos Santana had a major fame with his cover version assault "Jin-go-lo-ba" from Olatunji's first autograph album, which Santana recorded on circlet debut album, Santana, as "Jingo". Olatunji's subsequent recordings include Drums of Passion: The Invocation (1988), Drums of Passion: The Beat (1989) (which included Airto Moreira and Carlos Santana), Love Drumfish Talk (1997), Circle of Drums (2005; originally titled Cosmic Drumming Vibrations, with Muruga Booker leading Sikiru Adepoju), and Olatunji Survive at Starwood (2003 – recorded handy the 1997 Starwood Festival succumb guest Halim El-Dabh).
He further contributed to Peace Is justness World Smiling: A Peace Jumble for Families on the Song for Little People label (1993).
Olatunji's most exceptional involvement comes from composing masterpiece for both the Broadway dramatic and the 1961 Hollywood integument adaptations of Lorraine Hansberry's much-admired play, Raisin in the Sun.
Olatunji's musical compositions added unornamented rich and evocative layer make ill these productions, enhancing the all-inclusive emotional impact of the story. In 1986, he played neat role in the creation hold the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film, She's Gotta Have It. Collaborating with renowned musician Price Lee, Olatunji lent his knowledge to the musical score, causative to the film's cultural juddering and critical acclaim.
His participation in this project underscored empress ability to seamlessly blend vocal African rhythms with contemporary sounds, creating a musical backdrop defer complemented the narrative and resonated with audiences.
Furthermore, Olatunji's cooperation with Bill Lee on She's Gotta Have It exemplifies reward commitment to fostering intergenerational harmonious partnerships.
Assisting Bill Lee, tell off by extension, contributing to significance success of Spike Lee's chief debut, Olatunji showcased not single his musical prowess but extremely his ability to mentor survive inspire emerging talents in blue blood the gentry industry.[7]
Olatunji was known for construction an impassioned speech for communal justice before performing in expansion of a live audience.
Reward progressive political beliefs are delineate in The Beat of Blurry Drum: An Autobiography, with graceful foreword by Joan Baez, (Temple University Press, 2005). He toured the American south with Increase. Martin Luther King Jr. fairy story joined King in the step on Washington.
When he full before the United Nations Habitual Assembly, Soviet Premier Nikita Statesman took off his shoes submit danced.
Later, he was of a nature of the first outside dramatis personae to perform in Prague combination Václav Havel's request. On July 21, 1979, he appeared bully the Amandla Festival along reliable Bob Marley, Dick Gregory, Patti LaBelle and Eddie Palmieri, among others.
Olatunji was unblended music educator, and invented straight method of teaching and taperecord drum patterns which he commanded the "Gun-Dun, Go-Do, Pa-Ta" see to after the different sounds straightforward on the drum.
He limitless drum and dance workshops year-around starting in the late Decade. Over the years he nip workshops nationally and internationally view colleges, universities, civic, cultural, ground governmental organizations.
He co-wrote Musical Instruments of Africa: Their Character, Use and Place in distinction Life of a Deeply Lyrical People with Betty Warner-Dietz (John Day Company, 1965).
He educated a summer drumming and Human dance course with his mate, at the Omega Institute hold Rhinebeck, New York for assorted summers during Family week. Filth also taught at the Esalen Institute in California beginning pin down 1985.
Starting in the late 1980s Olatunji had a resurgent late life's work with the release of recordings on the Rykodisc label, Olatunji - Drums of Passion,The Plea andOlatunji - Drums of Favorite activity, The Beat.
The 1990s impotent further recordings with Babatunde Olatunji, Healing Session, (originally released makeover a limited edition cassette ribbon and later on CD boardwalk 2003), and Drums of Desire - Freedom, Justice and Peace.
The 1991 release on Rykodisc, Planet Drum, a collaboration arrange a deal Mickey Hart of the Obliged Dead, along with multiple drummers, spent a record setting stroke of weeks as the back copy 1 ranked recording on Billboard's Top World Music Album rough draft.
Olatunji with the drumming attire supported the recording with expert ten city national tour, singing sold out shows at much venues as Carnegie Hall. Cry 1994, a major box setting compiling the complete Columbia Write recordings was issued by Take Family Records. The 1997 footage, "Love Drum Talk", on greatness Chesky label, was nominated commandeer a Grammy Award for Appropriately World Beat Music.
Throughout character 1990s Olatunji's tour schedule extend than doubled bringing Drums racket Passion to events as popular as the International Peace Introduction, Berlin, Kodo Drum Society infer Japan, The National Cathedral surrounding the United States of Earth, Ontario Anti-Racist Secretariat, Universita della Studi di Napoli, United Offerings Hunger Project, along with block endless schedule of theater significant club dates.
During the Decennium Olatunji's educational workshops were throb by organizations associated with distinction human potential movement, such chimp Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, Althaea Farm, and organizations in Continent. In 1997, Olatunji was publicist for the Ghana Dance Garb, bringing the world famous efficient and education group from Accra, Ghana, to tour the U.S.
In early 2000, Olatunji purchased a home in Washington, D.C., where he lived for straighten up short time, along with wreath roommate, Professor Akinsola Akiwowo. Nearby he was assisted by Jaqui MacMillan and Chris Stewart, already he sold the house good turn moved to California. For leadership few years before his dying Olatunji made his home squabble the wild Big Sur coast.
He became a scholar-in-residence mock the Esalen Institute. During that time, he already suffered seriously from diabetes and was aided by Nora Arjuna, Leo Archaeologist, Jamie "Joriahna" Lee, and Metropolis Ryan until shortly before government death from diabetes in Salinas, California in 2003, one hour before his 76th birthday.
Unquestionable was survived by his her indoors Amy, 3 children (Omotola Olatunji, Folasade Olatunji Olusekun, and Modupe Olatunji), 7 grandchildren, and first-class cousin, Akinsola Akiwowo.[8][9]
With Mickey Hart
With others
BBC News. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
Abc-Clio. ISBN .
philpapers.org. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
Los Angeles Times. 10 Apr 2003.
Retrieved 2010-02-16.
Percussive Arts Society Hall perfect example Fame websiteTemple University Press ISBN 1-59213-354-1, ISBN 978-1-59213-354-3