“Not quite full-on jazz, perhaps, but singer-songwriter Sodi Cookey sits at the intersection of a Venn diagram featuring Fela Kuti (who played jazz in London pubs as a young man), Steely Dan (jazzmen at heart) and Gregory Porter (these days, jazz-tinged gospel). Born in London but brought up in Nigeria, Cookey has already played to enthusiastic crowds at The Forge and the Camden Club (opposite The Roundhouse), and this charismatic performer returns to the latter with his mix of soul, hi-life and jazz on June 23.
https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/sultan-swings”
Musician . Poet . Disrupter
Forged in Port Harcourt
Sodi Cookey spent much of his childhood growing up in the creative melting pot of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Influenced by his musical parents, Sodi was a prodigy - composing and performing from age six.
He returned to London and began collaborating with renowned musicians and producers including Grammy award-winning, Sonny Johns and David Mrakpor. Sodi has also performed at London’s annual Jazz Festival and headlined at Vienna’s prestigious ORF RadioKulture Haus. This year, Sodi Cookey has performed at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and at the Royal Festival Hall as well as residing at The Camden Club in the heart of Camden Town.
Sodi Cookey’s powerful and lyrical voice infuses afro-jazz and soul harmonies into contemporary rhythms. His diverse audiences are spellbound by his incredible range and charismatic performances. As a natural counter-tenor, he combines a unique blend of velvet vocals, rich-raw melodies and provocative story-telling. He pulls inspiration from his history and experiences - evoking passion, optimism and determination - a mix of sounds, rhythms and unique sequencing – all drawn from his jazz and soul musical influences and Nigerian heritage.
