🇫🇷 “À l’image de la pochette du disque, un yin et un yang aux couleurs chamarrées d’un papillon ou d’un boubou, Tao marie l’Afrique, l’Asie et l’Occident dans un joyeux melting pot de notes et de rythmes.”
🇬🇧 “Just like the CD cover, a colorful yin-yang symbol reminiscent of a butterfly or a boubou dress, Tao blends African, Asian, and Western influences in a joyous melting pot of notes and rhythms.”
Bob Hatteau, Jazz à bâbord/Improjazz
AfuriKo’s new album Tao was featured on Eduardo Martínez’ program Acústica Global alongside South African pianist and composer Abdullah Ibrahim‘s new release The Balance. XHUGC-FM 104.7 Colotlán is one of Radio Universidad de Guadalajara‘s eight transmitters in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.
2019-08
Review of AfuriKo’s third album Tao by Geno Thackara on All About Jazz, “a web site produced by jazz advocates, jazz professionals, and web technicians, [ whose ] mission is to provide information and opinion about jazz from the past, present, and future. Thinking both globally and locally, [ they ] deliver reviews of jazz from around the world as well as interviews with international musicians.”
A Step in the Storm and Rainbow Snake, two tracks from AfuriKo’s album Tao, were chosen by DJ and All About Jazz contributor Mike Jurkovic to be aired on WOOC 105.3 FM‘s program Jazz Sanctuary on May 28, 2019.
WOOC 105.3 FM provides sanctuary for the discussion of a wide range of ideas, to advance its mission of using art and participatory action to promote social and environmental justice and freedom of expression. The radio station covers all of Troy, most of Albany and beyond. It is part of The Sanctuary for Independant Media, a telecommunications production facility dedicated to community media arts, located in an historic former church at 3361 6th Avenue in north Troy, NY. The Sanctuary hosts screening, production and performance facilities, training in media production and a meeting space for artists, activists and independent media makers of all kinds.
Jazz Sanctuary is a wonderful celebration of all that is creative, dedicated to supporting jazz in the Hudson Mohawk region. In line with The Sanctuary for Independent Media’s mission, jazz is an outgrowth of the unique African American experience in America. Jazz Sanctuary transcends the individual to cover the spectrum of creative expression in the world of jazz.
Tracks from AfuriKo’s latest release Tao were selected to be featured on two episodes of BTRtoday‘s hour-long weekly jazz show, The Jazz Hole.
BTRtoday‘s mission is to inform and impact their audience in a positive way by identifying artists and cultural trends on the rise and contextualizing them alongside those that may be more established.
The Jazz Hole, hosted by sought-after New York City clarinetist and saxophonist Linus Wyrsch, presents the music of new talents from inside and outside of the New York circuit, and every once in a while, Linus is able to sneak in a major jazz artist, sometimes accompanied with a short interview (John Clayton, Lew Tabackin, Fred Hersch, Sue Mingus, Steve Gadd, Jojo Mayer, Gerald Clayton, Javon Jackson, the President of Resonance Records George Klabin, Sofia Rei, Sharel Cassity, Mark Sherman, Harvie S, Jean-Michel Pilc, Dafnis Prieto, Randy Johnston, Helen Sung, Gregorio Uribe and many others).
(For access to all BTRtoday shows that feature AfuriKo, click here to view AfuriKo’s artist page on their website.)
🇬🇧 “AfuriKo’s new music really flies in the face of jazz, opening up your ears to a world of possibilities.”
🇫🇷 “Défiant l’essence même du jazz, la nouvelle musique d’AfuriKo ouvrira vos oreilles à un monde de possibilités.”
Carol Banks Weber, Festival Peak
🇬🇧 “Tao taps into a prism of rhythmically diverse jazz fusion.”
🇫🇷 “Tao puise dans un prisme jazz fusion d’une grande diversité rythmique.”
Carol Banks Weber, Festival Peak
A muffled thud, and
the harlequin butterfly
soars into the light.
The haiku above is an image that came to mind when reflecting on the many emotions Akiko and I went through during the first part of the production process for Tao. It is also a celebration of the transformative powers of the butterfly, and is featured on the poster some of you have chosen as a reward.
Once again, AfuriKo would like to thank Laurent Maget, Charles Frossard, Chris Hayward, Margaux Couet, Diana & Ray Xecu, and Andy ‘Hippy’ Baldwin for their invaluable creative, artistic, and technical contributions to this recording and artwork.
Very special thanks also go to our fans, friends, and families, who generously participated in our Kickstarter campaign, joining us on the wonderful journey of making this music tangible. In alphabetical order:
AfuriKo was honored to be part of Beats in Bliss Plaza this year and perform an open-air concert for the first time in their beloved neighborhood of Sunnyside, Queens. The event was presented by Sunnyside Shines (Sunnyside District Management) and Nicholas Biondo from Queens by the Minute, an excellent source of local news, was present to cover the special event. In addition to visiting their website, you can find their channel here on YouTube.
AfuriKo appeared on むさしの-FM 78.2 on November 14, 2017. Musashino is a city in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis.
Double bill concert “AfuriKo + Jim Funnell’s Word Out” at Le Baiser Salé (an inimitable Parisian jazz club when it comes to jazz with a world music flavour!) announced on jazz critic Guillaume Lagrée’s blog “Le jars jase jazz:” Jazz concerts selection in Paris and Île-de-France for February 2017.