Bukky Leo & Black Egypt

Bukky Leo & Black Egypt

Bukky Leo & Black Egypt is a London-based Afrobeat and jazz project led by saxophonist Bukky Leo, who grows up in Lagos, Nigeria. Leo is first noticed while practising saxophone by Tony Allen, the original Afrobeat drummer, and is taken into Allen’s newly formed band. He later plays with Fela Kuti, during the period when Afrobeat is taking shape, before developing his own approach to jazz and Afrobeat under Allen’s influence.

Early career and Acid Jazz period

In 1982, Leo moves to London and becomes one of the early figures in the Acid Jazz scene. He is signed by Gilles Peterson to the newly formed Acid Jazz label. His first release, Rejoice in Righteousness, reaches number one in the Rhythm and Blues, Dance and Jazz charts. The follow-up album, River Nile, leads to a nomination for the US African Music Awards in New York.

During this period, Leo also meets tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson in the United States, and Henderson invites him to his home in San Francisco. Leo remains committed to Afro-centric grooves and later forms the band The Source, which tours extensively and records a self-titled album that appears on the Club Africa 2 compilation on Strut Records.

Black Egypt

In the mid-1990s, Leo travels to Egypt and uses the experience to shape the ideas behind Black Egypt. After four years of developing the project’s sound, Black Egypt emerges as an Afrobeat group outside Nigeria with a strong reputation in its field. The project includes a self-titled album made with a range of Afrobeat and jazz musicians.

Collaborations and later work

Leo remains active as a saxophonist and also appears to be in demand as a vocalist and player within world music and jazz settings. He tours with the African Jazz All Stars and Tony Allen’s Afro-Beat Big Band. The Black Egypt project also grows out of a collaboration with producer Ben Mitchell, who has worked with Terry Callier, Mr Hermano and Dusty Springfield. Leo and Mitchell meet while Mitchell is producing The Rapping With The Gods album with Brighton DJ Russ Dewbury; Leo contributes vocals and saxophone to the track “Living Am I living”.