If Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Lenny Kravitz and Gwen Stefani were all jammin' with the same band, it would be this one. Led by Ghanaian-American artist Derrick N. Ashong, (aka DNA, one of the stars of Steven Spielberg's "Amistad") the young pan-African band Soulfège has pioneered a distinct sound they call "Afro-Diasporic Groovalicious Funkadociousness" ? a unique and irresistible fusion of reggae, funk, highlife, and hip-hop.
The band's members have performed with and for some of the world's most talented artists and distinguished dignitaries including: Debbie Allen, Janet Jackson, Steve Spielberg, Bobby McFerrin, Nelson Mandela, the Reverend Al Sharpton, Dr. Cornell West, and Al Gore.
The groundwork for the Soulfège's unique style was laid in the summer of 2003 when the group traveled from Boston, MA to Accra, Ghana to collaborate with the Pidgen Riddim Kollektive, headed by pioneering "Hip-Life" engineer and producer Panjii Anoff.
Soulfège successfully incorporated the authentic sounds and rhythms of Ghanaian Highlife into their record "Heavy Structured" (which includes two remakes of the classic W.African song "Sweet Mother") returning to the U.S. with a unique and infectious sound that would quickly reveal a broad appeal across diverse audiences.
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Praised by music journalists as "a party without end where all are welcome?" and an "African-proud, drum-conscious hip-rap-reggae feel-good music" American audiences fell in love with the pan-African stylings Soulfège brought back from the continent.
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In addition to the initial remake of "Sweet Mother," Soulfège collaborated with dancehall producer Wayne&Wax to come up with the "Sweet Remix," a dancehall/reggae take on the W.African classic that asks the children of the continent "to look home and fight for Mama Afrika." Proving that music with a positive message can still be popular, the video for the song "Sweet Remix" was voted one of the top 4 videos on "Metro TV" in Ghana alongside the likes of Beyonce, Usher, and R.Kelly. The video was also featured on the "Studio 53" program of M-Net Africa and has gained regular airplay on RETV in Jamaica and "Channel O" of M-Net Africa.
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Today Soulfège is finishing up the follow-up to the successful "Sweet Remix" single.? The new track features Grammy award-winning Dancehall artist Bounty Killer.? Bounty has been at the forefront of Dancehall and Reggae music in both Jamaica and the US for over a decade.? He won a Grammy for his collaboration with No Doubt on the hit single "Hey Baby," and made history as the first Jamaican artist to win an MTV Music Video Award (2 in fact).
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Music is only the beginning for this group however. At the helm of a broader mission Soulfège, in collaboration with young artists and activists from Ghana, Jamaica, Canada and South Africa, is at the forefront of the Sweet Mother Tour (SMT), a project that uses popular culture - music, television and film - to present empowering images of Africa and African people throughout the Diaspora.? To date, products from the SMT have been seen and heard in over 45 countries and by more than 146 million listeners worldwide.
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Join Soulfège and friends as they spread the love of Mama Afrika to all her children at home and in the Diaspora.? Visit www.soulfege.com and www.sweetmother.org to hear the music, watch the videos and learn how YOU can be a part of this growing movement in music.
If Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Lenny Kravitz and Gwen Stefani were all jammin' with the same band, it would be this one. Led by Ghanaian-American artist Derrick N. Ashong, (aka DNA, one of the stars of Steven Spielberg's "Amistad") the young pan-African band Soulfège has pioneered a distinct sound they call "Afro-Diasporic Groovalicious Funkadociousness" ? a unique and irresistible fusion of reggae, funk, highlife, and hip-hop.
The band's members have performed with and for some of the world's most talented artists and distinguished dignitaries including: Debbie Allen, Janet Jackson, Steve Spielberg, Bobby McFerrin, Nelson Mandela, the Reverend Al Sharpton, Dr. Cornell West, and Al Gore.
The groundwork for the Soulfège's unique style was laid in the summer of 2003 when the group traveled from Boston, MA to Accra, Ghana to collaborate with the Pidgen Riddim Kollektive, headed by pioneering "Hip-Life" engineer and producer Panjii Anoff.
Soulfège successfully incorporated the authentic sounds and rhythms of Ghanaian Highlife into their record "Heavy Structured" (which includes two remakes of the classic W.African song "Sweet Mother") returning to the U.S. with a unique and infectious sound that would quickly reveal a broad appeal across diverse audiences.
?
Praised by music journalists as "a party without end where all are welcome?" and an "African-proud, drum-conscious hip-rap-reggae feel-good music" American audiences fell in love with the pan-African stylings Soulfège brought back from the continent.
?
In addition to the initial remake of "Sweet Mother," Soulfège collaborated with dancehall producer Wayne&Wax to come up with the "Sweet Remix," a dancehall/reggae take on the W.African classic that asks the children of the continent "to look home and fight for Mama Afrika." Proving that music with a positive message can still be popular, the video for the song "Sweet Remix" was voted one of the top 4 videos on "Metro TV" in Ghana alongside the likes of Beyonce, Usher, and R.Kelly. The video was also featured on the "Studio 53" program of M-Net Africa and has gained regular airplay on RETV in Jamaica and "Channel O" of M-Net Africa.
?
Today Soulfège is finishing up the follow-up to the successful "Sweet Remix" single.? The new track features Grammy award-winning Dancehall artist Bounty Killer.? Bounty has been at the forefront of Dancehall and Reggae music in both Jamaica and the US for over a decade.? He won a Grammy for his collaboration with No Doubt on the hit single "Hey Baby," and made history as the first Jamaican artist to win an MTV Music Video Award (2 in fact).
?
Music is only the beginning for this group however. At the helm of a broader mission Soulfège, in collaboration with young artists and activists from Ghana, Jamaica, Canada and South Africa, is at the forefront of the Sweet Mother Tour (SMT), a project that uses popular culture - music, television and film - to present empowering images of Africa and African people throughout the Diaspora.? To date, products from the SMT have been seen and heard in over 45 countries and by more than 146 million listeners worldwide.
?
Join Soulfège and friends as they spread the love of Mama Afrika to all her children at home and in the Diaspora.? Visit www.soulfege.com and www.sweetmother.org to hear the music, watch the videos and learn how YOU can be a part of this growing movement in music.
