BA (Big African Sound - Soukous!!)
BA is a band based in Los Angeles that plays African popular music, heavily influenced by soukous music from The Congo. Lead singer and composer Soro Solo was born into a griot family in the Senufo culture of Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Solo looks like a powerlifter but is gentle as a lamb.

"Solo" as he is affectionately called in the west African drumming community is a well-known African Griot and teacher. Master of the Balafon (African xylophone) and Djembe drum, Solo has performed traditional west African music across the country; 2009 appearances include the Academy Awards and Oprah!

Solo has brought together a diverse group of musician to bring his music to the stage. Solo Soro on djembe and lead vocals, Mary Ngozi Akpa on vocals. Fabrice Keto on lead guitar, Andrew Zupsich on rhythm guitar, Morgan Stern on bass, and Bobby Wilmore on drums.

Gilles Peterson Presents:
Worldwide – A Celebration of His Syndicated Radio Show
Music lover, record collector, DJ, broadcaster...perhaps most famous for his much loved genre-exploding radio shows on BBC Radio 1 (and 17 other stations around the world including Giant Step's Jukebox and Japan’s leading commercial station J-Wave), Gilles Peterson’s insatiable appetite for new music undoubtedly lies at the heart of his success. Worldwide is 10 years young and fresher than ever – a benchmark for broadcasters the world over.

Ten years in the making, this compilation is a tribute to a truly groundbreaking show, music and a serious music personality who is ahead of the curve and debuts awesome records on his show before anyone else. Gilles Peterson is a truly revered international club and radio DJ and one of music’s foremost tastemakers (possibly the most well known in the whole world) in a world dominated by style over substance.

This two-disc set spans the show’s ten year existence and features music from Nitin Sawhney, Cinematic Orchestra feat Roots Manuva, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Herbert, Jay Dee, Dwele, Amy Winehouse, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Sebastien Tellier, Benga, Darkstar and much more.


The weekly club Afro Funké is the brainchild of African Afro Roots Reggae star, Rocky Dawuni, who realized LA's need for a night dedicated to African music, culture and art and it's far reaching legacy around the world. Dawuni, who's based in LA and his native Ghana, together with producer and photographer Cary Sullivan created Afro Funké, bringing on board resident DJ and partner Jeremy Sole's Musaics. Each week Afro Funké presents guest DJs, live performances, dancers, record release parties, fundraisers, art installations, crafts and more while Sole spins his unique Musaics, or sound collage-blends of hip hop, jazz/funk, dub reggae, afro beat, and remixed world beats; pieced together with tribal breaks, and uplifted by dubbed-out turntable manipulation and live instrumentation.

BA  |  Gilles Peterson Worldwide  |  BBE Music