Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence

Melbourne is a rich melting-pot of people and cultures from all over the world. Its vibrant music scene is a reflection of that fact, and so too is the make-up and music of Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence.

Band leader, musician, vocalist and dancer Lamine Sonko, rich in his own family history of music, dance and culture-keeping, hails from Senegal.

Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence at Bar Open, Melbourne, 2014

Lamine Sonko

The collective of Lamine Sonko’s fellow Melbourne-based musicians who make up The African Intelligence find their roots in India, Cuba, Senegal, Nigeria and Australia.

Fusing traditional and contemporary African and Latin American rhythms their music is a blend of super-infectious funk, Afrobeat, jazz, soul, reggae and salsa that’s sure to make you smile, move your body and smile some more.

I found this out at their recent Bar Open gig in Melbourne. There Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence were joined on trumpet by Nigeria’s Olugbade Okunade (aka GP Saxy) – former member of Fela and Seun Kuti’s band Egypt 80 and leader of recently formed Melbourne-based Afrobeat group Alárìíyá.

Check out some footage of the Bar Open show here, as well as the sample track below from Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence’s most recent release.

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Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence

‘Voyage’ – Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence

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You can also check out another video here of Lamine Sonko on stage with The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra at their AWME (Australasian Worldwide Music Expo) 2013 show.

Music in Australia is much, much richer and diverse for the contributions of music collectives like these.

If you’re looking for a sure way to feel good, or better than you do; if you need to move your body; or if you just want to celebrate the pure joyfulness of music and dance, find a live Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence gig at a venue or festival when you can.

Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence live in Melbourne 2014