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Kunle Ayo is a
welcome breath of fresh air in Nigerian-South African international
cultural relations. He belongs to the second wave of a prominent
minority of Nigerians who in the turbulent waters of South Africans’
seeming anti-foreigners-sentiments; have kept their heads high and
proud whilst contributing immensely in enriching socio-cultural life in
the Rainbow Nation.

Kunle Ayo is
definitely not as prominent and revered nationwide in South Africa as
the Nigerian academic-cum-actor and advertising pin-up, Kole Omotosho;
or his famous son Akin, the TV series-actor. Neither is he as popular
as Nigerian footballers like Idah Peterside and Okpara who became
household names and were hero-worshiped in the vibrant big-money South
African Football League. Nonetheless, Ayo is ‘creeping-up’ and growing
in acceptance. Musically, he belongs to the second generation of
Nigerians who have impacted the South African music scene, though with
a difference. In the eighties, Nigerian keyboards- star Gboyega Adelaja
was a member of music icon Hugh Masakela’s band that performed around
the world while producing international hit albums.

Kunle Ayo, a
guitarist, is more involved in becoming a recognised brand on the
current South African music scene. When Adekunle Ayodeji Odutayo got to
South Africa he discovered that the people could not pronounce his
surname, so he started using the new name of Kunle Ayo, “which is
easier for South Africans to pronounce” and “is becoming a household
name.”

Starting out

He picked up the
guitar in 1992 and started playing with Ebenezer Obey at Decross. He
played with the band in church, at shows and on Obey’s first two Gospel
albums. Ayo credits Niyi Adams, a multi-instrumentalist and the Musical
Director of the Obey/Decross band, for his own musical progress.
Between 1993 and 1996, Ayo took time out to study Accountancy at the
Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro. He went back to music, working with The
Compassion Band of the Little Saints Orphanage in Palmgrove, Lagos
owned by Dele George (wife of navy captain, Jide George); a source of
income for the Orphanage, raising funds by playing at dinner parties
and concerts. The other members of the Compassion Band were Bright Gain
on bass, Sam Ibe drums, Philip George keyboards and Uncle Dan as lead
guitarist. After three-year with the Compassion Band, Ayo joined
Lagbaja in 2000; he toured Europe and Brazil (2002) with the masked
musician.

The guitarist
embarked on his own album project in 2002, and went to South Africa for
its finishing and release (Universal SA). He describes this first album
as “instrumental Gospel tunes because of my influences. My father is a
Reverend who relocated to the U.S.A. in 1991 and is back in Nigeria
now. The album was heavily gospel but instrumentally jazzy and South
Africans liked it!” His second album, ‘Beyond the Borders’, won the
2004 KORA Award for Best Male Artist from West Africa. Femi Kuti won
the same award in 2003.

Kunle Ayo describes
his music as, “very jazzy, very soulful and very youthful. A fresh
sound people really enjoy.” He went to South Africa, “because of the
long and huge jazz tradition there.” He is definitely right about that
country’s long and outstanding jazz tradition that has produced
international stars like Dollar Brand, Dudu Pukwana, Johhny Dyani and
Louis Moholo, to name just a few.

Ayo further
justifies his move south by asking, “In Nigeria these days, how many
[artists] are jazz musicians that are big? It’s more of hip hop than
jazz.! Know your Jazz

So, how can
Nigerians come back to jazz? “By educating the media to know what jazz
is about. Before you say you want to write about jazz, what do you know
and what do you want to know about a genre of music that is sacred and
unique? Jazz is the mother of all musical genres. Unfortunately in
Nigeria, jazz is also connoted to mean going to a juju or medicine
man!”Ayo replies.

What can Nigeria
learn from South Africa in the sphere of music? “Too much. First, is
the love of art as a form of expression. To know how to appreciate the
art form of music and being able to improvise on it,” Ayo explains,
adding that “South Africans love their own people. They have a word,
ubuntu, which means humanity; human enough to tolerate others. South
Africa doesn’t necessarily have a lot of nightclubs. However, the
system enables people to function easily. You can stay at home and hear
good quality music on the radio. The deejays on the radio stations will
go look for great music old or new in all genres. And when you go out…
you will find… live music you will enjoy. In Nigeria people want the
musicians to play what they know.”

Best of Both Worlds

Was it easy to
break into the South African music scene? Kunle Ayo is quite candid.
“It wasn’t easy. I had my days of being seen as a foreigner. People
didn’t understand my music. Where is he from, they would ask. Nigeria
doesn’t have a great name in South Africa because the first Nigerians
that went to South Africa were into drug dealing. It wasn’t easy but
because of my passion and tenacity I kept on and over time they started
listening to my sound.” How was your sound different? “I write Yoruba
songs and Yoruba melody. Melody is influenced by your area and what
type of music you listened to. I grew up and lived in Lagos, so I had
to adjust to their sounds in South Africa and fused them with more of
my own. This is what I have achieved in my new album, ‘Best of Both
Worlds’.” Who are Kunle Ayo’s favourite guitarists? “People like George
Benson, Pat Metheny, Earl Klugh, Jonathan Butler, and Norman Brown
helped me find my voice.” What about style? “My style is crossover and
heavy fusion. I can play juju music like Ebenezer Obey, smooth jazz
like George Benson and bebop jazz like Wes Montgomery. I am a junkie
for speed on the guitar, and because of that, I like Montgomery and
Benson a lot. I also like a little of Jimi Hendrix and getting to know
more of his music.”

Kunle Ayo was in Nigeria recently to play at the Lagos Polo Club
with his Nigerian band, “offering quality music” as he put it. Whilst
here, his cover version of Joromi enjoyed a lot of airplay in the
run-up to Victor Uwaifo’s birthday. He believes the Nigerian music can
move forward and progress. “Our boys are trying hard and I hope they
will take serious music seriously and with passion.” Meanwhile Ayo,
unquestionably a good guitarist strives at jazz concerts and on records
to be a deservedly great and original guitar voice.