Michael Olatuja is no stranger to the stage.  He has been performing for years and has played with Stevie Wonder, Lisa Stansfield, Chaka Khan, Patti Austin, Terence Blanchard, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and The Lighthouse Family, to name a few.

An accomplished bassist, Olatuja lends his unique mellow, funky style to the songs on the track.  The first song, ‘Ma Foya’ (Yoruba for “don’t fear”), is a contemporary take on a traditional African beat.  The hints of Africa runs in and out of the music, taking me back to my childhood when all African songs had a distinct  beat. The song is done in Yoruba, his native language, and English and features the talents of the late Lynden David Hall.  You hear the talking drum, the conga and djembe drums, Yoruba, and the call and answer style so common in African music. Blended into this is a mix of hip hop, neo-soul, and sultry r&B/jazz that soothes the soul.

Olatuja ties in his Christian roots to offer encouragement and hope in his lyrics.  ‘Altar Call‘ and ‘Hold On‘ have great lyrics that call one to be strong and look up and are penned by him.  His remake of ‘Walk With Me‘, is fantastic.  The vocals and his creative arrangement make it one that will be playing for a while.

Olatuja has been playing bass guitar since he was 11-years-old.  His travel between London and Lagos, helped shape his musical experience, which was further influenced by guitarist George Benson and jazz bassists John Patitucci and Richard Bona (Olatuja’s teacher and mentor).  Within 5 years he was playing professionally in all genres of music. Education in the U.K. at Middlesex University and in the U.S. at Manhattan School of Music helped hone those skills and give him exposure to artists that appreciated his work.  Interested in giving back, Olatuja has co-produced Somi’s upcoming album, which includes a track featuring the legendary Hugh Masekela.

The album, ‘Speak‘, is scheduled to be in stores on July 28, 2009, but you can whet your appetite with samples from his website, or Myspace page.