Yoruba Soul Orchestra

The release of 2006’s Aquarian Moon led to record producer and DJ Osunlade putting together the 10-piece Yoruba Soul Orchestra so as to fully realize his music. Born in St. Louis, Osunlade played piano and trumpet in addition to singing as a youth. However, his future would be as a keyboardist, a music programmer and a producer. He was a cast member of Sesame Street when he was 17 and by the late 1980s was composing music for the series. A busy record producer (including for Patti Labelle, Freddie Jackson, Najee, Candi Dulfer and India.Arie), in 1999 he founded the Yoruba label. In addition to his work for others (such as Roy Ayers and Cesaria Evora), his film scores and his remixing, Osunlade recorded Paradigm, Aquarian Moon and Elements Beyond as a leader. His music is influenced by soul, funk, jazz and his beliefs in the African Ifa religion. Osunlade, who lives on the Greek island of Santorini, creates music that could be called contemporary spiritual soul music while never forgetting its role as dance music. His Yoruba Soul Orchestra includes musicians from Greece, Italy and the U.S., and often includes singer Nadirah Shakoor, consistently putting on stirring and memorable performances.