Local Band Network Member Since: August 5, 2012
Last Update: November 30, 2012
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Music types:
Ethnic, Rock
Description:
Formed in 2003 by guitarist Paul Prince and drummer Ken Sokolov, Chibuku is currently enjoying a musical rebirth with Steel drums/bass and recording their first CD. Prince and Sokolov have performed together in various settings since the band's beginnings, including touring once with Zimbabwean music legend Thomas Mapfumo and recently performing as a duo. The combination of exciting drumming and fleet fingered, sweet toned guitar excursions, combined Michael Perkin's beautiful steel drums and Adam Kern's pile driving bass, weaves a uniquely melodic and highly danceable sound that ranges from Zimbabwean and West African, to Surf and back porch Hawaiian Slack Key style. There are some subtle and not so subtle references to Rock and Jazz in the music via Django Reinhardt sweeps, whammy excursions chord voicing and structure, but the music is modern propulsive World Beat. With that said, the group covers the Rumba Rock style with equal emphasis on the Rock. One of the group's specialties is the rarely heard (in the U.S.) Congolese Soukous style, a melodic and danceable sound called the most popular Afropop styles. SInce they play instrumental songs, the guitar solos can sometimes extend through variations to a climactic conclusion. The guitar in this style can only be ringing and melodic; sparse yet inspired and Prince's guitar and Chibuku adhere to this time honored tradition. Although many bands use a synth patch to attain a steel drum sound, to hear the real instrument played well with all its harmonics over a kicking bass is a treat.
Chibuku will turn your party into a joy filled, high energy dancing event - they will rock you and make you happy !
Band Members:
Paul Prince from Honolulu, is the group's main composer. He has played guitar for over 30 years. One of the finest World Beat guitarists in the country, Prince's music has been featured on Radio and Internationally on Afropop Worldwide. He has been invited to open shows for music stars King Sunny Ade, Tarika, Thomas Mapfumo, and Rick Wakeman (of Yes). Prince's guitar can go from harmonically rocked out bliss to blues fireworks to squeeky clean Django flourishes and surf Jazz tele in the same song. Prince recorded a song that became a classic after touring with Thomas Mapfumo. Prince's music came to International attention after a collaboration with Zimbabwean guest mbira players aired on Afropop Worldwide and inspired the director Georges Collinet to exclaim - "That's Beautiful". In 1999 after years of touring with Zimbabwean legend Thomas Mapfumo and his band on acoustic and electric lead, they recorded an acoustic version of Mapfumo's hit Chamunorwa featuring Prince's unique mbira guitar. The song later became a classic in Zimbabwe.
Michael Perkins, from Tobago, Trinidad is Chibuku's newest member. Michael is a gifted and knowledgable steel drum player and maker. He adds a new tropical flavor to the group's African styles creating a truly beautiful sound. The unusual sound of Steel drums playing melodies and supporting the groove in the high and low bass, makes this music a striking fusion of cultures and timbres. Michael not only understands the steel drum music and history but he has the understanding, touch and technique to bring out the magic harmonics in the notes which the pans are famous for.
Bassist Adam Kern loves to make people dance. He conveys this by supporting the band with the fat low tones and grooves on his 5 string bass, while occasionally dancing on top with sweet fills. His melodic contrapuntal style is the perfect foil for the linear melodies Chibuku explores. Adam has played bass supporting bands visiting from Jamaica and in Eugene with Sweet Island Time. As a child Adam studied and played upright bass with a symphony and this background shows in his mastery of the instrument.
Ken Soko is a gifted and in demand drummer and multi-instrumentalist who plays with The Beat Crunchers, Woodland, Treguenda, the Klezmanauts and many other groups. Ken is very fluent in many styles of African drumming from djembe to the tricky cross rhythm traps style of Soukous drumming. Ken's super energetic and melodic drumming style has been a corner stone of Chibuku's sound, and his early fascination for poly rhythmic styles including Max Roach and Tony Williams, have helped him create his own poly rhythmic approach to the band's varied styles. Ken;s latest passion is the Ngoni, an African harp.
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