Spring 2023
Jomion & the Uklos: Benin's Vodoun Rhythms Meet Reggae, Salsa & Jazz
March 13 – 18, 2023
At the crossroads of Benin’s traditional Vodoun (Voodoo) rhythms, Caribbean styles and jazz, Jomion & the Uklos make festive, colorful music. These three blood-brothers from the coastal West African city of Cotonou amaze audiences at home and abroad with their furious rhythms and mystical harmonies. They joyfully flirt with reggae, salsa and jazz, while drawing on their vast knowledge of traditional Vodoun music and culture to create vibrant, relaxed dance music. Their voices blend in melodious harmony, delivering messages of hope, faith and traditional wisdom. Their music is simultaneously complex, profound and simple. Their songs connect to the depths of human experience while lightening the heart with joy.
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This schedule will be posted at the beginning of the spring 2023 semester. Please direct any questions to MusicUnitesUS Interim Director Ben Paulding.
Saturday, March 18, 2023
8 p.m. | Preconcert talk, 7 p.m.
Slosberg Music Center | Brandeis University
As the culmination of their weeklong residency, Jomion & the Uklos share their impeccable harmonies and unique approach to integrating traditional Beninese and contemporary sounds with audience members, who will be transported to West Africa by the end of this unforgettable performance.
Tickets are $20 (General Admission), $15 (Seniors and Brandeis Community), $5 (Non-Brandeis Students) and FREE (with Brandeis Student ID).
Advance sales will begin two weeks prior to performances online; via phone: 781-736-3400; and in person: Shapiro Campus Center Box Office. Pending availability, tickets will also be available at the door for purchase starting 30 minutes before the concert.
Jomion & the Uklos is a family band from Benin, West Africa, led by Samuel "Jomion" Gnonlonfoun. With his brothers JB and Mathieu, and his daughter Rose, Jomion combines traditional rhythms and songs from his country culture with reggae, salsa and jazz to create vibrant, relaxed dance music, he named Whedo-jazz. From 2007 to 2012, the band toured every summer in Belgium, France, Germany, Holland and more performing in festivals. In 2013, they were invited by the prestigious Harvard University to give a workshop about Beninese traditional music to PHD students in the Ethnomusicology Department. They are based in Brooklyn, NYC and are currently teaching West African Drumming at Stonybrook University (Long Island). Their openness to other cultures earned them a collaboration coming in spring 2022 with the Brazilian Ensemble of University of Florida. They performed on Lincoln Center Out Doors, La Casita, BBKing in Times Square, Bric TV Show, Music Time in Africa (Voice of America Radio Show) and recorded with the icon of music Bobby McFerrin.
