Results for "Afro Beats"

Digba Ogunbiyi

Born: September 26

Digba Ogunbiyi is a Nigerian jazz pianist and composer known for a unique playing and compositional style that blends the rhythmic nuances of Yoruba folk music with jazz and classical traditions.

A recipient of the Music society of Nigeria’s Steinway & Sons Piano Proficiency Award and a Doctorate from Eastman School of Music, Digba's music explores themes of identity and self-expression.

In 2024, while studying at the Eastman School of music, Digba received the Ray Wright prize, an award given to artists who embodies Ray Wright's spirit of artistry, dedication, versatility and entrepreneurship.

Christine Manetta

Born: July 12, 1962

Dynamic Soul Singer, Christine Manetta performs her distinctive blend of eclectic original music from Contemporary Ska Blues to Funky Soul Jazz intertwined with Afro-Beats and touches Hip-Hop Electronica.

Singing with passion, honesty, guts and a musical truth of each song’s story: A voice that encompasses soaring vocals through to deep, sultry, heartfelt softness, while exploring and illuminating the themes of adversity, determination and empowerment that are articulated through the celebration of women and motherhood, as depicted on her Album ‘One Woman One Day’.

Gioele Pagliaccia

Born: July 3, 1980

Gioele Pagliaccia is a drummer, multi instrumentalist and composer born in Marsciano (Perugia) but raised between Italy, the United States and Santo Domingo.

Thanks to his step-dad he started playing percussion at age 8 but switched to drums three years later, teaching himself how to play by obsessively practicing over records by The Police, Primus, Fela Kuti, Slayer and John Coltrane. Around that time he also learned how to play both the acoustic and electric guitars with which he still composes all kinds of music.

After moving to the United States with his family in the mid 90’s and receiving his diploma from the Corvallis High School (OR), he lived and played in New York and San Francisco learning the language of jazz. After a few years he moved to Rome and quickly became part of the city's vibrant scene, performing with artists such as Pasquale Innarella, Henry Cook (Either Orchestra, Mulatu Astatke) and Manlio Maresca among others.

Afro Beats

Label: African Dance Records
Released: 2005