"ZOZO"Taken from the goun or fon dialects in the republic of Benin west Africa meaning something steaming hot truly keeps the Afrobeat fire burning.13 piece ensemble led by Kaleta real name Leon Ligan-Majek is a renown world music/afrobeat producer,arranger,guitarist,percussionist and singer born in the republic of benin but lived all his adolescent life in Lagos Nigeria,a city STONE THROW from his native country Benin,where the culture is similar in terms of language and music to that of Nigeria where he grew up.with ZOZO AFROBEAT,Kaleta music pays homage to the greats and yet still maintains his distinctive sound and energy.
He had performed,toured and recorded albums with legendary FELA KUTI,king SUNNY ADE,SHINA PETERS,and lately went on world tour with Lauryn Hill ...to mention but a few.
He is frontman to New York based AKOYA AFROBEAT for the past 5 years.
He recorded an afropop cd titled KALETA JAA ALSO DISPONIBLE AT CDBABY in 2003,an album that topped the charts for weeks with dj JEAN JACQUES MAHI'S AFRICA NUMERO 1 RADIO IN LIBREVILLE GABON.
He was one of the 4 nominees by just plain folks award in 2004 in the USA for the world music category.
Now with his 13 piece afrobeat band and members from around the globe.For more infos pls go to myspace.com/zozoafrobeat
ZOZO AFROBEAT PRESENT LINE UP .
1-KALETA'LEON LIGAN-MAJEK>COMPOSER,ARRANGER,LEAD VOCALS,PERCUSSIONS,GUITARS...BENIN /NIGERIA
2-BENON LIPOWSKI'GUITARS POLAND
3-BRETT GREGORY,BARITONE SAX
4-DAVID AHL,KEYBOARDS,BAND DIRECTOR USA
5-RODNEY SIAU,TRUMPET USA
6-JEREMY KAY BASS GUITAR USA
7-JEREMY KING CONGAS PERCUSSIONS US
8-MAI LINGANI,VOCALS BURKINA FASO
9--LOLISSE MBI VOCALS BOSTWANA
10-Gbengawise.vocals Nigeria
11-KEVIN RACZKA DRUMS USA
ZOZO AFROBEAT EXTENDED FAMILY IS TOO LARGE
DAVE AARON TENOR SAX CANADA
GLORIA OSAGHAE VOCALS NIGERIA
DAVE MULLEN TENOR SAX USA
MIKE WEISBERGER TENOR AND BARITONE SAX USA
GREG INVERSO DRUMS USA WE MISS YOU
BRETT LEGHORN TROMBONE USA
JUDITH RAHILLY VOCALS USA
KOLEURZS VOCALS NIGERIA USA..
JIM KOST KEYBOARDS USA...WE LL POST NAMES SHORTLY....PLS VISIT MYSPACE.COM/ZOZOAFROBEAT OR ZOZOAFROBEAT.COM
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