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ABOUT US 

Kolonel Djafaar is a young Belgian Ethio-Jazz band with a psych rock edge and a touch of afrobeat.

Kolonel Djafaar started in 2016 and is searching the borders of their own sounds ever since.

We can hear for example also influences from psychedelic blues and rock. Music that goes beyond genres!

With a solid base of percussion, guitar and bass, Kolonel Djafaar provides a moveable groove to which the keys add a psychedelic touch. Let yourself be carried away by the narrative melodies of the four sax & brass players: from subtle additions to tearing solos. The whole gives a very own interpretation of Afrobeat and Ethio-jazz.

At the end of 2018, Kolonel Djafaar recorded its first EP ‘Forgotten Kingdom’. It merged everything the 9-piece band had been working on since the beginning. During their live performances, this exciting ensemble really comes alive.

It is therefore no coincidence that ‘Trefpunt’ crowned them best live act in 2017 as ‘Jonge Wolven’.

This was followed by a multitude of performances at the most diverse venues: from the local barn, to open air festivals, to the most wanted venues in Flanders. With tons of stage experience and a new set, Kolonel Djafaar is ready to please you all for a sultry concert.

Some of their greatest influences are Fela Kuti, Mulatu Astatke, The Budos Band, Jungle By Night, Black Flower and many more.

Musicians:

Tenor Sax - Doyin Smith
Baritone Sax - Lodewijk Lefevre
Trumpet - Emiel Lauryssen
Keys - Tom Speelman
Guitar - Philip Mathijnnsens
Bass - Jan De Groote
Percussion - Marcos Della Rocha
Drums - Anton Van Hove

bookings: koloneldjafaar@gmail.com

Quote by cybey on Bandcamp: 

"Damn, this is really how to do it: 4 tracks on an EP, but all punch. I love them all. Marvelous psych jazz. Lamentation so clearly echoes their own take on Mulatu Astatke's Yegelle Tezeta, and it succeeds to still remain its own and not a derivative. Their blend is of styles is delicious, and masterfully delivered. Still, for me it's really The Heist that stands out. It still has its psych and jazzy elements but it also has an incredible afro/funk quality blended throughout the track. Nice. Favorite track: The Heist."

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