MP3s
- 1.Yea_Yea_Yea
- 2.Maya_Soleilmx
- 3.Zambian_Sunrise
PHOTOS
Maya Soleil
www.mayasoleil.com| GENRE | Jazz and Other |
| RECORD LABEL | Indie |
| INFLUENCES | Fela, Angelique Kidjo, Salif Keita, Lo Jo, Obo Addy |
| YEARS TOGETHER | 8 |
BIOGRAPHY
Maya Soleil electric ensemble presents a high-energy show of original music, ranging from the Highlife, Afro-beat, and other dance music styles of western and southern Africa to funky acid-jazz. Costumed vocalist-dancer Sukutai (Lora Chiorah-Dye) from Zimbabwe charms the audience with vocals in several African languages and English, with her colorful dances, and with audience-interactive dance and song. Add fiery improvised solos on saxophone, guitar, and keyboards with an underpinning of solid bass and world percussion to get the “unique audio-visual experience” [HotBands.com] of Maya Soleil.
The ensemble includes seven members representing several countries of Africa, Jamaica, the Philippines, and the USA. Instrumentation backing sweet African vocals includes saxophones, flutes, guitar, keyboards, balafon (wooden xylophone), mbira (thumb piano), African drums such as djembes and talking drums, electric bass, and a special world drum kit (featured in the international magazine Modern Drummer). An acoustic ensemble presenting only traditional African music and dance is also available.
Members of Maya Soleil have toured the world, performing and recording with many of the greats in African music and dance, including Obo Addy (Ghana), Dumi Maraire (Zimbabwe), I.K. Dairo (Nigeria), Kanda Bongo Man (Congo), and the national dance companies of Ghana and Guinea. They were featured artists on KCPQ-TV’s (Seattle) profile for NW Folklife Festival and have been chosen to perform for heads of state throughout the world.
The ensemble includes seven members representing several countries of Africa, Jamaica, the Philippines, and the USA. Instrumentation backing sweet African vocals includes saxophones, flutes, guitar, keyboards, balafon (wooden xylophone), mbira (thumb piano), African drums such as djembes and talking drums, electric bass, and a special world drum kit (featured in the international magazine Modern Drummer). An acoustic ensemble presenting only traditional African music and dance is also available.
Members of Maya Soleil have toured the world, performing and recording with many of the greats in African music and dance, including Obo Addy (Ghana), Dumi Maraire (Zimbabwe), I.K. Dairo (Nigeria), Kanda Bongo Man (Congo), and the national dance companies of Ghana and Guinea. They were featured artists on KCPQ-TV’s (Seattle) profile for NW Folklife Festival and have been chosen to perform for heads of state throughout the world.
