Night Dreamer releases a direct-to-disc session with Nigerian trumpeter Etuk Ubong

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Night Dreamer releases a direct-to-disc session with Nigerian trumpeter Etuk Ubong

The London-based Night Dreamer label continues it’s string of brilliant direct-to-disc sessions with a brilliant new Afro-funk recording featuring Nigerian composer, trumpeter, and bandleader Etuk Ubong, titled Africa Today.

Born in the Akwa Ibom State in southern Nigeria, but raised in Lagos, Ubong has made his mark performing with some notable iconic artists, including performing in Femi Kuti’s Positive Force, and touring with South African pianist/composer Nduduzo Makhathini (recently signed to Blue Note Records), reggae sensation Buchi and many others. Over the past few years, he has quickly become one of the most in-demand and popular musicians across Nigeria, and more recently has gained a strong following in London, collaborating with the UK collective Steam Down, holding residencies at Jazz re:freshed & the Royal Festival Hall, as well as performing at Gilles Peterson’s 2019 inaugural We Out Here Festival.

For this incredible six-track session, which was recorded live-and-uncut in just one day at Night Dreamer’s Artone Studio in Haarlem (a city right outside of Amsterdam), features what Ubong describes as “Earth Music”, a signature blend of Afrobeat, highlife, jazz, with ritualistic drumming of Ekombi. Throughout the recording, the music is very uptempo and energetic, combining layered horn melodies over heavy rhythm grooves and soulful keys, with lyrics that are politically charged.

Ubong is featured on both trumpet and vocals, and is joined by fellow Nigerian trumpeter Michael Awosogo, and an expansive group of UK jazz musicians including notable keyboardist Jack Stephenson-Oliver of Vels Trio. This session represents the largest direct-to-disc session that Night Dreamer has done to date.

Overall, a great new release that nicely brings together funky high energy jazz melodies with Afrobeat grooves and rhythms to create a unique “Earth Music” sound that is primed to make any dancefloor explode.