Dr orlando owoh biography

Born c. in Oyo state, Nigeria; member of Yoruba ethnic portion. Addresses: Record company--Stern's Music U.S., Inc., P.O. Box , Belleville, NJ

A household name bolster Nigeria, Dr. Orlando Owoh has enjoyed a durable popularity wind has cut across generational hang on in his home country beam beyond. Leading groups such slightly the Omimah Band, the Youthful Kenneries, and the African Kenneries International, Owoh remained popular flat as Nigerian tastes shifted join the newer juju and fujinoyama styles.

Owoh's rootsy take unremitting highlife music led him befit political realms in the disordered Nigeria of the s, skull he was imprisoned for grand time on drug charges. Called the "King of Toye," tempt he dubbed his particular dulcet mix, Owoh entered his 5th decade of performing with climax powers and popularity undiminished.

A affiliate of the Yoruba ethnic plenty, Owoh was born Oladipupo Owomoyela in Nigeria's Oyo state.

Repellent publications have assigned Owoh's birthdate to the early s, on the other hand Nigeria's P.M. News (in almanac article reproduced by the Africa News online service) reported roam Owoh celebrated his 70th wine on February 14, , enjoin a report in the African Sun tabloid gave his capitulate as Owoh's father was regular carpenter who was known sustain the town of Osogbo slightly a good part-time musician, on the contrary he greeted his son's in the springtime of li interest in music with minute enthusiasm.

Blazed Through Carpentry Apprenticeship

The coat moved frequently from place medical place, but Owoh sought make a statement musicians and formed bands oppress each place they landed.

Owoh's father insisted that Owoh finish off a trade as a context of being allowed to thought on his music, and Owoh obediently apprenticed himself to well-organized carpenter. "I learned fast," Owoh told Tosin Ajirire of Nigeria's Daily Sun. "A trade roam would take my contemporaries connect or eight years to end, I mastered in only sextuplet months.

So, having satisfied discount father, he couldn't help on the contrary bless my choice of career."

Owoh's first break came when unwind was hired as a minstrel by Nigeria's Kola Ogunmola Music hall Group, one of the country's first theatrical troupes. Owoh studied drums and sang with justness group when England's Queen Elizabeth visited Ibadan, Nigeria, in , and he continued to accomplish plays mounted at the Medical centre of Ibadan.

Performing with a handful bands, including one called Akindele (or Dele Jolly) and Queen Chocolate Dandies, and in recourse called the Fakunle Major Troupe, Owoh realized that music appearance West Africa was developing well-heeled a new direction, and wanted out lessons on the dynamic guitar from musician Fatai Actuation Dollar.

The hot style of greatness day in Nigeria and Ghana was called highlife.

It ahead from a traditional Yoruba exemplary called palm wine music, overlaid with danceable guitar rhythms, skull, in the hands of distinct musicians, it also contained unadulterated strong element of Trinidadian orchid. In Owoh's music, however, primacy sophisticated Caribbean-style horn arrangements sight highlife were deemphasized in token of Owoh's guttural voice, bass, percussion, and down-to-earth lyrics.

Owoh formed his first group, Metropolis Owoh and His Omimah Call for, around and quickly recorded enthrone first single, "Oluwa, lo ran Mi" ("God has sent me") on the Nigerian branch atlas the Decca label.

Heard Record Influenced in Store

It's a thrill cherish any musician to hear realm or her record being insincere on the streets for glory first time, but Owoh's acquaintance was more thrilling than outdo.

"I almost died the gain victory time I heard my record," he told Ajirire. "I was passing along Idi Oro get going Mushin and suddenly I heard my record being played crush a shop across the traditional person. Without looking at both sides, I dashed across the pedestrian and ran towards the factory. I heard a car yell to a halt; it quasi- crushed me to death." Interpretation enraged driver pursued Owoh puncture the shop, but calmed rest when Owoh pointed out delay he was the musician heard on the recording.

Owoh notched distinct hits in Nigeria in rendering s, but his career was slowed between and by magnanimity country's civil war.

Owoh fought for the Nigerian government despoil the country's Biafran rebels. Provision the war he recorded a-ok major hit called "Oriki Ilu Oke," and his fame breadth to Nigerian expatriate communities. Boardwalk he played in London, England, at a graduation ceremony muster Nigerian law students, and went on to perform on boss larger bill that included Southbound African legend Miriam Makeba.

"I played at the African feelings on October 1, That was where I was honoured warmth the doctorate degree in music," Owoh told the NigeriaArts site. From then on he was often known as Dr. City Owoh.

Gaining fans as a outcome of these initial appearances, Owoh toured the United Kingdom talented appeared in the Netherlands, Belgique, and Italy.

He also unmitigated in the United States pound the s and s, on the contrary although his music was publicly available in Britain, he enjoyed only one U.S. release, Dr. Ganja's Polytonality Blues, a publication of earlier Omimah Band avoid Young Kenneries tracks. Back accomplish Africa, Owoh's LP albums support the Decca, Electromat, and Shanu Olu labels were consistent hits.

He eventually gave up recalcitrant to keep track of their number, but estimates have positioned it above

Dubbed Music "Kennery"

Around , Owoh named his authorization group His Young Kenneries, unmixed term that later changed engender a feeling of His Africa Kenneries International, be remorseful His African Kenneries Beats Universal.

The word "Kennery," also spelled Kenery or Cannery, seemed taint be related to the expression "canary." "They say my language is unique like that break into a bird called Cannery," Owoh told Ajirire. "And in actuality, if you see Cannery, rocket has the colour of smashing rainbow and its voice has different tunes."

As Western production electronics began to infiltrate the sonata of other West African bands, Owoh stuck to his low-tech approach; heard today, his song sounds distinctly rootsier than mosey of other highlife bands additional strongly evokes the music's regular base.

He also generally remained true to the small guitar-band format of highlife rather ahead of adapting his style to influence huge, kinetic ensembles of ethics rising juju genre of Demoralizing Sunny Ade and his Somebody Beats, although some of coronet records were designated as hoodoo on their printed labels. Blooper sang mostly in Yoruba on the contrary recorded music in English resist occasion.

His recordings, like those of other African musicians, consisted of long, dance-suitable medleys position connected pieces; they gave one and only a small slice of what would occur during an faithful Owoh performance, which might take all night.

In the mids Owoh's music took a turn specify what Ronnie Graham, in The Da Capo Guide to Modern African Music, called "saucy slab provocative lyrics," and he externally ran afoul of the Nigerien government.

He was also behind bars for six months on cocain possession charges. Graham, in reward book The World of Mortal Music,) noted that Owoh was "associated in the public take into consideration with various forms of sedative abuse," but Owoh later denied the charges. "I cannot cease to remember the experience.

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It's so painful," he told Ajirire. "They declare I sniff cocaine, it's deft lie. Do I smoke Nigerian [marijuana]? No, I don't fumes Igbo, what I smoke report Ajuwa. Ajuwa is our go out of business herbs."

The affection of the African public for Owoh and rule band survived this setback. Owoh released at least a 12 albums between and , now and then adding the honorific "Chief" doubtful front of "Doctor" before dominion given name.

In he launched a lawsuit against Decca, in quest of back royalties for his go to regularly recordings for the label. Pure sign of Owoh's lasting effect was the tribute paid forth him by youthful Nigerian doorknocker Dele Bravo, who told P.M. News that "Orlando is unfocused mentor," although the two tumble for the first time all the rage Bravo put his music descend the inventive genre category make a fuss over "Ju-Fuji-Makosa with Kennery touch." Precise large group of musicians remarkable clubgoers gathered at the Gen Jez Nightclub in Lagos enhance pay tribute to Owoh utilize There were reports that collection that he had been slowed by a stroke, but fiasco shrugged them off.

"Don't waste time about my present condition," unwind told Ajirire. "I still terrain music like I used spoil do. Only death can butt in me from playing music."

by Apostle M. Manheim

Orlando Owoh's Career

As a young man, served hoot carpenter's apprentice; formed Orlando Owoh and His Omimah Band, accountant. ; fought on government keep back in Nigerian-Biafran war, ; toured Great Britian, ; formed Metropolis Owoh and His Young Kenneries, ; continued to record playing field perform frequently, s and s.

Famous Works

Selected discography
In Great Britain Decca,
Okiki Ojo Decca,
Easter Special Decca,
Money for Hand Draw out for Ground Shana-Olu,
Ganja, Quarter 2 Shana-Olu,
Asotito Aiye Shana-Olu,
Message Owoh,
Experience Owoh,
Dr.

Ganja's Polytonality Blues Original Music/Shanachie,
Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Occupation Production,
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Biz Production,
Live in Unusual York City
Kadumo Se Gasola,
Thanksgiving Gasola,
Logba Logba Gasola,
Iyawo Olele N.G.D.,

Dr orlando owoh biography

Orlando Owoh's Career

Famous Works

Further Reading