Orlando Julius

Orlando Julius Aremu Olusanya Ekemode, known professionally as Orlando Julius or Orlando Julius Ekemode (22 September 1943 – 14 April 2022) was a Nigerian saxophonist, singer, bandleader, and songwriter closely associated with afrobeat music. Julius began by playing drums or flute with juju and konkoma bands and learned saxophone to play highlife music, eventually playing with musicians Jazz Romero, Rex Williams, and Eddie Okonta. He began experimenting with combining traditional music with horns, guitar, and American genres, a fusion which came to be known as afrobeat. He had his first hits with 1965's "Jagua Nana" and the 1966 album Super Afro Soul. In the 1970s, Julius moved to the United States, forming a band with Hugh Masekela and later working as a session musician before returning to Nigeria in 1984. A series of reissues in the 2000s and 2010s led to international touring and a collaboration with The Heliocentrics which reached the Billboard World Albums chart.

Ololufe - 2018-05-10T00:00:00.000000Z

Love, Peace and Happiness - 2018-05-09T00:00:00.000000Z

Love Peace & Happiness - 2017-04-28T00:00:00.000000Z

Back To My Roots: The Very Best of Orlando Julius - Afrobeat, Funk, Soul & Highlife From The '60s-'80s - 2015-01-19T00:00:00.000000Z

Jaiyede Afro - 2014-09-08T00:00:00.000000Z

Similar Artists

The Funkees

Ebo Taylor

King Sunny Ade

Tony Allen

Orchestra Baobab

Hugh Masekela

Manu Dibango

Fela Kuti

Mulatu Astatke

Femi Kuti