Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Kokoroko: Could We Be More

Kokoroko: Could We Be More

By Chris May
August 8, 2022
View read count

One of the features of the 2022 alternative London jazz scene is the incorporation of musical styles originating in Africa and the Caribbean, from whence a high proportion of prominent musicians on that scene trace their heritage. Not every band shares this African and/or Caribbean dimension but the majority do and it is one of the factors behind the broadening of the audience base for jazz in Britain that has developed since around 2016.

For the musicians, this move towards demographic and cultural inclusivity is attended by a binary choice. Is the adoption and fusion of African and Caribbean styles "mission accomplished" in itself, the focus of their music, or is it to be used as a stepping stone toward extending the historical jazz vocabulary? The dividing line is blurred but the distinction is clear. Those musicians who some observers contend are creating what may prove to be the most enduring music have chosen the second path, with tenor saxophonists

Nubya Garcia

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Nubya Garcia and

Shabaka Hutchings

woodwinds

" data-original-title="" title="">Shabaka Hutchings and alto saxophonists

Cassie Kinoshi

saxophone
b.1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Cassie Kinoshi and

Camilla George

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Camilla George leading the charge. Others, such as Kokoroko and

Ezra Collective

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Ezra Collective, take more of a mission accomplished point of view. Ezra's upcoming 2022 album May The Funk Be With You (Enter The Jungle) doubles down on that direction, as does Kokoroko's first full-length album, Could We Be More.

Cassie Kinoshi is a member of Kokoroko, but the band's direction of travel is primarily set by its founder and leader, trumpeter

Sheila Maurice-Grey

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Sheila Maurice-Grey. In interviews during the early days of Kokoroko, Maurice-Grey expressed impatience with the fact that much of the band's following was drawn from the existing audience for jazz in London, albeit the more adventurous and outward-facing section of that audience, and she was keen to broaden the band's appeal. So it is no surprise that the Kokoroko's fusion of African (mainly Nigerian and Ghanaian) styles defines and dominates Could We Be More, some will say to the diminution of "jazz" content.

The debate will continue, and whether We Could Be More has staying power only time can tell. Meanwhile, the album's Afrobeat-highlife-soul-funk romp is a terrific summer soundtrack and will go down a storm at festivals and on dancefloors alike.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Tojo; Blue Robe (Pt. I); Ewa Inu; Age Of Ascent; Dide O; Soul Searching; We Give Thanks; Those Good Times; Reprise; War Dance; Interlude; Home; Something��s Going On; Outro; Blue Robe (Pt. II).

Personnel

Sheila Maurice-Grey

trumpet

Cassie Kinoshi

saxophone

Richie Seivwright

trombone

Onome Edgeworth

percussion

Ayo Salawu

drums

Tobi Adenaike-Johnson

guitar

Yohan Kebede

keyboards

Duane Atherley

bass

Additional Instrumentation

Sheila Maurice-Grey: trumpet, vocals; Cassie Kinoshi: alto saxophone, vocals; Richie Seivwright: trombone, vocals; Onome Edgeworth: percussion; Ayo Salawu: drums; Tobi Adenaike-Johnson: guitar; Yohan Kebede: synthesisers, keyboards; Duane Atherley: bass, synthesisers, keyboards.

Album information

Title: Could We Be More | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Brownswood Recordings

PREVIOUS / NEXT

New Releases, Birthday Shoutouts to ...
< Previous

Kenny Roby & Forest Sun: Kindred Spi...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.