AFRICANUS: Where Africa's Past Meets Its Sonic Future

Every generation has its sound — music that tells its story, holds its memory, and lights its path forward. For Africa, AFRICANUS: A Live Recording with Udoh Band is one such sound. It is not just a performance; it is a conversation between time, tradition, and tomorrow.

Led by Nigerian composer and multi-instrumentalist Chyke Martins, AFRICANUS is rooted deeply in the continent’s cultural heritage yet unafraid to experiment and reimagine. Indigenous instruments like the oja, banusiri, and thumb piano converse with the saxophone, flute, and clarinet, creating a soundscape that is both ancient and refreshingly modern. The music breathes with improvisation, allowing every performance to feel alive — unpredictable yet familiar, grounded yet soaring.

The Udoh Band completes this vision with artistry and energy. With Flora Sparkle on vocals, Mayowa Afolabi on bass, Timilehin Teegrove on drums, and Alfred Olasunkanmi on guitars, the ensemble transforms each stage into a cultural arena where rhythm, harmony, and spirit collide. Together, they remind us that Africa’s music is not a relic of the past but a living, evolving force that continues to shape the world.

But AFRICANUS is more than sound. It is storytelling in rhythm. Each piece invites audiences to reflect on identity, unity, and pride — themes that stretch beyond Africa to touch humanity itself. In a time when the world is searching for connection, AFRICANUS becomes a bridge: honoring ancestors while speaking boldly to the present.

The choice to capture the project as a live recording is intentional. Live music holds a truth that cannot be polished away in a studio. It carries the pulse of the audience, the spontaneity of improvisation, and the spirit of the moment. This makes AFRICANUS not only a concert to witness but an archive to preserve — a record of Africa speaking in its own voice.

In many ways, AFRICANUS is a cultural mission. It stands against the erasure of indigenous instruments and traditions, affirming their place in the global conversation. It also reflects Africa’s resilience and creativity, showing that while traditions evolve, they never lose their soul.

As Chyke Martins often says, “This is our story, our sound, our offering to the world.” AFRICANUS is that offering — a beacon of cultural depth, a celebration of Africa’s spirit, and a reminder that music, at its best, is both memory and prophecy.