Could We Be More Kokoroko

• 1 Tojo 03:59
• 2 Blue Robe (pt.i) 00:38
• 3 Ewà Inú 06:41
• 4 Age Of Ascent 04:58
• 5 Dide O 04:11
• 6 Soul Searching 03:35
• 7 We Give Thanks 03:40
• 8 Those Good Times 04:13
• 9 Reprise 00:28
• 10 War Dance 05:38
• 11 Interlude 01:59
• 12 Home 02:07
• 13 Something's Going On 05:12
• 14 Outro 00:48
• 15 Blue Robe (pt.ii) 00:26
• Total Runtime 48:33

Info for Could We Be More

Following the huge success of 2018’s Kokoroko EP’ and the sensational Abusey Junction, "Could We Be More" is an expansive and ambitious debut album that speaks to the force of Kokoroko.

"Could We Be More" is a sprawling and ambitious album that expresses the power of Kokoroko. Each song possesses the energy that so naturally underpins the heartbeat of the Kokoroko identity - deftly moving through Afrobeat, highlife, soul and funk, and drawing inspiration from a wealth of other influences from the West African and Caribbean communities the band grew up with, the album gives listeners feelings of homecoming and joy.

Band members Sheila Maurice-Grey and Onome Edgeworth explain how "Could We Be More" came about, "I think home has greatly influenced the way we write and play our music. Each of us has a different background, but what unites us at Kokoroko is that we all have a similar love and appreciation for Afrobeat and highlife, whether that's Ebo Taylor or Pat Thomas," says Sheila. "It's that feeling when you're younger and you hear something that you embrace. There was a lot of Nigerian music and soul played at my house, so I felt like I owned it. When you recreate a piece of music, it fills you with pride: 'This is a part of me and this is where I come from,'" Onome adds.

Kokoroko embody all that is London's improvisational music scene - an echo of the past that has taken on new forms, yet sounds new and original. The band is a vivid example of the future of the UK music scene: in their short career, they've released just 7 tracks (1x EP and 3x singles) and quickly built a huge following with over 60 million Spotify streams and a classic album, 2018's intimate, viral masterpiece "Abusey Junction."

As they release their similarly immersive debut album, Kokoroko's return is especially significant. Already winners of "Best Group" at the 2020 Urban Music Awards and the 2021 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, the collective has been lauded in the NPR Austin 100 list, crowned "One To Watch" by The Guardian, played around the world at Glastonbury, Meltdown Festival, Elbjazz, Jazz a la Villette, We Out Here, SIM São Paulo, and BBC6 Music Festival (to name a few), played a raucous session for Boiler Room, and made their BBC Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall; All before their debut album, which is as progressive and musically eclectic as one would expect from the eight different personalities within Kokoroko.

Sheila Maurice-Grey, trumpet, vocals
Cassie Kinoshi, alto saxophone, vocals
Richie Seivwright, trombone, vocals
Onome Edgeworth, drums
Ayo Salawu, drums
Tobi Adenaike-Johnson, guitar
Yohan Kebede, synthesizer, keyboards
Duane Atherley, bass, synthesizer, keyboards

Kokoroko
The London-based eight-piece musical group led by trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey is truly sitting at the intersection of past and present by sharing their cultural heritage through KOKOROKO’s music. And this message is not only embodied in their sound but also in the name of the octet translated from Nigerian Urhobo origin as “Be strong”. Their early track 'Abusey Junction' was the band’s well-acclaimed success that got appreciated by more than 25 million viewers on YouTube. This year was not less fruitful for KOKOROKO and brought the release of their debut album Could We Be More. Having presented the uplifting sounds of their release from Brazil to Amsterdam the band finishes the year by performing at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in London.

In the same manner, as their debut album, the show opens with ‘Tojo’. The substantial soul fanfare accompanied by the electronic sounds of the track immediately transports the crowd to outer space filled with the unique charm and positive spirit of KOKOROKO. People moving to the grooves of the talking drums and dreamy brass create unrushed waves of motion as the tracks evolve.

“We are very excited to be here, such an honor!” - the group leader Sheila confesses to the audience. And it’s not hard to believe that London takes a special place on the KOKOROKO’s roster as it's a hometown for most of the band members.

Listening to ‘Baba Ayoola' gives everybody a journey back in time to 2020. The fluidity and calmness that the group radiates from the stage give its playing an incredibly natural feel. After a couple of tunes and virtuosic instrumental improvisations the first notes of ‘Abusey Junction’ appear and the crowd explodes cheering to a well-known song. Unarguably being a backbone of tonight’s set the live performance of the track creates an almost magical atmosphere of ease in the crowd. By the time ‘War Dance’ is playing all the levels of O2 Shepherds Bush Empire transform into dancing stalls. Followed by ‘Ewà Inú’ and ‘Body and Soul’ the energy reaches its peak finishing the night with chant-like vocals of ‘We Give Thanks’.

During the night KOKOROKO soulfully reconnected with their fans through the soothing blends of afrobeat and jazz. The show once again reminded everybody that afrobeat is not something that should stay within our parents' generation and it seems like KOKOROKO will make sure it stays around.

This album contains no booklet.