Mr. Something Something
Encyclopedia
Mr. Something Something is a Toronto
-based Afrobeat
collective with activist leanings formed in 2003 by childhood friends Larry Graves (drums/percussion) and John MacLean (tenor sax). All music is written by Graves, MacLean and lead singer Johan Hultqvist. The band's second album The Edge was nominated for a 2007 Juno Award
in the World Music category. The 2007 release Deep Sleep was a collaboration with spoken word artist Ikwunga The Afrobeat Poet, the son of a famous Nigerian writer and tribal chief. Deep Sleep was the most played world music album on Canadian college radio in 2007.
The band consists of five permanent members, and a number of loosely affiliated musicians, including such notable jazz musicians as Kevin Turcotte, Richard Underhill
and Brian O'Kane. In conjunction with International Car-Free Day 2008 Mr. Something Something presented Canada's first bicycle powered concerts at the Evergreen Brickworks in Toronto's Don Valley and outside infamous bike thief Igor Kenk
's defunct bicycle shop. In terms of the band name, they said in an interview: " The name Mr. Something Something is a play on a song name by the godfather of afrobeat, Fela Kuti
. He has a song called Mr. Follow Follow, which as couple of the guys thought would be a great name for a tribute band ... but that's not what we are so the name developed with the music."
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
-based Afrobeat
Afrobeat
Afrobeat is a combination of traditional Yoruba music, jazz, highlife, funk and chanted vocals, fused with percussion and vocal styles, popularised in Africa in the 1970s. Its main creator was the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who gave it its name, who used it to...
collective with activist leanings formed in 2003 by childhood friends Larry Graves (drums/percussion) and John MacLean (tenor sax). All music is written by Graves, MacLean and lead singer Johan Hultqvist. The band's second album The Edge was nominated for a 2007 Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in the World Music category. The 2007 release Deep Sleep was a collaboration with spoken word artist Ikwunga The Afrobeat Poet, the son of a famous Nigerian writer and tribal chief. Deep Sleep was the most played world music album on Canadian college radio in 2007.
The band consists of five permanent members, and a number of loosely affiliated musicians, including such notable jazz musicians as Kevin Turcotte, Richard Underhill
Richard Underhill
Richard Underhill is a Canadian jazz saxophonist. A founding member of the jazz fusion group The Shuffle Demons, he has toured Europe and Canada to critical acclaim for over 27 years. Underhill won a 2003 Juno Award for his jazz solo debut Tales from the Blue Lounge, and was nominated for the Prix...
and Brian O'Kane. In conjunction with International Car-Free Day 2008 Mr. Something Something presented Canada's first bicycle powered concerts at the Evergreen Brickworks in Toronto's Don Valley and outside infamous bike thief Igor Kenk
Igor Kenk
Igor Kenk is known since 2008 as the most infamous and prolific bicycle thief in Canada. More than 3,000 bicycles were recovered in police raids. Kenk pleaded guilty to sixteen criminal code offence charges of theft 15 December 2009 at Old City Hall court...
's defunct bicycle shop. In terms of the band name, they said in an interview: " The name Mr. Something Something is a play on a song name by the godfather of afrobeat, Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...
. He has a song called Mr. Follow Follow, which as couple of the guys thought would be a great name for a tribute band ... but that's not what we are so the name developed with the music."
Discography
- Mr. Something Something (World Records, 2004)
- The Edge (World Records, 2005)
- Deep Sleep (World Records, 2007)
- The Rough Guide to Afrobeat Revival (World Music Network, 2009)
- Shine Your Face (World Records, 2009)