Search - I.K. Dairo :: I Remember

I.K. Dairo is acknowledged as the father of the modern juju music sound, but Dairo was not one to rest on his laurels. I Remember is a testament to a musician in top form after decades on the scene. "Mo Ti Yege" and "F'eso J'aiye" are the supple extended jams one expects of a topnotch juju group, and Dairo and the Blue Spots don't disappoint on the shorter songs either. They blend percolating percussion, chatty talking drums, gently floating guitar lines, and praise-singing vocal harmonies to create expansive sonic spaces. The song "I Remember" is Dairo's tribute, sung in English, to Americans who have inspired him over the years, including John Kennedy, Booker Washington, and Dr. Martin Luther King. Several of the songs on this release feature Dairo's tasteful accordion work, which adds a delightful texture to this easygoing, subtle music. --Jeff Grubb