With several Afrobeat bands springing up in the United States, Europe and Asia, particularly in Japan, today, even its harshest critics have come to accept its phenomenal rise. Beyond the roles being played by the likes of Femi Kuti and his younger brother Seun Kuti, the fire is spreading widely and the music is becoming contagious.

Aiyekooto and his Afrobeat International were voted as the Band of the Year 2008 on February 1 at the Funk Awards Gala in Tavastia Club, Helsinki. Dishing exotic rhythms and positive vibrations, the band has continued to throw up enthusiastic and energetic gigs at clubs and festivals around the country.

Renowned for its crowd-pleasing highlife funk rhythm, Aiyekooto is fastly turning a maestro, ably leading the diverse band including a six-man horn section, a drummer, and three singers. The uniqueness of the band is the infusion of two trombones, one trumpet and three saxophones that creates a truly fat, and rhythmic African sound.

As part of his musical revolution, which could also be likened to a jihad of sorts, Aiyekoto featured prominently at a show held on October 3 to commemorate Nigeria's 48th independence anniversary at Carlton Hotel, Voda Night Club in Helsinki. The event, jointly organised by Naijaboyzdomain and African Independent Television (AIT) also had sensational performances by Oluchi and Princess V.

Since the groovy nite dubbed The Green & White Party, the Afrobeat musician has been in demand at Tavastia and Rentolava. Remarkably, Aiyekooto's funkified and rhythmic Afrobeat music has somewhat become the needed panacea to the perennial cold in Finland. The heavy percussions of his music have not only helped to thrill the people, it has equally been warning them up too.

With the valiant efforts of other Afrobeat musicians in the diaspora like Sweden-based Oke Masima, without doubt, the projection of Afrobeat music would soon hit the bull's eye. And then, as the name Aiyekooto connotes, evil people would no longer have a hiding place.

Excerpt from : http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/life_style/article15/011108

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