SIMPLE, rhythmic, humours melodic and message-driven, Orlando Owoh's guitar highlife music appealed to millions of people across the country ' at the grassroots.For many years, he succeeded in blending the conventional highlife format with that of juju music perfectly ' to create a fusion that gave him a unique sound identity.Orlando is a voice like no other human sound ever brought into music ' with its rich, guttural nature which was obviously a natural endowment. He was therefore able to project quite effectively in all the registers ' high, low and middle, without straining his voice.Managing the art of staying on top is the lubricant for energising sustained musical success, an attribute that does not only come with regular record releases but also live performance ' of a regular nature. Orlando remained consistently on top of his profession, in super star status, for over five decades. As if this freak was not remarkable enough, Orlando was always in the process of consolidating his grassroots music and projecting it to the outside world. Unknown to many, including his fellow musicians, Orlando began the promotion of African music abroad since the '70's. 'My band was in London in 1972 to play for Nigerian Law students ' for the celebration of their graduation,' he recalled.'That was where I was honoured with the Doctorate Degree in music. I was on the same bill with Miriam Makeba of South Africa; The Ramblers Dance Band of Ghana led by Jerry Hansen; Osibissa and Ipi Tombe of South Africa.Encouraged by the reaction of the audience to his music, he toured various parts of Britain including Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham. He also performed in such European countries as Holland, Belgium, Italy among several others.With the promotional strategy provided by Harriot, an internationally acclaimed Nigerian agency for promoting and developing African music and musicians, Orlando continued to travel abroad to preach the gospel according to modern African music. Not too long before he fell ill and died, he returned from a successful tour of America where he performed in various cities. 'We travelled to America early this year,' he explained. 'We took off for the United States in March and returned to Nigeria last July, after a four-month tour. We played in New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas in Texas and Houston.'Orlando's musical outfit was only a guitar-bass-drum format in terms of configuration, sometimes boosted by talking drum and two extra singers ' to provide as group-vocal-harmony singing effect. And yet, it was quite effective. It sounded like a typical African outfit in melodic exploration and rhythmic exploration and rhythmic progression. The guitars which did not involve themselves in any improvisation whatsoever, played along, and at best dabbled in thematic, repetitive approach. The band's formula for success was first and foremost, its Africanness and the way percussion and guitars were employed to remain within the limits of the music's African concept on the one hand, and the possibilities of his musicianship on the other.On the home front, here in Nigeria, Orlando was greatly in demand with music that was rich in the culture of the ethnic surrounding of Ondo State of Nigeria where he hails from. He was also exposed to various other rhythmic concepts from different parts of Nigeria, and it was the synthesis of all these influences coupled with emerging contemporary urban trends that helped to consolidate his easily identifiable sound. Orlando blended all these fusion together naturally, perfectly, sacrificing none of the personal idiosyncrasies of his own individual approach and style.His career began in 1956 as a sideman with Ogunmola, one of the pioneers of theatre in Nigeria. From the very beginning, he was faced with musical adventures and challenges. Said he: 'I ventured into music in 1956 with Ogunmola and his Theatre Party, playing drums and saying. I was very young then. We went to welcome the Queen of England that same year in Ibadan, now capital of Oyo State of Nigeria.' Continuing, he said, 'from there, we were contracted by the University of Ibadan to provide music and entertainment to the celebration of their popular plays, namely, 'Palm Wine Drunkard,' 'their enemies' and 'Samson and Delilah.' I provided vocal accompaniment and was also involved in drumming.'From this testimony, it is obvious that Orlando was put on a good start from the very beginning. He left Ogunmola in 1958 to join Akindele and his Chocolate Dandies in Ibadan. And while moving from one band to the other, he was taking lesson on guitar and broadening his entire musical horizon. He eventually formed his own band in 1959, an outfit that instantly attracted recognition. 'It was the quality of my music that recommended me to record companies,' he explained. 'I was playing a night gig when Della Records came to discuss with me, and eventually signed me on. I recorded my first hit in 19589 which was released in 1960 ' a single called Oluwa lo ran mi on one side and Mobimo kan to dagba ' both in Yoruba ' on the other side.' Both songs convey messages of goodwill.On account of his super star status, Orlando moved from record company to the other with an alarming frequency over the years ' apparently in response to pressing demands for his popular music. And they all offered him the best of deals. Some of his revered discography on Decca stable include Itan orogun meji, Nebuchadnezari, Apade nibode, Yabomisam, Atlantere and Ijo oyege.He left Decca, in 1975 to join Sanu Olu, an indigenous record label and released among others, Money na hand, back na ground, Kennery de, Ijoya and Ganja.On leaving Sanu Olu in 1986, he recorded a song in memory of the late Dele Giwa, a foremost Nigerian journalist who was killed by a parcel bomb. He was arrested for making insinuation and incarcerated. On release, he recorded a string of hits among them Alagbon, Message, e get as he be, Who no know go know, Money palavar, Nigeria, which is which', Hunger, I say no to military rule.Orlando Owoh who was now assuming Fela Anikulapo's controversial image as a political activist ' for which he too was being brutalised by military authorities ' later shifted to Transworld Record in the early '90s and recorded tunes such as American wonder, Not in our character and Tribute to Fela.One of the most powerful natural resources of Orlando's music most of which is on his recorded releases ' is the kinetic energy generated by the conga drum, a percussion instrument on which Ade Conga, one of his notable sidemen thrilled the audience with solo stints that are characterised by varying rhythmic patterns.Another source of wonder was his guttural voice which though sounded hoarse and unfriendly, could not be ignored because of the message if conveyed in terms of the interesting variety an admixture of folklore, social commentary, satire and confrontation.
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