Ajoyo
Ajoyo
Group
Genres: jazz, guitar, piano, french, vocal
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About Ajoyo
AJOYO is the vision of multi-reed player Yacine Boularès, a mystic brew blending African tradition, jazz and soul. More than music, it's a joyful ceremony, a fuller experience bringing musicians and audience close together. AJOYO chants in the name of Tony Allen, Oum Khalsoum, Charlie Parker and Donnie Hathaway. Stomping towards you in the eye of the dancer, arms open, horns, bell and bass interwoven like the fabric of a ceremonial dress, AJOYO speaks the language of the talking drum with a New York accent. Originally from Tunisia in North Africa (by way of Paris), Yacine Boularès has played sax, composed and arranged music for Cameroonian musicians such as former Fela Kuti drummer Jojo Kuo, for the late Martino Atangana, for the Haitian Kompa legends Tabou Combo, and for Placido Domingo’s latest album Encanto Del Mar. The project originated in these encounters and influences, as Yacine assembled a band that reconciles his North African and Western heritages. AJOYO celebrates life, love and justice through music: music for the heart, the mind and the body, the kind that is soulful, sophisticated and that makes people want to dance. YACINE BOULARES - REEDS & COMPOSITIONS French Tunisian saxophonist Yacine Boulares is a graduate from La Sorbonne in Philosophy, and from the Paris National Conservatory & New School for Jazz in Jazz Performance. Moving to NYC on a Fulbright Scholarship Yacine is a sought after soprano saxophonist. His recent collaboration include Japanese pianist Senri Oe (Sony Japan) and Opera singer Placido Domingo (Sony Classical). He has worked for several years on the West African scene, notably with Jojo Kuo, Martino Atangana and Tabou Combo. Yacine founded AJOYO in August 2012. SARAH ELIZABETH CHARLES - VOICE Sarah Elizabeth Charles is a vocalist and composer based out of New York City. Sarah’s musical stylings are unique and the intricacies to her art focus on modernizing classics and composing distinctive originals. Currently, Sarah is a member of two performance/recording projects including Manner Effect and the Enoch Smith Jr. Trio. She is also the bandleader for her own group the S.E. Charles Quartet performing and recording her own compositions/arrangements. LINTON SMITH - TRUMPET linton.jpg Born in New Orleans, LA, Linton is an up-and-coming trumpet player currently living between New York, NY and New Orleans, LA. ALON ALBAGLI - GUITAR Israeli guitarist Alon Albagli was drawn to music at a young age focusing on jazz and classical guitar. Alon has played with major Israeli artists such as Shay Gabso, Arik Sinai, David Broza to name a few. He lives in NYC and graduated from the New School for Jazz in 2011. CAN OLGUN - KEYS German pianist Can Olgun is a graduate from the Manhattan School of Music. Soon he's performed at venues like The Blue Note, Jazz At Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall among others. Can worked and played with musicians including David Friedman, Seamus Blake and Mark Turner and tours frequently with many different bands throughout Europe and the US. He was a semi-finalist in the 2010 Martial Solal Piano competition in Paris as well as the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition in Washington D.C. FRED DOUMBE - BASS Camerounian bassist based in New York, Fred Doumbe the groove behind many major artists including the Nubians. GUILHEM FLOUZAT - DRUMS Parisian drummer and composer Guilhem Flouzat cultivates versatility. A much in demand sideman, he was featured this year blending jazz and other traditions in Kavita Shah's "Visions" album, as well as delving in African grooves with Ajoyo. His sophomore album "Portraits" will be released on Sunnyside/Naive in the fall of 2015, after the completion of his Masters degree at Manhattan School of Music. Guilhem has performed with the likes of Steve Wilson, Becca Stevens, Ben Wendel and Tigran Hamasyan.
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