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Location: The Netherlands
WHO IS IYE ECHA?
Who is Iye Echa? Iye Echa is a multi-instrumentalist born in Nigeria. His first musical instrument according to him was his mouth with which he whistled his way in and around the house to the amusement of a neighbour who likened him to a bird. Later on as a young boy, he was fascinated by the polyphonic sounds he heard the children around him play with the drums and he joined in. "We normally played with anything, from spoons to forks and sometimes too we made our own drums with empty milk tins, a polythene bag and a tube. Music was all around me but I never considered being a professional musician even though I played percussion for my church throughout my teenage years.” Iye would later fall in love with the guitar during his late teens and practice for hours to improve his technique. It was when he first heard Kirk Whalum that he decided to play the saxophone. ‘When I went to buy a saxophone, I met a man at the shop and he convinced me to start with the clarinet. I grudgingly bought the clarinet and I took lessons with Jeff Judge (a teacher in Hilton, South Africa).” He also devoted a lot of time practicing for hours until he became good. Two years later he would buy himself a saxophone and practice for hours. Iye was the leader of a fusion band in Pietermaritzburg South Africa called COMBENASION and played numerous gigs and festivals in Pietermaritzburg South Africa. He now plays his kind of music which according to him is more percussive, reminding him of his roots, with elements of jazz and funk. ‘My music has this looking inward flavour as well as the modern sounds, but more importantly I try to look inward, to tap into my culture and the sounds that characterize my growing up.’ His influences are: Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, Maeceo Parker, Fela Kuti, Abdullah Ibrahim, Winston ‘Mankunku’ Ngozi, Hugh Masekela, Robby Jansen, Miles Davis and a host of many other musicians.
Oyowe Oritsegbubemi Anthony
Who is Iye Echa? Iye Echa is a multi-instrumentalist born in Nigeria. His first musical instrument according to him was his mouth with which he whistled his way in and around the house to the amusement of a neighbour who likened him to a bird. Later on as a young boy, he was fascinated by the polyphonic sounds he heard the children around him play with the drums and he joined in. "We normally played with anything, from spoons to forks and sometimes too we made our own drums with empty milk tins, a polythene bag and a tube. Music was all around me but I never considered being a professional musician even though I played percussion for my church throughout my teenage years.” Iye would later fall in love with the guitar during his late teens and practice for hours to improve his technique. It was when he first heard Kirk Whalum that he decided to play the saxophone. ‘When I went to buy a saxophone, I met a man at the shop and he convinced me to start with the clarinet. I grudgingly bought the clarinet and I took lessons with Jeff Judge (a teacher in Hilton, South Africa).” He also devoted a lot of time practicing for hours until he became good. Two years later he would buy himself a saxophone and practice for hours. Iye was the leader of a fusion band in Pietermaritzburg South Africa called COMBENASION and played numerous gigs and festivals in Pietermaritzburg South Africa. He now plays his kind of music which according to him is more percussive, reminding him of his roots, with elements of jazz and funk. ‘My music has this looking inward flavour as well as the modern sounds, but more importantly I try to look inward, to tap into my culture and the sounds that characterize my growing up.’ His influences are: Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, Maeceo Parker, Fela Kuti, Abdullah Ibrahim, Winston ‘Mankunku’ Ngozi, Hugh Masekela, Robby Jansen, Miles Davis and a host of many other musicians.
Oyowe Oritsegbubemi Anthony
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