SEUN OLOTA THE SAXOPHONIST AT FREEDOM PARK
As live performance finds a thriving hub for the expression of conscious and alternative music at the Freedom Park in Lagos, Wednesdays attract a peculiar gathering drawn by the antics of a skilled saxophonist and songwriter, Seun Olota. Nseobong Okon-Eko
With each change of name, the band assumed a new direction in the sound of its music. Today, Oluwaseun Ayomide Olota or Seun Olota to his friends and acquaintances has woven several layers of music from different cultures that he has interfaced with into a distinct sound which he would rather not put a label on. This liberty, however, does not discourage the teeming number of enthusiasts who enjoy his regular show Wednesdays at Freedom Pak in Lagos.
The ExTasI Band which he leads was not always known by the name. In the late 1990s when he started out, it was known as Janvier Band. It transmuted to the Dotcom Band at the turn of the new millennium in 2001. With Janvier, it was strictly African Jazz. His original compositions started with Dotcom.
The last few years brought seasons of excellence for Seun. With a sizeable number of band members working with him for over 10 years, his sound reached a level of maturity that is not easy to ignore. Every music pundit agrees Seun Olota and the ExTasI Band have been able to forge a stage craft they can be proud of.
That Wednesday night at Freedom Park, at his weekly gig called the Free Spot Show, beautiful sounds floated from his saxophone. It mixed beautifully with reverberations from instruments played by other members of the band in a sweet and soothing harmony. As the leader and singer in the band, he was often in the front, but team spirit and; perhaps, showmanship took him all over the stage. He could be with the other horns men to back an instrumentalist who had moved from his place to the front to take a solo spot. At other times, he ran back like a concerned striker in a football team, eager to halt an invasion from the opposing team, to play a percussive instrument. He was everywhere, even jumping into the crowd to encourage a familiar face or to urge greater participation from an already inspired and excited audience. The show has become a hub for the expression of conscious and alternative music.
The performance may as well be called ‘Seun Olota and Friends’ for its free flowing nature. Often packing a lot of surprises with appearance of guest artistes - the regular suspect being another ubiquitous persona at Freedom Park, Edaoto - a member of the band may also take the spotlight for sometime as Seun retreats to the back row. At the Free Spot Show, an audience member could be catapulted to the star attraction for the night, if he is courageous to take the microphone and go on stage. On this particular night, the revelation was guitarist and songwriter, Ubong Edem Ukor who is known to the inner circle of the music industry in Nigeria as the man who produced, Zule-Zoo’s first album. He grabbed everyone’s attention with his rendition of Bobby McFerrin’s hit, ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’. Playing on the guitar and giving the song his own unique arrangement, Ubong got more than a passing notice before launching into his self-penned songs some of which