On Stage
Lavish Lounge Arena
Dele Sosimi, the Nigerian-British Afrobeat Ambassador, Musician and Educator, has been at the heart of the global Afrobeat scene since relocating to the UK in 1995. Having started his musical career with Fela Kuti’s Egypt 80 band in his teens, he then teamed up with childhood friend Fela’s son Femi Kuti (back in the late eighties) to kick start the Positive Force – touring, recording and performing worldwide.
His blend of complex funk grooves, traditional Nigerian music, African percussion and an underlying sense of jazz combines with his virtuoso keyboard skills and rhythmic singing to make him one of the most respected Afrobeat authorities of his era.
Dele has performed all over the planet, from the Montreux Jazz Festival to Mawazine Festival in Rabat Morrocco; Ollin Khan in Mexico, South Korea and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. Dele was also Afrobeat music consultant for the National Theatre’s production of Fela!, often performing with fellow-pioneer Tony Allen.