Amayo

CL’s Ms. Conception Recommends: Amayo means “if you don’t go, you never know!” This former frontman for Antibalas’s rhythms are of the Nigerian Spirit Drum from Ifẹ̀. Ifẹ̀ is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria. Amayo’s Soul FU-Afrobeat music blends Kung Fu, dance, and folklore. As an anointed Orisha “Awo”, one with a goal to remove all obstacles that stand in the way of Spiritual evolution, Amayo sings traditional Nigerian stories that have been passed down in a sacred lineage. The icing on Amayo’s layered cake is performing traditional Chinese Lion Dance as a salutation ritual to begin his stage performances to bring good fortune to the audience.

In house on the City Winery stage will be legendary drummer Jojo Quo, a piano, an Organ, guitars, bass, flute, sax, trumpet, violin, congas, gbedu spirit drum and a shekere. What’s a gbedu spirit drum? Gbedu literally means “big drum” and is a percussion instrument traditionally used in ceremonial Yoruba music in Nigeria. What’s a shekere? It’s another West African percussion instrument consisting of a dried gourd with beads or cowries woven into a net covering the gourd. — MC