Thrilling Yoruba Funk and Afrobeat by Adédèjì
‘Yoruba Odyssey‘ is the third album by the fantastic Nigerian singer, guitarist and composer Adedeji Adetayo, better known as Adédèjì. The album presents a set of songs grounded in traditional Yoruba, Afrobeat, funk, soul, blues, jazz and beyond.
Adédèjì and his band take the listener on a fun and wild ride with engaging songs that feature some of the finest players in the Nigerian scene. ‘Yoruba Odyssey’ is skillfully crafted, with Adédèjì’s creative guitar lines, magnetic harmonies, call and response vocals, insistent horns, female and male backing vocals.
“A masterly phenomenon” Festival Jazz y Mas Canarias 2024
After an incredible brake through with live concerts at Europes largest festivals in 2023 and 2024, like Roskilde, Afrika Festival Hertme, Sfinks and Sines FMM, Adédèjì was selected to showcase at Visa for Music in Rabat 2023 and MASA Abidjan 2024, and WOMEX 2024. The first showcases brought invitations to touring in 2024 and 2025 in Europe, West Africa, Canada, USA and Latin America. Adédèjì’s band-members are each musicians with own solo careers, but when they come together to perform Adédèjì masterful arrangements, the stage gets on fire. He has a totally personal music style, rooting in the complex Nigerian rhythms and choirs, respecting his roots while taking the music to a contemporary, futuristic level with a show and performance that can be compared with artists like Prince and Earth Wind and Fire. A show like an volcanic explosion hard to stand still to, making the audience sing along as if they already knew the music well. Adédèjì is an unmissable artist to show at any present festival.
Amongst the up coming musicians from Africa , Adedeji is the first african musician that caught my attention. He’s a great composer , guitarist , singer. I’m sure we will hear more about him in the future.
-Lionel Loueke
Deji brings an infectious energy and enthusiasm to his music. Whether he is playing guitar, singing or doing both at the same time he takes us on a creative journey that is exciting, unpredictable and rooted in the jazz tradition and also soulful with blues and r&b influences. His natural ability is obvious as one can hear in the ease of his playing and his strong rhythmic sense. Check out “Ajo” and enjoy!
-Freddie Bryant
From West Africa To The World -All About Jazz
Adedeji unites African music with jazz on new album -Jazz Corner Magazine
Adedeji combines jazz, folk, and world music on eclectic ‘Ajo’ -Mi2n
Singer/songwriter Adedeji effortlessly combines jazz with world music on new album -Jazz Corner Magazine
After listening to him i was surprised that, in this world of hip hop and americanized Africans, Adedeji is taking us to the real direction i believe his work will open us into new dimensions of Art in general not just music.
-Lekan Babalola
Take the soulful voice of Stevie Wonder, the hipness of D’angelo, and the great scat and guitar playing of George Benson, and you come up with Adedeji …this cat is going places!!!!- Jd Walter
Adédèjì – Yoruba Odyssey (One World Records, 2022)