Imbued with a birthplace in Benin and an adolescence in Nigeria, guitarist-vocalist-percussionist Leon Ligan-Majek A.K.A. Kaleta is all too familiar with the Afro- genres. Kaleta’s six-string passion for funk and soul has caught the ears of Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade and Lauryn Hill, beginning with his early church days of the ’70s. And while he was right at home providing guitar for Fela’s Egypt 80 band in the ’80s and ’90s, Kaleta’s got a new HQ in Brooklyn, where he’s since commandeered the psychedelic Afro-Funk/Afro-Rock ensemble Super Yamba Band.
Kaleta & Super Yamba Band are more than willing to get sweaty alongside crowds with a raw, timeless sound that introduces West African languages and some of the rarest grooves to mainstream dance floors. Only a year after their first single together, Kaleta & Super Yamba Band have just released their debut full-length, Mèdaho, today! So what the heck are you waiting for? Put your rump into motion with the album opener, “Gogo Rock”!
–Jack Anderson
Photo: Florencia Saavedra
