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| Nigerian Soul Singer-Songwriter, Kuku, Debuts the 'Unexpected Pleasures' On April 25, 2005, MR KUKU Recordings will release 'Unexpected Pleasures' the debut full-length album by Kuku, a singer, songwriter and guitarist who effortlessly blend his stripped-down brand of soul music with his Nigerian/Yoruba heritage. The album will be his follow-up effort to the critically acclaimed 2005 ep 'Love Sessions'. Unexpected Pleasures' twelve listed tracks were all written by Kuku and produced by friend and attorney, Alexei Tsybine Jendayi. The above date marks a street release date which will be followed shortly with an official nationwide release by City Hall Record Distribution in association with New York based Mullata Record. Modern soul music has not sounded this rooted and organic in a long time. Kuku's percussive rhythmic finger-picking approach to acoustic guitar is phenomenal for a guy that picked up the instrument for the first in 2002. A pure singer, Kuku's five octave vocal range is a thing of beauty as he often goes into vocal impersonations of names like Teddy Pentagrass, Macy Gray, Maxwell, Louie Armstrong and Fela Kuti in his live performances. Ironic as it may seem, coming from an athletic built African man standing at six foot four inches tall, 'Love' is the overall theme of Kuku's music, no wonder Chicagoist writer Scott Smith advise during Kuku 's 2004 Chicago appearance "Please beware: Kuku's music has some serious baby-makin' properties. So watch whom you bring to the show..." Kuku's songwriting style is another force to be reckoned with. He writes from the soul where all emotions reside. Names like Bill Withers, Terry Callier, and Smokey Robinson easily come to mind listening to any of Kuku songs. Kuku's musical journey doesn't date back to the church like every other soul singer, his entire lineage has been Muslims, nor does he come from a musical family, though a few members of his family will swear they sang back in the day. A native of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria, Kuku is a first generation Kuku-family musician, with an innate talent, who has chosen the troubadour lifestyle contrary to his family's cooperate occupational background. Since 2003, Kuku has gigged regularly in his home base of Washington DC/Alexandria VA and nationally, building a loyal following at venues such as his notable two time appearances at the Washington DC's Kennedy Center, New York's SOBs', and Los Angelis California's Temple Bar. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |