Keziah Jones

Olufemi Sanyaolu a.k.a. Keziah Jones was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He left Nigeria at the age of 8 to be educated at the prestigious Public School, Millfield in North London, England. Keziah says, "I had to find a way out of all that (English Public school system), and music was it!" By the age of 13 he had discovered the old school piano and began teaching himself how to play and write songs. 3 years later, he picked up the guitar and began busking in London in the underground (metro), folk clubs and on the streets, whilst constantly having to avoid the police. Moving between London and Paris and always accompanied by his guitar, Jones acquired a reputation as a unique musician and charismatic performer with his own unique "hard funk" style.

In 1992 he released his debut album “Blufunk Is A Fact” including his first single and now classic, “Rhythm Is Love" which went on to be a global hit. Keziah has now released 6 studio albums which have spawned more hits including ‘Where Is Life’, “A Million Miles From Home”, “Beautiful Emilie”, "Femiliarise", "Kpafuca” and “1973”.

Keziah cites Fela Kuti, Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix as his most important musical influences. His now iconic sound is described as “Blufunk”, which is a sonic cocktail of punk- funk attitude crossed with Yoruba rhythms and a diverse palate of lyrical subject matter, sung mostly in English and occasionally in his first tongue, Yoruba. Over the years, Keziah has constantly evolved his sound from album to albums, and the consummate live artist, he constantly performs at shows and festivals around the world.

Keziah has just finished his first full live album, recorded in his hometown, Lagos. The album entitled “Alive & Kicking” which will be released in January 2025 includes 2 new studio recordings ‘Melissa” and ‘Rainy Saturday” and 2 amazing covers The Police’s - “The Beds Too Big Without You” and Rick James’s “Below The Funk (Pass The J)”. The album was recorded with his long-term live band consisting of Josh “McNasty” McKenzie, the brother of Labyrinth who began playing drums with Keziah at age 16! Also, the late, Joey “Anchor man” Grant and new edition, Alex ‘Beanz” Miller, both on bass and Edem “Amen” Viana on guitar.

Constantly creating, he is currently working on an art exhibition of his paintings, his 7th studio album and several side projects including a collaboration with famed French EMD producer, Philippe Cohen Solal on an EP entitled “Class Of 89” they plan to expand into a full studio album.

Keziah, who lives and works between two worlds (Lagos and Paris), has always assessed and expressed the relationship between the northern and southern hemispheres in his art. He says “what I want to show the world is the modernity of post-colonial Africa, far from the image that the western world carries of a continent devastated by famine and/or war. I’m talking about young urban Africa; 25 million people live in Lagos! Modern contemporary African culture is a reality. Today, African culture has proven its vivacity in music with the burgeoning sound of Afrobeat, in fashion and art, all of which is nourished by the Diaspora.”

With a professional career spanning over 30 years, Keziah Jones is a musical bridge between Fela Kuti, Prince and Rick James, as well as a forerunner of the modern Alté afrobeat sound coming out of Nigeria and currently taking the world by storm. Real creative forces like Keziah Jones are not only rare but also, timeless.