Lekan Babalola, is a percussionist, renowned for infusing native Yoruba tongue with traditional music, Afrobeat and funky dance overtones.
Lekan started playing at the Yoruba Christian Church owned by his father. As custodians of Yoruba tradition, his family taught him Yoruba art and culture. He also received an apprenticeship from the late Fela Kuti.
In 1980, he came to Britain as a master percussionist and was invited to join Gasper Lawal in 1982. He continued his career in New York as part of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and returned to the UK, performing with the likes of Ernest Ranglin, Branford Marsalis and African Jazz.
Awarded his first Grammy in 2006 for performances on Ali Farka Toure’s album ‘In the Heart of the Moon’, he received a second Grammy in 2009 for his work as Associate Producer on Cassandra Wilson’s album ‘Loverly’. Lekan now devotes himself to solo projects and released an album entitled “Songs of Icons”.
Lekan studied filmmaking at Central St Martin’s College, and the Northern School of Film & Television, Leeds. In 1992 he worked as an assistant on Spike Lee’s film Malcolm X.
In 1995 Lekan founded the Ifa-Yoruba Contemporary Arts Trust. As Artistic Director, he commissioned and curated a series of visual arts works, including “16 Pieces” – an exhibition of contemporary Yoruba paintings by artists from the African Diaspora and “Erindinlogun” – a collection of batik drawings by Nigerian based artist Taiwo Adediran.
In 2017 Lekan co-founded the annual Birchfield Jazz Festival, a weekend of free music in Birmingham.
Refs: www.birchfieldjazzfestival.com ; ifayorubacontemporaryarts.co.uk/lander; Lekan Babalola – Music & Art
