ELEVATION
=| Current Work
Success has many feelings, for Okaidja, this feeling is recognized through his audiences’ enchanted connection with his unique sound of music and how it makes them feel. There is always a true inward connection that brings his audience into his unique music language world, a realm; which tells probing stories of the present, and ceremonial stories of the past looking into the future
Continuing on the path of success from his last album, which introduced the first chapter of his Ancient Africa Wisdom Trilogy music series. Okaidja’s upcoming album, ÀBÒR ÉDÍN (Àbɔɔ Édíŋ – meaning; Melanin Earth Garden, follows as the second chapter of the Trilogy series, set for release in June 2024.
The new classic album, ÀBÒR ÉDÍN (Àbɔɔ Édíŋ) unfolds the entwining complexities of life with the beauty and serenity of nature. And the ancient African wisdom carved out to guide the path of life harmoniously in balancing all that is nature; that of the human character, and of earth’s eco-system.
Okaidja’s intellectual approach to his music compositions is purposed to inspire, teach and elevate the spirit of the listening ear with vivid poetic words and dulcet sounds of Africa, infused with global elements to create unexpected sounds.
The success of Okaidja’s last album, Jaku Mumor (Ancestral Spirit) is a testament to his unique ability to draw in eclectic global audiences for his style of music. The release of Jaku Mumor was complemented by an exclusive mini-documentary portraying engaging visual stories of his Gãdangmé culture. This was Okaidja’s special treat to his delighted show audiences from Ghana through touring across different States in the USA.
Okaidja inserted a new dimension into the cultural and global music stratosphere with his release of a music video, shot in his native City of Accra(GÃ) in Ghana – for the song titled Wôlé Worhe from the Jaku Mumor album. Depicting intriguing visuals from his Gãdangmé culture, the video brings ancient Gãdangmé rich culture, never before seen in typical aspects of music and visuals of this nature.
Breaking new grounds with the release of his classical African music album in May 2022, titled – JAKU MUMOR (Jàkú Mũmɔ – which means Ancestral Spirit in the Gãdangmé language) – inspired by ancient African wisdom.
The album, JAKU MUMOR (Jàkú Mũmɔ) dives deeper into Okaidja’s cultural roots by collaborating directly with the Gãdangmé Fishermen to share the full artistry of their a cappella singing and chants that awakes the spirit of the human soul.
Released alongside side the album in 2022, is an extended Music Documentary of the same title; Jaku Mumor, a one of its’ kind. The documentary journeys into the ancient traditions of Okaidja’s Gãdangmé cultural roots, featuring a collection of visual stories vividly embodying the true essence of the thriving Culture, Traditions and Spirituality of the ancient Gãdangmé natives of Ghana, whose ancestral roots goes all the way back to ancient Nubia-Kemet through to the ancient Kingdom of Kush.
Jaku Mumor music documentary tells a well-grounded story of the beautiful and ancient culture of the coastal Gãdangmé natives of Ghana in a new age of technology.
His collaboration with Canadian harmonica virtuoso, Mike Stevens, exemplifies how Okaidja’s approach to music breaks new ground, as he combines musical genres to conjure up songs that are truly unique. In his album, Where’s the One? you will encounter the essence of Ghana’s Gold Coast intertwined with the deep roots of Folk and Blues music of North America.
Okaidja’s songs tell the stories of his people
COMPOSITION
+| Early Work
Okaidja’s first album, THE TRADITIONALIST, is his raw and emotional interpretation of the folkloric songs he grew up singing. His second album, OBUTU APLA, ventures away from the strictly traditional and it was heavily influenced by Okaidja’s inquiry into the African Diaspora.
Okaidja’s career shifted as he began to do extensive research into the connections between Ghanaian music and the music of the African Diaspora. Out of this passionate inquiry, his band Okaidja & Shokoto was formed. Through Shokoto, Okaidja created music that draws from multiple cultural influences from the past and the present. The result was a dynamic fusion of traditional and contemporary African rhythms with the diverse music of the African Diaspora. After dancing and playing percussion for so many years, Okaidja followed his soul’s calling and taught himself how to play the guitar.
He spent countless hours trying to give voice to all melodies in his head through this new medium. By learning completely on his own, through his relentless desire to play his unique style of music, he inadvertently created a guitar style that is so distinct that many accomplished guitarists tell him to avoid formal training so he does not lose his pure, inimitable sound.
The guitar brought out a different sound and inspired Okaidja to write songs unlike anything he had created before. His album, MESSENGER, reflects the journey that he has been on as a messenger, carrying communication between the traditional world of his native homeland and the contemporary landscape of this modern-day. Okaidja’s songs tell the stories of his people and follow their journeys through the disparate lands where they were scattered. It is an album that speaks to the soul.
In 2016 Okaidja was commissioned by Portland Repertory Theatre to rearrange the folk gospel tune – “Children Go Where I send Thee” – for the Playwright Paula Vogel’s Civil War Christmas.
On this creative composition, Afroso tapped into his background to incorporate the Ghanaian fishermen singing style with his own vocal colors that captures the essence of African and African American music.
Okaidja’s album – THE PALMWINE SEA, released in 2017 brings together the deep understanding of Okaidja’s own musical transitions and the inspiration of Africa throughout Latin America. The music of The Palm Wine Sea is the music of the human experience. It is joyous, tragic, and uplifting. It embodies the vast perfect/imperfect shared human story.
In 2018 Okaidja was commissioned by the Los Angeles based dance company – Jacob Jonas The Company to compose original music for the dance piece CRASH.
Okaidja was born into a family of musicians and storytellers.
INCEPTION
± Early Life
Okaidja was born into a family of musicians and storytellers in Accra’s vibrant fishing town of Kokrobite on the west coast of Ghana. He began his career as a dancer with the celebrated Ghana Dance Ensemble. As he toured internationally Okaidja expanded his artistic reach becoming a master multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and arranger. His uncle was the town’s notable composer who wrote songs depicting news and life in their fishing town. Okaidja’s mother was a colorful lead singer in her spiritual church. Her powerful songs of praise earned her the name “the spiritual singer.” As a young boy Okaidja sang while he worked on fishing boats. The fishermen would sing a cappella songs as they worked, and Okaidja passed the long days learning the songs of the great sea.
At the age of 19, Okaidja was accepted as a professional dancer for the prestigious Ghana Dance Ensemble at the University of Ghana’s Institute of African Studies. He became well known for his energetic stage presence and excelled in his performances of his native Gadangme Oracle traditional dances. The Ghana Dance Ensemble gave Okaidja the opportunity to study with the best teachers in the country.
In 1997 Okaidja toured the Unites States with the Ensemble. Later on that year he traveled solo throughout Germany teaching Ghanaian music and dance before moving to the U.S. to join Okropong, a traditional Ghanaian music and dance group directed by Obo Addy.