This October, Ibibio Sound Machine are bringing the party to Esquires Bedford with their mix of electro, jazz, Afrobeat, funk and Latin, melding into dynamic pop live.
Our reporter, Lloyd Lugsden, spoke to singer Eno Williams ahead of the gig…
Bedford Clanger: Been to Bedford before?
Eno Williams: Yes, I’ve played there but in a different act…looking forward to coming back
BC: How did you get together?
EW: We worked together and we’re friends and cousins, with Benji bringing the African rhythms, Alfred the Highlife (a fusion of Ghanaian music and western jazz), Tony brings the electronic jazz, and Scott the Latin sound… we formed in 2013 and were all local to London
BC: And the name?
EW: Ibibio – the Nigerian language and I love Miami Sound Machine
BC: Don’t we all?!
BC: You’ve got a strong look, where do you get your outfits from?
EW: There’s a fashion designer, Laura Lang, from Belgium who designed the outfit on the cover of the second album, some I developed myself and my niece has just graduated and designs and makes them. And the guys wear a mix that all comes together.
BC: Influences ?
EW: Jazz, West African sounds, I have early memories of the Afro-synth soundsystems playing out in the market Place that’s stuck with me, plus western acts such as Talking Heads, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Grace Jones, LCD Soundsystem…
BC: You were influenced by folk tales from your mum?
EW: Yes, these influences came out on the first album, including the tale of a talking fish – a coming of age story, things are not as they seem…these are often morality tales, about trust and being careful.
BC: Radiohead or Oasis?
EW: Radiohead…I do like Oasis but Radiohead are a bit more creative…
Ibibio Sound Machine play Esquires Bedford on Friday 10th October, tickets are £25 from seetickets.com, Slide Record Shop and Esquires
