Five Minutes with AKA Trio
The AKA Trio is an international musical summit meeting of three world-renowned virtuosos: Antonio Forcione, Seckou Keita and Adriano Adewale. Coming from three different continents - Europe, Africa and South America - Antonio, Seckou and Adriano grew up in three different landscapes, speaking three different languages, and were formed by three different cultures and musical traditions. All these differences have converged in AKA Trio, and the product is 'Joy', a new album which will release in May 2019.
Firstly, can you introduce us to your show and tell us what it is about?
As in the title of the album, the show is about Joy. The Joy three musicians have when doing what they like most: sharing the satisfaction, the freedom and the happiness of being together with others, as well as making music and having fun. It is a sonic, updated photograph of what we were doing when we were little kids, playing football on the streets, playing kites or running around playing in the fields. This is the music we are playing and the feelings we are expressing.
Why should someone come and see your show?
AKA’s music is unique. Although there are three musicians from three different countries and continents, the core of the music is the way we play, how we built our own individual voices and how we can mix it all together. People should come because they will enjoy grooves that they can dance to, melodies and lyrics they can sing along to, and an atmosphere that will make them feel as comfortable as they would in their own living room.
Where did the idea and inspiration come from?
AKA has always existed, but has only recently been personified. Antonio had already been working with Adriano for many years. Seckou and Antonio met for a concert in London. After that successful concert, there was an opportunity to perform at the Edinburgh festival and Antonio spoke to Adriano and Seckou to see whether the trio could try and make it into a project. Edinburgh was a success and since then AKA has slowly and surely been nurtured through rehearsals, concerts, a bit of cooking great food, and some football! Just imagine three kids, who passionately enjoy playing one of the most beautiful and powerful games on earth together…called music.
What sort of person is going to love this show?
It is difficult to answer, our audience varies from lovers of rock music to fans of classical, jazz, and global music. People from different ages and backgrounds. We play music that we love and we do what we love, we express that joy and the joy of being together. This is something that members of the audience always tell us. They love the joy they see on stage and I guess that people like to feel a connection to it!!
Everybody will enjoy our show, because we are not pretending to be what we are not. We are being ourselves, exposing what we can do and at times risking and pushing ourselves to our limits, daring and laughing at it. We are sharing who we are and people, I guess, love to see honesty everywhere; on stage its’ no different.
What will surprise people about this show?
The approach each of us have to our own instruments is unique. There is innovation in the combination of instruments, as well as the variety of instruments and compositions which are arranged for this kind of line up. People will also be surprised by the simplicity and the depth of the show, and how it unfolds and evolves from one piece to another.
Tickets for AKA Trio have now sold out!
