Dotun Bankole Speaks on his Music and his Culture influence

 Dotun, it's really a great pleasure to have this interview with you.

# You have a lovely piece of your music on youtube with title: Lana Fun mi Baba?

=Yeah....Lana fun mi baba is the tittle track of the Album am releasing this year.

In African music, there is always a story line behind any song composed. There is always a story to tell. I was in that situation whereby nothing is working again for me. I did everything to get out of that condition but all to no avail. My mind was so heavy and i lost hope. I found myself crying and at the same time telling God to make a way for me to get out of that terrible condition. That is how i came up with the song called "Lana Fun Mi Baba" meaning "make a way for me oh dear Father"

# Is it only sax you play or you play other musical instrument; and do you sing?

=Saxophone is my major instrument. That is where i can really voice out what is in me. I also have a little knowledge on how to play piano too. My voice is not that good, but i sing to the best of my ability.

# How did you get into music Dotun?

= I can't really tell how i got into music; may be by the time i explain some things here i can figure out how i got into music. I remembered that i was @ the age of 2 when my Dad took me to Badagry to stay with my Aunty. We attended Christ Church Anglican Iworo -Badagry. It was there i had the opportunity to learn how to sing hymnals. By the time i was like 10 years old i joined the Choir. My instructor Rev S G Kuponu taught me four part hymnal harmony.....i mean singing in four part harmony. That was how music was imparted into me. Aside that, Badagry is a place whereby different kinds and all sorts of festivals are been organized such as Egungun festival, Gelede festival, Oro festival, Agasha or Kori dance festival etc. The sound of their percussions is extremely out of this world. How they sing and chant their local songs together with different kind of rhythm on their percussions is misery. I think i had the opportunity to listen to all these from my childhood but never dreamt of becoming a musician until when i came to Lagos then i saw how people take music as a profession and also the passion they have for it. That was how i came into music.

# Is there any point in your musical career that you want to quit?

= Yeah... There was a day i wanted to quit playing music. I felt so bad and so discouraged. On that day, i was coming from a rehearsal with my Trumpet. Unfortunately, i met my Uncle on my way home and he said to me in Yoruba language " O shi n gbe panduku yi kiri" meaning "You are still carrying this trash all about" He called my Trumpet trash!!!. He wanted me to study law but i wanted to study music though i never told him that i wanted to study music. I was so furious at that statement he made-calling my instrument trash. After that day, i decided to keep a distance from him. It was after i got admission into LASU to study my music we met again and i told him I am studying music. He said to me why music? My mind was so rigid and to myself i won't allow anything to stop me from doing what i really want to do with music. we met again 10yrs after i have tour all over the world playing music professionally .

# Do you have any mentor?

= Yeah...I listen to great jazz musicians. The one i admire mostly is John Coltrane. I cherish him a lot because of the texture of his sound on Saxophone. He is a modal man. His music and composition is in lineage with where i came from. I discovered John Coltrane is from Egba land Ogun state though a black American. His sound is just in line with Yoruba culture. Thanks to Peter King my master that taught me rudiments of music- he gave me opportunity to play in his band and it was from him i learn how to play in a Big Band.

# Do you have any album yet out?

= Not at all. The full Album is not yet out but am going to release it before the end of March 2015. I released a single about five years ago; it was given to Ben Ufeli to play on one of his Jazz program on radio. The song is titled "Ore Fun Jesu" You can listen to it on my sound cloud profile. soundcloud.com/dotun-bankole

# How would you rate the acceptance of your music?

= I have friends all around the world that have listened to my music in which i received good comments from them about the music. They are all waiting for the full Album to be out so that they can have it.
Music is universally appreciated especially when your culture is present in it. The kind of music i play is African, and in it there is a blend of Jazz too. In Awori Land there are several rhythms which at times you find it difficult to figure out their time signatures. All of these reflect in my music and those tunes are not common. Am doing everything to trace the sound of where i come from and i think that is why the music itself draws people's attention.

# How do you get your inspiration?

= All my inspiration is from GOD- The creator of the Universe and everything that is in it. According to the Bible, the only thing in heaven is music and it is used to worship God. Thank God that it was in Church that music was imparted to me by singing four part harmony hymnals.

# Personally what do you think stand you out from other artist?

= What makes me stand out is because i don't separate myself from my culture. When i play, people tell me not to deviate from that style of play because it is unique. Am doing everything to play what is coming from within me and also keep the culture of where i come from alive.

# 2015 is here- where would you like to see your yourself and your music at the end of the year?

= Am seeing myself on the best of stages in the world playing in big festival all around the world. Playing in Big Festivals by GOD'S Grace.

# Album Wish you all the best and thank you for your time.

= Thanks