Bossaphonik Presents Jupiter & Okwess
Schedule
Fri, 17 Jan, 2025 at 08:00 pm
UTC+00:00Location
Cowley Workers Social Club, OX4 3LZ Oxford, United Kingdom | Oxford, EN
Advertisement
Happy New Year!Bossaphonik 2025 kicks off with a big bang on Friday 17th January as we welcome from DR Congo the explosive sounds of Jupiter & Okwess for the first time in Oxford!
We’re in for a journey to the colourful streets and rich sounds of capital city Kinshasa - an experience of pulsating beats and enchanting melodies. Jupiter & Okwess’ blend mix these ingredients with electrifying western rock and funk which has catapulted them onto the international stage captivating audiences globally. The vast country of Congo, scandalously wealthy in geological and musical terms, possesses an inexhaustible reservoir of rhythms and sounds that Jupiter and Okwess draw from to generate energy for the feet, and nourishment (‘okwess’) for the soul.
Band leader Jupiter Bokondji “the rebel general” spent a large period of his childhood in East Berlin. On his return to native Kinshasa at the age of 17 – he was captivated by the myriad of traditional music styles of a capital where no less than 450 ethnicities are represented. It’s a treasure trove of sounds that the stars of Congolese Pop were’t paying much attention to, devoting themselves instead to the dominant rhythms of Congolese rhumba. In those other hidden rhythms, Jupiter found a strange affinity with the western music styles he’d discovered in Germany, but in their raw state, as if rock, soul, funk, all came from the same root, the same source: the Congo.
He formed his first Congolese band back in 1990 but civil war interrupted initial progress, which he regained in the 2000’s. First album, “Hotel Univers” was released in 2013 and Jupiter began to shine. Collaborations took place with the likes of Australian composer Warren Ellis and Damon Albarn of Blur/Gorillaz who became a fan and invited Jupiter to guest on his album and tour alongside him. Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack met the band in Kinshasa and subsequently remixed them and produced artwork for their next album “Kinsonic.” 2021’s “Na Kozonga” features a myriad of guests such as Money Mark (Beastie Boys), samba icon Roge, pioneering Brazilian rapper Marcello D2 and Chilean singer Ana Tijoux. The album quickly made a name for itself. Its explosive, merciless groove, animated Afro-funk and 5-star guests brought rave reviews from the international press (NY Times, The Guardian, Rolling Stone and others). International tours took place in abundance and the band have performed here in the UK at major festivals Glastonbury and Womad. The rebel general and his band have honed a sound they coin “Bofenia Rock,” they have developed the talent to juggle sophisticated rhythms and respect the energy of Okwess, an energy that all those years of gigging have transformed into something incandescent.
“He deserves to be an African celebrity” The Guardian
“The night’s fiercest, most diverse grooves belonged to Jupiter” The New York Times
Check out an animated video of the track “Mieux que ca”
Check out a live video of 3 tracks performed at Platine Africa:
Check out a vid of the track Telejayi featuring Brazilian rapper Marcelo D2:
Following the joyful sounds of the live band as ever is a Bossaphonik club session. This evening, we have Kwassa Kwassa guest DJs - made up of Tom Hilton and Simon Starling, the pair have been running their superb tropical parties in Oxford for over 10 years. With their breathtaking repertoire of vintage music from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the dancefloor will be heated til 1:30am to the sounds of -
Afrobeat * Highlife * Soukous * Funk * Soul * Reggae * Ska * Salsa * Cumbia * Calypso * Hip Hop * Bomba * Soca!!!
Friday 17th January
Bossaphonik Presents Jupiter & Okwess + Kwassa Kwassa DJs
Cowley Workers Social Club, Between Towns Road. OX4 3LZ (Near Templars Square Shopping Centre. Regular buses 1 and 5 from City Centre go up Cowley Road til 3am, stopping opposite the venue)
8pm–1:30am
Band starts at 9:30pm
**Greater savings on advance tickets**
£16 advance + £1.60 booking fee (wegottickets.com) / £18 student ID on door / £21 door
Hope to see ya there!
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
Cowley Workers Social Club, OX4 3LZ Oxford, United Kingdom, Taberu, 100 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JE, United Kingdom,Oxford, OxfordshireEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
