Sub-Brain

Present yourself to the readers

I am TOKUNBO, former singer of acoustic jazz band Tok Tok Tok.
Of our 13 albums five gained a German Jazz Award. We were also awarded the Grand Prix SACEM in France, played global tours from Sao Paolo to Tel Aviv as well as concerts with NDR Philharmonic Orchestra and Filmorchestra Babelsberg.
After my beautiful career with Tok Tok Tok and a lovely farewell tour I released my solo debut album 'Queendom Come' in 2014 with a pan-European tour. My second solo album 'The Swan' has just been released gaining an artist grant from German government's 'Initiative Musik' foundation.

How does it work for your solo debut ?

My solo debut album 'Queendom Come' already received much critic acclaim in the press and we celebrated the release with a showcase concert in Paris followed by a wonderful tour in Portugal.
The response to my new album 'The Swan' is absolutely overwhelming with extensive features on German national radio including nominations as album of the week on several stations, and incredible reviews in national news press as well as HiFi and music magazines, naming 'The Swan' audio recommendation of the month. I'm extremely greatful.

Your texts ?..What are they talking about ?..How does inspiration come ?

My debut album was a dedication album with stories about people who shaped my personality in early life and childhood. In a way I was also bidding my farewell to these people. 'Hummingbird' with its lovingly made animated film video was one of those. (https://youtu.be/wXZgQX1Ds98) It was more of a retrospective album.
The songs on 'The Swan' on the other hand are set in the present and more of an introspective nature touching on stories and scenarios of conflict within relationships and within one's self.
The whole idea for the album was born in weekbed when I least expected inspiration to hit me. Transitioning to becoming a parent brought on the idea to create an album that strongly deals with transformation as a leading topic for the songs. Most prominently in key songs such as 'Outer Space' which describes the inner conflict of living in two worlds and struggling with old and new identity that comes with major change. Or the title song 'The Swan', an encounter with an earlier self, partly nostalgic but also reflective of the good that lies in personal development.
I feel I took lyric writing a step further on this album trying to find a new language for the songs without losing the storytelling aspect. Poetry and literary imagery were key influences for songs such as 'Headlights' and 'Cast Away', two songs spurred by the many shades of interpersonal friction. On the other hand again there are lighter songs such as the sweet coming of age story 'Somersault' set in a circus ambiance.
'White Noise' is the only political song on the album and was inspired by the troublesome happenings on the worldwide political stage. It's a song of hope that the human race will cut through the bad and find heart to stand up for what is right. It is also an ode to turning down the volume in a busily buzzing world and focus on the essential.
The video for 'White Noise' produced for political music platform Demotapes.org echoes the spirit of the lyrics in its slow motion imagery. https://youtu.be/ojABVZcMzFs

What are your personal musical tastes and your influences ?

Coming from a jazz background on the one hand Canadian jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall was a major influence when studying music. On the other hand one of my earliest musical memories is of my father's folk duo with a Dutch singer in Nigeria. Listening to their rehearsals in our home paved the way for my love for folk music and the singer songwriter genre. As a teen I began playing the guitar and studied the repertoire of Joan Baez. She is playing her last tour now and I look forward to seeing her live. One of the contemporary artists who inspire me is Danish singer songwriter Tina Dico. Also I am a huge fan of Chris Cornell of Soundgarden whose songwriting and urgency in his singing has always moved me.

In studio, what was the ambiance for your first album “QUEENDOM COME” ?...etc.…

It was lovely because we had no deadline at all for the production, it was all very playful, we had little expectations and that was liberating. My producers, guitarist Ulrich Rode, drummer Matthias 'Maze' Meusel and I took our time and came together for writing and arranging sessions once a month during the course of a year. Moving into the details of the productions we still let it all grow organically.
I am very pleased happy to have been able to work with the same team for the new album, namely my producers and the other two band members, bass player Christian Flohr and violinist and multi instrumentalist Anne de Wolff.
In addition to knowing each other for a long time partly from music academy we have also played many concerts together as a band since my solo debut. It felt like coming home when we began the production for 'The Swan'.
Again we had no deadline, no-one was expecting an album so soon after the birth of my child. I feel that we really let the songs lead the way in terms of the songwriting, the production and also the lyric writing which I worked on even harder than ever before.
And again it was the beautiful setting of Bluhouse Studio in Hamburg that nurtured our inspiration.

How does it work for the design of the CD ( very pretty) ? and why this title ?

My albums are always a comprehensive body of art. Along with the vision for the music also came the vision for the artwork which in turn was led by the album title 'The Swan'. In mythology the swan is an animal symbolizing transformation. There is a beautiful fairy tale 'The Six Swans' in which a young girl has to free her transformed brothers by fulfilling certain tasks. This whole idea hit home with me for the album title and the overlaying theme of metamorphosis. With the light colour scheme representing the new and an embracing outlook on the unknown.
With my vision born I worked closely with Anne de Wolff who photographed me and later with graphic designer Mareike Windish who did an amazing job of translating my ideas in the final artwork both for the cd in its beautiful packaging including booklet with song lyrics as well as the vinyl edition.

What do you expect from the future ?

I'm really looking forward to going on tour with the whole band this spring. We've just spent a few lovely days in the lovely ambiance of Bluhouse Studio in Hamburg rehearsing and translating the arrangements to the live setting.
Next to the visionary drums sounds from Matthias 'Maze' Meusel forming the foundation for the music with Christian Fohr's work on bass I am very much looking forward to Ulrich Rode's and my guitar parts intertwining in the arrangements and Anne de Wolffs string, trombone and accordion parts which bring a magical texture to the music.
Also we are working on the concept for a music video for my single 'Rebecca'. It will stand somewhat in contrast to the slow motion video we created for 'White Noise'.
And generally, I hope to record many more albums in this amazing constellation and of cours play many beautiful tours.

What's your motto ?

'Bring HiFi to Live'. Our concerts are known for the high sound quality that makes the audience feel like they are listening to a record at home – only it's live.

Website to remember

My website www.tokunbomusic.com features an album player and all important info and links to my releases and concerts as well as my videos.

What would you like to say to the readers ?

I'd like to send a shout out to everyone who shares a passion for music and who supports artists by going to concerts and becoming a part of the live experience, by participating in crowdfundings and by purchasing music. You are keeping music alive in all its diversity!