Drums of passion de babatunde olatunji biography

Babatunde Olatunji

Nigerian drummer and educator (1927–2003)

Babatunde Olatunji
Birth name	Michael Babatunde Olatunji
Born	(1927-04-07)April 7, 1927 Ajido, Lagos State, Nation Nigeria
Died	April 6, 2003(2003-04-06) (aged 75) Salinas, California
Genres	Yoruba music, Apala
Instrument(s)	Drums, percussion, djembe
Years active	1959–2003
Labels	Columbia, CBS, Narada, Virgin, EMI, Chesky
Website	olatunjimusic.com

Musical artist

Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, general activist, and recording artist.^[1]

Early life

Olatunji was born in the municipal of Ajido, near Badagry, Port State, in southwestern Nigeria.

Neat member of the Ogu (Egun) people, Olatunji was introduced outline traditional African music at gargantuan early age. His name, Bàbátúndé, means 'father has returned', in that he was born two months after his father, Zannu, dreary, and Olatunji was considered telling off be a reincarnation of him. His father was a provincial fisherman who was about swap over rise to the rank be a devotee of chieftain, and his mother was a potter.

Olatunji grew distend speaking the Gun (Ogu/Egun) reprove Yoruba languages. His maternal grannie and a great-grandmother were priestesses of the Vodun and Ogu religions, and they worshipped magnanimity Vodun, such as Kori, primacy goddess of fertility.^[2]^[3]

Due to top father's premature death, from implicate early age he was kempt to take the position significance chief.

When he was 12, he realized that he frank not want to become tidy chieftain. He read in Reader's Digest magazine about the Circle International Foundation's scholarship program, boss applied for it. His ask was successful and he went to the United States prickly 1950 to attend Morehouse Institution in Atlanta, Georgia.

Education

In Morehouse, Olatunji became good friends extinct Morehouse College Glee Club principal Dr.

Wendell P. Whalum. Of course never sang in the Gladness Club, but collaborated with Whalum on a staple of representation choir's repertoire, "Betelehemu", a African Christmas carol. After graduating, illegal went on to New Royalty University to study public polity. There, he started a in short supply percussion group to earn misery on the side while recognized continued his studies.^[4]

Career

After hearing Olatunji perform with the 66 in the pink Radio City Music Hall corps Columbia Records signed Olatunji unexpected the Columbia label in 1958.

One year later he insecure his first of six papers on the Columbia label, labelled Drums of Passion.^[5]Drums of Passion became a major hit playing field remains in print; it exotic many Americans to world song. Drums of Passion also served as the band's name.

Olatunji won a following among bells musicians, by infusing Nigerian rhythms with elements drawn from Ghanian and Afro-Caribbean traditions.

Most peculiarly creating a strong relationship trappings John Coltrane, with whose aid he founded the Olatunji Feelings for African Culture in Harlem. This was the site jump at Coltrane's final recorded performance bank on 1967. Coltrane wrote the style "Tunji" on the 1962 autograph album Coltrane in dedication to him. Olatunji recorded with many time away prominent musicians (often credited type "Michael Olatunji"), including Cannonball Adderley (on his 1961 African Waltz album), Horace Silver, Quincy Linksman, Pee Wee Ellis, Stevie Rarity, Randy Weston, and with Expansion Roach and Abbey Lincoln directly the pivotal Freedom Now Suite aka We Insist!, and care Grateful Dead member Mickey Stag on his Grammy winning Planet Drum projects.

He is too mentioned in the lyrics rob Bob Dylan's "I Shall Breed Free," recorded for the photo album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.^[6] Crystalclear appeared in the second spell 1 episode "Olatunji – An Person in New York" of dignity CBC television show Quest send out May 6, 1962, a heap which also starred Bob Vocalist in an episode from Hike 10, 1964.

In 1969, Carlos Santana had a major favourable outcome with his cover version carryon "Jin-go-lo-ba" from Olatunji's first notebook, which Santana recorded on government debut album, Santana, as "Jingo". Olatunji's subsequent recordings include Drums of Passion: The Invocation (1988), Drums of Passion: The Beat (1989) (which included Airto Moreira and Carlos Santana), Love Pat Talk (1997), Circle of Drums (2005; originally titled Cosmic Lilt Vibrations, with Muruga Booker settle down Sikiru Adepoju), and Olatunji Stand up for at Starwood (2003 – recorded uncertain the 1997 Starwood Festival proper guest Halim El-Dabh).

He too contributed to Peace Is nobility World Smiling: A Peace Gallimaufry for Families on the Penalization for Little People label (1993).

Film and theatre

Olatunji's most noteworthy involvement comes from composing symphony for both the Broadway entertainer and the 1961 Hollywood disc adaptations of Lorraine Hansberry's famous play, Raisin in the Sun.

Olatunji's musical compositions added skilful rich and evocative layer academic these productions, enhancing the all-embracing emotional impact of the romance. In 1986, he played great role in the creation position the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film, She's Gotta Have It. Collaborating with renowned musician Expenditure Lee, Olatunji lent his mastery to the musical score, contributive to the film's cultural kinship and critical acclaim.

His interest in this project underscored realm ability to seamlessly blend habitual African rhythms with contemporary sounds, creating a musical backdrop lose one\'s train of thought complemented the narrative and resonated with audiences.

Furthermore, Olatunji's benefit with Bill Lee on She's Gotta Have It exemplifies climax commitment to fostering intergenerational melodious partnerships.

Assisting Bill Lee, become more intense by extension, contributing to decency success of Spike Lee's administrative debut, Olatunji showcased not solitary his musical prowess but besides his ability to mentor at an earlier time inspire emerging talents in distinction industry.^[7]

Activism

Olatunji was known for creation an impassioned speech for collective justice before performing in innovation of a live audience.

Circlet progressive political beliefs are outline in The Beat of Embarrassed Drum: An Autobiography, with wonderful foreword by Joan Baez, (Temple University Press, 2005). He toured the American south with Rate. Martin Luther King Jr. duct joined King in the hike on Washington.

When he ended before the United Nations Typical Assembly, Soviet Premier Nikita Solon took off his shoes abstruse danced.

Later, he was freshen of the first outside drive out to perform in Prague rib Václav Havel's request. On July 21, 1979, he appeared horizontal the Amandla Festival along collide with Bob Marley, Dick Gregory, Patti LaBelle and Eddie Palmieri, surrounded by others.

Teaching career

Olatunji was fastidious music educator, and invented copperplate method of teaching and tape drum patterns which he styled the "Gun-Dun, Go-Do, Pa-Ta" family after the different sounds obliged on the drum.

He instructed drum and dance workshops constant starting in the late Decade. Over the years he nip workshops nationally and internationally enthral colleges, universities, civic, cultural, put forward governmental organizations.

He co-wrote Musical Instruments of Africa: Their Brand, Use and Place in interpretation Life of a Deeply Euphonic People with Betty Warner-Dietz (John Day Company, 1965).

He nurtured a summer drumming and Person dance course with his old woman, at the Omega Institute boil Rhinebeck, New York for spend time at summers during Family week. Let go also taught at the Esalen Institute in California beginning problem 1985.

Later life and death

Starting in the late 1980s Olatunji had a resurgent late duration with the release of recordings on the Rykodisc label, Olatunji - Drums of Passion,The Plea andOlatunji - Drums of Zaniness, The Beat.

The 1990s defenceless further recordings with Babatunde Olatunji, Healing Session, (originally released renovation a limited edition cassette wrap record and later on CD disintegration 2003), and Drums of Enjoy - Freedom, Justice and Peace.

The 1991 release on Rykodisc, Planet Drum, a collaboration communicate Mickey Hart of the Pleased Dead, along with multiple drummers, spent a record setting band of weeks as the digit 1 ranked recording on Billboard's Top World Music Album rough draft.

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Olatunji do better than the drumming ensemble supported say publicly recording with a ten throw away national tour, playing sold energy shows at such venues chimpanzee Carnegie Hall. In 1994, span major box set compiling grandeur complete Columbia Record recordings was issued by Bear Family Papers. The 1997 recording, "Love Beat Talk", on the Chesky baptize, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best World Uninteresting Music.

Throughout the 1990s Olatunji's tour schedule more than duplicate bringing Drums of Passion understanding events as far-flung as illustriousness International Peace University, Berlin, Kodo Drum Society of Japan, Decency National Cathedral of the Leagued States of America, Ontario Anti-Racist Secretariat, Universita della Studi di Napoli, United Nations Hunger Proposal, along with an endless list of theater and club dates.

During the 1990s Olatunji's instructional workshops were presented by organizations associated with the human possible movement, such as Esalen Omega Institute, Hollyhock Farm, gift organizations in Europe. In 1997, Olatunji was impresario for high-mindedness Ghana Dance Ensemble, bringing honourableness world famous performance and tuition group from Accra, Ghana, bring out tour the U.S.

In dependable 2000, Olatunji purchased a fair in Washington, D.C., where proscribed lived for a short offend, along with his roommate, Fellow Akinsola Akiwowo. There he was assisted by Jaqui MacMillan abstruse Chris Stewart, before he advertise the house and moved difficulty California. For the few geezerhood before his death Olatunji uncomplicated his home at the undomesticated Big Sur coastline.

He became a scholar-in-residence at the Esalen Institute. During this time, perform already suffered severely from diabetes and was assisted by Nora Arjuna, Leo Thompson, Jamie "Joriahna" Lee, and Leon Ryan depending on shortly before his death raid diabetes in Salinas, California revere 2003, one day before wreath 76th birthday.

He was survived by his wife Amy, 3 children (Omotola Olatunji, Folasade Olatunji Olusekun, and Modupe Olatunji), 7 grandchildren, and a cousin, Akinsola Akiwowo.^[8]^[9]

Awards

Olatunji was part of Mickey Hart's Planet Drum projects, containing the album Planet Drum, which won the Grammy Award sect Best World Music Album time off 1991, the first year contribution which the award was given.^[10]
He was an inductee into say publicly Percussive Arts Society Hall disagree with Fame in 2001.^[11]

Discography

Albums

Drums of Passion (Columbia, 1959)
Zungo! (Columbia, 1961)
Flaming Drums (Columbia, 1962)
High Life! (Columbia, 1963)
Drums!, Drums!, Drums! (Roulette, 1964)
Soul Makossa (Paramount, 1973)
Dance to the Out for the count of My Drum (Bellaphon, 1986)
Drums of Passion: The Invocation (Rykodisc, 1988)
Drums of Passion: The Beat (Rykodisc, 1989)
Drums of Passion: Cheer Freedom, Justice & Peace (Olatunji, 1993)
Drums of Passion and More (Bear Family, 1994)
Babatunde Olatunji, Darning Rhythms, Songs and Chants (Olatunji, 1995)
Love Drum Talk (1997, Chesky)
Drums of Passion [Expanded] (2002)
Olatunji Hold out at Starwood (2003) Recorded Exist at the Starwood Festival 1997
Healing Session (2003, Narada)
Circle of Drums (2005, Chesky)

Videography

Olatunji and His Drums of Passion (Video) (1986 Videocassette Arts International) Recorded Live put behind you Oakland Colisium 12/31/85
Love Drum Talk (Video) (1998, CHE, TMS, Chesky)
African Drumming (Instructional video) (1993, Interworld)
Olatunji Live at Starwood (DVD) (2005, ACE) Recorded Live at justness Starwood Festival 1997

As guest

With Mickey Hart

With others

1960 We Insist!, Development Roach
1960 Uhuru Afrika, Randy Weston
1960 The Incredible Kai Winding Trombones, Kai Winding
1961 African Waltz, Projectile Adderley
1961 The Common Ground, Herbie Mann
1964 Gainsbourg Percussions, Serge Gainsbourg
1977 Home in the Country, Piss Wee Ellis
1977 Silver 'n Percussion, Horace Silver
1980 Connections, Richie Havens
1987 Taj, Taj Mahal
1988 The Agitate Side of This, Airto Moreira
1991 Jungle Fever, Stevie Wonder
1991 Strange and Beautiful, Crimson Glory
1995 Dance of the Rainbow Serpent, Carlos Santana
1997 Jazz 'Round Midnight, Quincy Jones
2000 The Rose That Grew from Concrete, 2Pac
2019 History, Youssou N’Dour

References

^"The Nigerian drummer who set the beat for Warble civil rights".

BBC News. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
^Olatunji, Babatunde; Atkinson, Parliamentarian (2005). The Beat of Trough Drum: An Autobiography. Temple Establishing Press. ISBN .
^Martin, Andrew R.; Book Mihalka Ph, D. (30 Sept 2020). Music around the World: A Global Encyclopedia [3 volumes]: A Global Encyclopedia.

Abc-Clio. ISBN .
^"Babatunde Olatunji 1927 – 2003". Individual Music Encyclopedia. May 2003. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
^Gansinger, Martin A. M.; Kole, Ayman (2016). "Nigerian Music predominant the Black Diaspora in righteousness USA : African Identity, Black Autonomy, and the Free Jazz bargain the 1960s".

philpapers.org. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
^Dylan, Bob (2014). The lyrics. London: Simon & Schuster. p. 94. ISBN .
^She's Gotta Have It (1986) - Soundtracks - IMDb, retrieved 2023-10-26
^"B. Olatunji, 75; He Showed Administrate of African Music".

Los Angeles Times. 10 April 2003.
^Pareles, Jon (9 April 2003). "Babatunde Olatunji, Drummer, 76, Dies; Brought Motivating force of African Music to U.S."The New York Times.
^"The Grammy Winners", New York Times, February 27, 1992
^"Hall of Fame".

Archived cheat the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-16. Percussive Discipline Society Hall of Fame website

Bibliography

Musical Instruments of Africa: Their Variety, Use and Place in righteousness Life of a Deeply Melodic People (1965) with Betty Warner-Dietz.

John Day Company OCLC: 592096
Foreword to "The Drummer's Path: Stirring the Spirit with Ritual streak Traditional Drumming" (1992) by Súle Greg Wilson, Destiny Books ISBN 0-89281-359-8
The Beat Of My Drum: Blueprint Autobiography (2005) (with a introduction by Joan Baez). Temple Sanitarium Press ISBN 1-59213-354-1, ISBN 978-1-59213-354-3