Percussionist Solá Akingbolá says his career has been "turbo-charged" by the success of British acid-funk band Jamiroquai, whose first two albums rocked the UK charts in the mid-90s.



Sola joined Jamiroquai in 1995 as percussionist. Born in 1965, Sola only really started to take his percussion playing seriously some 10 years ago having spent his time before that DJ-ing around London's funkier clubs. Sola aspires to musical excellence like his hero Miles Davis, but his tastes are wide, ranging from Earth Wind and Fire to classical composers like Bartok. Having played percussion with artists such as jazz guitarist Ronnie Jordan, Sola met drummer Derrick McKenzie and was soon asked by Jay to join Jamiroquai. His work on stage with the band is awesome to behold and his percussive licks and vibes can also be heard on both Travelling Without Moving and Synkronized.



Together with drummer Derrick McKenzie percussionist Akingbola appears on Jamiroquai's third release, "Travelling Without Moving," which extended the group's popularity to the US. He has also recorded in recent years with prominent soul-jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan, and performed with Aswad, Britain's most enduring reggae band. In addition, he is a percussionist and musical director for Yoruba Jazzpeople (YJP), who have just completed a successful UK tour and will be touring the US later this year.



Of Nigerian, specifically Yoruba descent, Akingbola grew up listening to traditional drum-centric Yoruba music. He was influenced by several Yoruba artists, including some now familiar to Western audiences -- King Sunny Ade, Ayinla Kollington, and Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He began his career as a vocalist ten years ago in London, when percussionist Gaspar Lawal, after working with such 60s rock giants as Ginger Baker and Stevie Winwood, asked him to join The Oro Band. "Oro was an incredible combination of the music I'd heard as a child, but with a modern dimension, and always with an emphasis on drums." The backup singer soon began experimenting with agogos and cowbells, and after two years "graduated" to a percussion slot. Akingbola still considers Lawal's innovative grooves "an inspiration"



According to a poll by the readers of Rythm Magazine, Sola came second in the category 'Best Studio Percussionist' in 2001. The magazine wrote:

"Another excellent result for Jamiroquai's first lord of the funk means Sola retains his position as one of the most high-profile contemporary percussionists in the land. Jay Kay's output just wouldn't be the same without his graciously groovy contributions."

" Sola also came second in the 'Best Live Percussionist' category. Rhtyhm siad:

"[Sola's] 21st century percussion explorations make him an indispensable element in Jay Kay's funky masterplan."

Curious how it all started? Let Sola Akingbola explain it to you in his own words:

"This is where I confess that I started playing percussion by accident but then again what is an accident? It was by design that percussion found me perhaps. My first touch was a pair of small clay bongo type drums that a friend bought back for me from Morocco and I messed about with those until they were accidentally broken."

After that the same friend bought him a set of brand new fiberglass LP congas Potato model as a challenge to take up percussion seriously rather than talk percussion incessantly. Some serious years of wood-shedding with George Duke on the Boogie Box (album Brazilian Love Affair a must for any serious drummer/percussionist) and some chance meetings at Ronnie Scott's with Alex Acuna and Irakere from Cuba lay the foundations for the beginning of a lifetime obsession/struggle.



Gasper Lawal was brave enough to give Sola his first gig on cowbell and backing vocals and through him he was re-introduced to the beats that he had known and loved as a child growing up in a Yoruba (West African) family living in East London. Sola:

"These distinctive grooves are the bedrock of my personal percussive and compositional quest and were first given a funk potential by the inimitable Fela Anikulapo Kuti of Lagos Nigeria. My mission is to continue this creative synthesis and exploration of Yoruba rhythms with Western harmonic concepts whether they be jazz, funk, rock or classically inspired."