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MP3 Mozak - MaMa Africa
12 MP3 Songs in this album (60:11) !
Related styles: REGGAE: Smooth Reggae, WORLD: African
People who are interested in Lucky Dube Fela Kuti Bob Marley should consider this download.
Details:
Mozak (aka George Efojie) resides in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is an international artist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer. Mozak’s musical style can be defined as a fusion of Afrobeat, Reggae and Jazz.
He was born in Esan, Nigeria, to a family of musicians Mozak’s father George Efojie Sr. was a prominent local musician, his uncle the late Sunny Okosun was a popular African musician who Mozak grew up listening to. Mozak at a young age realized he had the gift of singing. It was not until he became a teenager that he answered the call of this gift. It was during these impressionable teenage years that Mozak had a vision that there was a purpose for this gift. He felt he could change the world around him through his music. He saw that in order to fulfill this divine purpose he needed to leave his village and move to the city. This musical quest took him to Lagos, the most populous city in Africa.
Although Mozak journey to Lagos where he did not know anyone was just the first step in fulfilling his musical calling, he found himself on the streets. It was while on the hard streets of Lagos that the teenage Mozak had to hussle to survive. He gathered some money and bought a guitar and began to teach himself to play.
With the little skills he taught himself and his gift to play music, Mozak started going to the local night clubs and playing many gigs in different bands. One day he met Oscar Elimby who was a local multi-instrumentalist and producer. Elimby, took a special interest in the raw talent of the young Mozak and began to formally teach him how to play guitar. With these new found skills Mozak was able to get better gigs playing in more prominent local bands.
In his spare time Mozak would hang out in Fela Kuti’s club (the “Shrine”). It was at the Shrine where he met the immense Majek Fashek. The two of them immediately became friends. Majek a guitar master in his own right also seeing Mozak’s talent began to teach him. It was this encounter and additional training that would prepare Mozak for the next part of his musical journey.
While hanging out at the Shrine Mozak became aware of Fela Kuti’s need for a new guitar player. Mozak saw how being a part of Fela Kuti’s band was just the break he needed and so longed for. Mozak applied and was the only one selected out of 13 guitar players who auditioned. He was now a member of the legendary Fela Kuti and Egypt 80 band which he was apart of for 4 years.
Although Mozak was happy being a member of Fela Kuti Egypt 80 band, there was something inside him which made him feel like there was still more he could learn, still something greater for him to do musically. It was during this time of bewilderment while still playing with Fela that he met Keji Hamilton, deputy band leader, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who saw his musical talent and took him under his wings.
In the 90’s, Fela Kuti and the Egypt 80 band embarked on a 40 city tour which took them to the US. It was at this time that Mozak saw the opportunity the USA had to offer him in developing his musical talent even further than all of is past encounters by playing in Egypt 80, so he stayed behind leaving Fela Kuti and Egypt 80 Band.
In the US Mozak began playing in several bands which took him to New York, LA, Nashville and Atlanta. In 2007 Mozak was blessed to cross paths with the president of Cabaña Entertainment Inc., Dr. Bashiru A. Dawodu “Bash” who took a like to Mozak’s music with its vast fusion of different genres of music. This life changing meeting would add the much needed fuel to his slowly inner fire. It would be this divine connection which would allow Mozak to give birth to this music. Mozak’s association with Dr. Dawodu has reinforced his belief that music can really change the world. This encounter has also taught him that music is an instrument of change.
Growing up in Africa Mozak saw the pain and suffering of his African brothers and sisters. He witnessed the poverty, ignorance, disease, government corruption, and human rights abuses. Mozak was impacted by the senseless wars in Africa, the child soldiers, diamond wars, genocides in Darfur as well as Rwanda and vast deforestation in Africa. It would be this eye opening life experiences that transformed Mozak into a social critique, human rights activist and an environmentalist, which are reflected in the music he so passionately writes.
Mozak has been blessed to have crossed paths with some of the world most renowned artists. It would be these divine encounters that helped shaped Mozak’s views and approach to music. These influences gave him his unique style. Some of the people who have inspired him on his musical journey are:
Late Fela Kuti
Fela was also born in Nigeria; Fela is the creator of Afrobeat. As a member of the Fela Kuti and the Egypt 80 band, Mozak was privileged to learn all about Afrobeat from the originator himself, because he sat at Fela’s feet and gleaned from his table.
Late Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh, Jamaican, founding member of the Wailers, came to visit Sunny Okosun in his village in Nigeria, where Mozak interpreted for them. When Mozak met Peter Tosh and a fire was ignited within him and engulfed his very being.
Late Lucky Dube
South African born, reggae artist, transformed from playing traditional African music to reggae music.
Late Sunny Okosun
Nigerian born popular international artist played Afropop, reggae and gospel. Mozak was impressed by his style and his crossover appeal.
Majek Fashek
Reggae artist, Bob Marley style multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer, whose smoky vocals are reminiscent of Bob Marley.
Recordings
New Releases
Mama Africa – Reggae
Describes the pain and promise of Africa, features “Fire in Darfur” a song about the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Includes a tribute to the late great Lucky Dube.
Investigation – Afrobeat
A social critique of poor governance and human rights abuses in Africa, dedicated to the legend Fela Kuti.
Monkey Jazz – International Jazz
Dedicated to all those who fight to protect wild life in Africa. Song about the endangered species and on going deforestation in tropical Africa, featuring Gorilla Dance
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