Olu Dara

You might not know his name, but he's made a wonderful record. We find out more. you should, too.

There aren't many musicians who wait until they're in their fifties to release a debut album. But sometimes the waiting is more than worthwhile, as in the case of Olu Dara's In The World: From Natchez to New York, one of the best roots releases of 1998. But it wouldn't really have happened if it hadn't been for his son, the multi-platinum selling rapper, Nas.

"I hadn't been that bothered about recording, but he wanted me to do it so he could show people where he came from," Dara explains. "And a man from Atlantic had been after me for a while to record, too. So when they both called on the same day....." Well, how could you refuse fate?

"I'm still hoping to get to France and England pretty soon, though, those places in particular, because it's selling well there."

It's not that Olu Dara hadn't been playing music; he had, writing songs, up to 100 a year, for theatrical productions, and acting. He'd done a stint playing trumpet with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers ("I was only with him for a year"), and had been gigging with his own band - even without a record - for over twenty years.

"I was keeping myself busy."

In the studio, he found himself digging up songs he'd written years before and recording them - the opening track, Okra, "was actually the first song the band ever played. It's kind of our theme." There were also compositions that just came together in the studio, and Nas came down to contribute to one, Jungle Jay.

"That was an empty track. He listened to it a lot, then did his thing. It was spoken word, not really rap."

And the whole turned out to be a miraculous journey through the African-American experience, blues, jazz, poetry, you name it - not unlike some of the best work of Taj Mahal.

"A lot of people say that. I guess I'm going to have to buy some of Taj's albums; I've never heard any. I played with him once, but that's all," Dara says.

The music quite clearly connects the dots between America and Africa, not only through Dara's own singing and playing (as well as cornet, he plays guitar on the record), but thanks to two African musicians in his band.

"Growing up in Mississippi colored the way I look at music. I wanted that kind of feel to the album, warm and acoustic, and it's hard to find players up here in New York who can do that. The Africans really give it that." Indeed, the opening market cries of Okra could just as easily be from West Africa as the rural South. Without ever having it shoved in your face, you understand what he means. It's music that manages to be modern and ancient all at once. And the cornet adds an unusual texture to the sound.

"I'd been playing trumpet for years, although I started out on cornet. Then I was in a production where I had to play cornet, and it really took me back. I liked its warmth, the acoustic sound of it, its voice."

Dara and his band have been touring behind the record in the U.S., going out on the road with people like Bonnie Raitt and Mickey Hart. A projected English tour with Dr. John was canceled, however.

"I'm still hoping to get to France and England pretty soon, though, those places in particular, because it's selling well there."

Given the fact that Atlantic seemed to just let the record slip out, without any promotion, it's remarkable that it's sold at all. Sometimes, however, the cream really does rise to the top. And the result is that the world won't be waiting another fifty-odd years for the next Olu Dara album. He and the band are entering the studios early in 1999 to begin work on a follow-up.

"I don't know what we'll be doing," he laughs. "We'll just go into the studio and see what happens. We get little riffs and ideas, and it comes together from them. Often I just make up the lyrics as I go along. It's spontaneous."

For spontaneity, it's remarkably polished, but when musicians have played together so long, that comes with the territory. Certainly, In The World: From Natchez to New York has been one of the surprise delights of the year, and it leaves a keen sense of anticipation for what's to come.

"I don't want to change too much," Dara says. "This style is right. But if anything, I want to go deeper."

It's hard to argue with anyone who wants to get even closer to the roots, isn't it?

This article first appeared in Folk Roots

Olu Dara

"I'm still hoping to get to France and England pretty soon, though, those places in particular, because it's selling well there."

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