David Ola and the Lucumi Project - brings authentic Afro – Caribbean Sounds of the Diaspora.

Jun 12

Jun 12 David Ola and the Lucumi Project - brings authentic Afro – Caribbean Sounds of the Diaspora.

The Lucumi Project was founded by the composer/arranger/drummer David Ijaduola. Multi-instrumentalist David Ijaduola has been arranging and composing for steelband since he was fifteen. He has won several awards as a young steelpan player. In 2013, he established the youth division of Ebony Steel Band that went on to win a number of steel band competitions. He has worked with artists such as the band Rudimental – featuring as a pan player on the track ‘Right Here’, JP Cooper, and toured as the drummer for Sona Jobarteh and Dele Sosime.

David conducted extensive research, delving deep into his roots which led him to discover his ancestral link to the 'Lucumí' tribe - descendants of Yorübá-speaking natives who throughout the ages, have spread vastly across the globe. This discovery felled carefully curated music comprised of various Afro-Caribbean genres which have been fused together to represent the influences of the entire diaspora; from Afro-beat to Afro-Cuban to Calypso.

The African Yoruba-inspired tradition in Cuba came to be called La Regla Lucumi or Santería, the way of the “Saints,” so named because of the correspondence established by worshippers between Yoruba Orisha (in Spanish, Oricha) and the Saints of the Roman Catholic Church. Of late, the term Santería has fallen out of fashion. Ritual communication with the Orisha for guidance, well-being, and healing is at the heart of the Lucumi tradition.

The Lucumi Project concert was held at the Tabernacle, Powis Square, London on Saturday 1st June 2024. Musicians appearing were:

David Ijaduola (drums)