Majek Fashek

Majek Fashek
Majek Fashek
Birth name Majekodumni Fasheke
Born Benin City, Nigeria
Genres Roots Reggae
Occupations singer, songwriter
Years active early 1980s
Labels Interscope Records
Associated acts Jastix

Majekodumni Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek, is a Nigerian reggae singer and guitarist.[1][2] Various translations of his name include "high priest who does not lie", "powers of miracles" and "the high priest does not live".[3][4][5][6]

Contents

Early life

Fashek was born in Benin City, Nigeria to an Edo mother and a Yoruba father.[3][4]

Musical career

Fashek first gained national fame on a television show in the early 1980s as a member of Benin-based reggae group Jastix. His bandmates included Ras Kimono and Amos McRoy Gregg. They toured for many years with fellow reggae group The Mandators. In 1988, shortly after Jastix disbanded, he began a solo career and quickly became the best-known reggae artist in Nigeria.[7] His song "Send Down The Rain" was a hit, and he won six US-based PMAN Music Awards.

After leaving Tabansi Records, he was signed to CBS Nigeria in the early 1990s before moving to Island Records' Mango imprint, a label more accustomed to marketing reggae internationally. His first album for the company included a cover version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". In 1990 he was signed to Interscope Records and released the critically acclaimed album Spirit Of Love, produced by "Little Steven" Van Zandt. Flame Tree released The Best of Majek Fashek in 1994. He has recorded several albums for various labels since, including Rainmaker for Tuff Gong (1997) and Little Patience for Coral (2004).

Fashek is one of the increasing number of African artists to be drawn to the music of the Caribbean, specifically reggae, rather than indigenous hybrids such as fuji, jùjú,[8] or highlife. Having grown up in a fervently religious and musical family, he was exposed to the imported sounds of Bob Marley at an early age, alongside the innovations of local stars such as Fela Kuti.

Fashek's major influences are Bob Marley (whom he strongly resembles vocally[9][10]), Fela Kuti, and Jimi Hendrix.[citation needed]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Title Label Notes
1989 Prisoner of Conscience Mango Records[11]
1991 Spirit of Love Interscope Records
1997 Rainmaker Lightyear Entertainment
2005 Little Patience Coral Music Group

Notes

  1. ^ Loder, Kurt. Rolling Stone.[volume & issue needed] "Singer and guitarist Fashek is a star in his native Nigeria for reasons that are entirely apparent on this record."
  2. ^ Pareles, Jon. The New York Times, 5 December 1990. "In Nigeria, his concerts already fill stadiums."
  3. ^ a b Harris, Craig. "Biography - Majek Fashek". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p2885. Retrieved 1 October 2010. 
  4. ^ a b Faosheke, John Olu (11 February 2007). "Majek Fashek's Ijeshaedo Roots Revealed". AllAfrica.com (AllAfrica Global Media). http://allafrica.com/stories/200702120313.html. Retrieved 1 October 2010. 
  5. ^ Faosheke, John Olu (2 February 2007). "Majek Fashek’s Ijeshaedo roots revealed". Lagos, Nigeria: THISDAY. Archived from the original on 11.02.2007. http://allafrica.com/stories/200702120313.html. Retrieved 1 October 2010. 
  6. ^ DJ Ify. "Fela Kuti, Ringo Madlingozi and Majek Fashek". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/africabeyond/africaonyourstreet/hosts/djify/. Retrieved 1 October 2010. 
  7. ^ Ham, Anthony (2009). West Africa. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 64. http://books.google.com/books?id=1HapewBo3c0C&pg=PA64&dq=%22majek+fashek%22&hl=de&ei=BT2mTMrfCMuNjAejxL3IDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q=%22majek%20fashek%22&f=false. 
  8. ^ Pareles, Jon. The New York Times, 5 December 1990. "...a promising hybrid style, one that started in standard reggae but has added the bustling cross-rhythms of Nigerian juju and a touch of hard rock."
  9. ^ Loder, Kurt. Rolling Stone. "Fashek's vocal and lyrical resemblance to the late Bob Marley is both eerie and earned...."
  10. ^ Farber, Jim. New York Daily News, 19 January 1992. "Ziggy may be Bob Marley's biological son, but Majek Fashek is his spiritual heir. In terms of vocal tone, Fashek is Marley's spitting image...."
  11. ^ "Discography - Majek Fashek". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p2885. Retrieved 1 October 2010. 

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Majek Fashek — Majek Fashek, Majekodumni Fasheke de son vrai nom, est un guitariste et chanteur de reggae africain, né à Benin City, au Nigeria. Il est connu pour avoir repris Hotel California, la célèbre chanson du groupe The Eagles. Albums 1991 Spirit of Love …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Jesse Jagz — Birth name Jesse Garba Abaga Also known as Jago Born August 10, 1984 Genres Naija, Hip Hop, R B Occupations …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Nigeria — Music of Nigeria: Topics Hausa Igbo Yoruba Apala Fuji Jùjú Afrobeat Afro juju …   Wikipedia

  • Nigerian reggae — Reggae is a style of Jamaican music that evolved in the 1970s. Later, it became a major part of the music of Nigeria, especially after the rise of singer Majek Fashek. Fashek was, like many Nigerian reggae performers, a part of the long running… …   Wikipedia

  • Música de Nigeria — La música de Nigeria incluye muchas clases de música tradicional y popular africanas. Se relaciona con múltiples grupos étnicos del país, cada uno con sus propias técnicas, instrumentos y canciones. Poco se sabe sobre la historia de la música del …   Wikipedia Español

  • Reggae nigeriano — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda El reagge nigeriano apareció en los 70. El reggae nigeriano se popularizó gracias a estrellas como Majek Fashek que con su versión del Redemption Song, de Bob Marley, logró un éxito sin precedentes en el reggae de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Nelson Mandela — Mandela redirects here. For other uses, see Mandela (disambiguation). His Excellency Nelson Mandela OM AC CC OJ …   Wikipedia

  • Talib Kweli — Infobox musical artist Name = Talib Kweli Background = Img capt = Talib performing in Brooklyn, 2008. Birth name = Talib Kweli Greene Alias = BK MC, Mr. International, MCEO, Kwe Background = solo singer Born = birth date and age|1975|10|3 Origin …   Wikipedia

  • Hotel California (song) — Infobox Single Name = Hotel California Artist = Eagles from Album = Hotel California B side = Pretty Maids All in a Row Released = February 22, 1977 Format = 7 single Recorded = Genre = Rock Length = 6:31| Label = Asylum Writer = Don Felder,… …   Wikipedia

  • Redemption Song — is the last track on Bob Marley s ninth Island music album, Uprising . At the time he wrote the song, circa 1979, Marley already had been diagnosed with the cancer that later was to take his life. According to Rita Marley, he was already secretly …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”