Yoruba Singers - Ojinga’s Own

The Good Thing selection for March 2024:

"Originally released in 1974 and reissued last year, Yoruba Singers’ debut album is Ojinga’s Own puts the group's plentiful influences on display - folk roots from their home country, some reggae from Jamaica, calypso from Trinidad and Tobago. Playing mostly originals, the group developed a following in Georgetown, setting themselves apart from other local bands who played mostly modern radio hits. “We had lots of bands,” says founding member Eze Rockcliffe of the local music scene. “We had about thirty-seven bands in the country at the time. But we, the Yoruba Singers came different. Everybody else was playing a lot of pop music but we were different with our African-oriented music. Within two years, we became very popular and started touring. In 1973 we went to Suriname. That was our first tour. And then we cut our first album.” The album is full of tracks that feature an endless groove that can really make you lose track of time. They could have no beginning and no end. Really just my favorite kind of songs." - Will Pratt