Years active 2004 – present Website www.chopteeth.com | Labels Grisgris | |
Origin Washington, D.C., United States Genres Afrofunk
Afrobeat
Funk
Highlife
Afropop Members Michael Shereikis, guitar and vocals
Anna Mwalagho, vocals
Robert Fox, bass
Craig Considine, trombone
Mark Gilbert, saxophones
Justine Miller, trumpet and vocals
Trevor Specht, saxophones and vocals
Cheryl Terwilliger, trumpet
Atta Addo, djembe & twinchin
Mark Corrales, percussion
David McDavitt, drums
Jason Walker, drums and percussion
Brian Simms, keyboards
Jon Hoffschneider, keyboards
Victor Crisen, guitar Albums Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band Profiles |
Chopteeth afrofunk big band fogo fogo
Chopteeth is a Washington, D.C.- based afrofunk big-band. Although rooted in Fela Kuti's Nigerian afrobeat, Chopteeth's music is an amalgam of Ghanaian highlife, Senegalese rumba, Jamaican ska, Mande griot music, 1970's West African funk, Ewe dance drum rhythms, Kenyan Taita afropop, soul-funk, and jazz. Chopteeth's writing and arrangements feature unique driving syncopations, and occasional odd meters. Chopteeth vocalists sing in eight different languages including English, Nigerian Pidgin, Swahili, Wolof, Mande, Twi, Taita, and French.
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Traitors of africa chopteeth afrofunk big band
History
Founded in 2004 by Robert Fox (bass), ethnomusicologist Michael Shereikis (guitar & lead vocals), Jon Hoffschneider (keyboards), and bata drummer Mark Corrales (percussion), Chopteeth quickly attracted a stable line-up of musicians including saxophonist Mark Gilbert (Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Four Tops, Cab Calloway, Don Cherry), trombonist Craig Constadine (Busta Rhymes), trumpeter Justine Miller, Romanian guitarist Victor Crisen, Kenyan vocalist/dancer Anna Mwalagho, and Ghanaian music teacher David McDavitt (drums). In 2008 Ghanaian drummer Atta Addo joined Chopteeth on percussion.
The name "Chopteeth" comes from a song by Fela Kuti called "J'ehin J'ehin". It refers to someone who eats his own teeth, a crazy person. Percussionist and former member Mark Corrales came up with that name for the band because he said they were insane to think they could sustain a large afrobeat band.
Chopteeth won several Wammies (Washington Area Music Awards)presented by the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA):
Band
Educational Sites Authored by Chopteeth
Video
Albums
Recording Collaborations
Songs
No Condition Is Permanent
Herky Jerk
Fogo Fogo