Keziah Jones

Olufemi Sanyaolu a.k.a. Keziah Jones was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. Moving between London and Paris and always accompanied by his guitar, Jones acquired a reputation as a charismatic performer with a unique "hard funk" style. In 1992, he released his debut album Blufunk Is a Fact! including the first single and now classic, “Rhythm Is Love" which became a global hit. Keziah has since released six studio albums which have spawned more hits including “Where Is Life,” “A Million Miles From Home,” “Beautiful Emilie,” “Femiliarise,” “Kpafuca,” and “1973”. Keziah cited Fela Kuti, Miles Davis, and Jimi Hendrix as important musical influences. His now legendary sound is described as “Blufunk,” an infusion of punk-funk attitude and Yoruba rhythms. As a true live artist, Keziah constantly performs in concerts and festivals around the world. Public artist talk: Keziah Jones will be a part of the lecture series by the Center for African Studies in Basel on 07.11.2023 from 10.15 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.