Reflections, Rhythms, and What’s Next! 📡
Hello!
Hello Orokoheads,
It’s me again, Black Tangere… the voice behind this newsletter — and also the monthly Oroko Radio show, LOCAL PASSPORT. As the newsletter’s editor here at Oroko Radio, I’ll be bringing you the latest updates, curating conversations, sharing archival ephemera, and keeping you connected with everything happening in our community. I’ll be taking you through what’s new, what’s coming up, and what’s worth a deeper look—so stay tuned!
Over the last week, hauled in at my studio apartment under the torrential November rain and frost-herding winds of Chicago’s upper-north but wonderfully quaint district, it’s searingly impossible not to gaze out into the slender swaying trees peaking into my window from the east-facing parking lot of my building —soundtracked to the cosmically-inclined sonic articulations of Lonnie Holley’s Planet Earth and Otherwheres, the last song on his deeply-haunting but proverbial album Just Before Music (2012). The construction machines repairing the road just a street over, laying the fortissimo overtones of a Thursday evening’s melancholic, scotch mist atmosphere, with their rhythmic thumping and clunking. And the clouds, heavy with the guilt of veiling teardrops, occasionally part in the sky above for the satisfaction in the rays of the sun to touch upon my skin. In these moments, and now compelled to share this here, I was thrust into the memory of Nigerian poet Gabriel Okara's poem, Piano and Drums.
I would love to hear emotions, thoughts, reflections, or any other pithy but profound responses to the poem in the comments… if any at all.
And of course, I can’t forget a shortlist of activities happening that we think should be on your calendar.
AMSTERDAM: Live at the BBQ presents Bass is the Place
Hosted by Oroko Radio resident Garnett and friends, "Bass is the Place" recently took a deep dive into the powerful legacy of Caribbean sound system culture and its impact on modern music production. The evening began with a captivating screening of Steve McQueen's Lover’s Rock, showcasing the lively spirit of a 1980s house party in West London. Following this, a dynamic panel featured the iconic Adrian Sherwood, celebrated for his groundbreaking work in dub and reggae, alongside the innovative Rozaly, who merges Caribbean rhythms with contemporary electronic sounds. Moderated by Mijke Hurkx, the discussion explored how the rich tapestry of sound system culture continues to influence today’s music scene, addressing themes of identity, displacement, and cultural exchange. Attendees engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue about the ongoing evolution of musical traditions and the ways they reflect and shape our understanding of community in an ever-changing world.
ACCRA: KURO SOUNDS IS COMING!!!
Taking place next year on January 11, 2025, and brought to you by Oroko Radio, Vibrate Space, and JamJar, KURO Sounds is the experience you’ve been waiting for. In the Akan language, "Kuro" (pronounced /ku-raw/) translates to "town" or "community." It often refers to a place where people live together, sharing resources, customs, and social responsibilities. The concept of "kuro" emphasizes a sense of belonging, interconnectedness, and communal life, reflecting strong cultural values of unity and cooperation. The countdown to the first edition of Kuro Sounds has begun — Join the waitlist now for priority access to tickets 🎟️, exclusive perks, and information before anyone else!
ACCRA: ADA Gallery presents HOMECOMING: THE SOUND OF OUR SOULS
In the closing week of ADA Gallery's latest exhibition, HOMECOMING: The Sound of our Souls, founder Adora Mba sat down with Assumpta Dickens, the curator behind OMOGE & CO. PROJECTS, for an episode of Her Palette brimming with insight. Their conversation—spanning Ghanaian and Nigerian perspectives—cuts through art world pretense to explore how Mba's early creative instincts led to founding one of Accra's most vital contemporary art spaces. Mba shares her journey without romanticism, from her first encounters with art to the challenges of building a gallery that matters in West Africa's cultural scene. Here’s a link to listen back to their delightful conversation on Her Palette.
Thanks for that poem, it was a beautiful moment