By Funsho Arogundade
Etuk Ubong, a notable band leader and distinctive member of the Afrobeat family, has concluded arrangements to embark on a foreign musical tour that will see his musical band, The Etuk Philosophy, perform in several European cities.
Widely travelled Etuk, a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader, who hails from the Ibibio tribe of Akwa Ibom but based in Lagos, will commence the tour with a show at the Afrojazz festival, London, United Kingdom, on October 5. Odudu (Power), as Etuk is also called, will also lead The Etuk Philosophy to perform at the Jam House in Birmingham, United Kingdom before flying to perform at the WOMEX Tampere in Finland. The band will also hold gigs at Turkis Aarhus in Denmark, and Transmusicales Renes in France, among others.
Prior to forming his band, Etuk performed with highlife legend Victor Olaiya and Afrobeat torchbearer Femi Kuti. Today, Etuk leads his own band and is among the most innovative, groundbreaking rising stars in African jazz. His 2020 album Africa Today was recorded direct-to-disc for the Night Dreamer label in Holland, and the album is featured on Afropop Worldwide’s “New Moves in Afro-Jazz.” In 2018, Ubong opened his own venue in Lagos, The Truth.
Renowned for his dynamic fusion of Afrobeat, highlife, jazz, and traditional Ibibio rhythms, Etuk’s music serves as a powerful force that bridges cultures and generations. With his trumpet and a deep passion for storytelling, he has carved a distinctive niche in the global music scene.
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