Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble

Afrobeat
Ogidi, Nigeria native Foly Kolade started this all-original contemporary Afrobeat band after moving to New York City in 2003. He moved to Toronto in 2011 and slowly gathered a roster of players from the reggae, jazz, funk and Brazilian music scenes to build the current incarnation of Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble.

A high-energy live spectacle featuring 10+ performers and Nigerian dance, percussion and costume, the band specializes in making audiences get up and dance. They’ve opened for Seun Kuti and have shared the stage with Antibalas, Zap Mama, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Aline Morales, Cheick Diabate, Madagascar Slim and Awa Sangho. They’ve headlined Afrofest and Uma Nota Festival of Tropical Expression, performed at Koerner Hall and on Harbourfront Centre’s WestJet Stage.

DJ General Eclectic of Uma Nota and Footprints fame says of the band, “Asiko offers an authentic, raw and powerful dose of Afro-diasaporic music! Their stage show is dynamic, infectious and world -class!”

Asiko’s debut Canadian album was released in June 2016 to critical acclaim, garnering a NNNN from Now Magazine.