Be sure to catch Derrick Ashong & Soulfege at the Viva La Vuvuzela Festival in New York City, this Saturday, July 9th.
What does the name Soulfege mean?
The name Soulfège comes from the musical term solfège. It’s a way of teaching vocal music as in “doe a deer, a female deer” from “The Sound of Music”. We added a ‘u”’ because we’ve got “soul” and the rest is history-in-the-making. These days the band is known as “Derrick N Ashong & Soulfège” and we’ve spent the last year-and-a-half working on our new record “AFropolitan” that makes a statement on who we are & the global community we’re a part of.
How different is your upcoming project from previous ones?
I think this record represents an evolutionary leap. We’ve always sat musically at the intersection of Hip-Hop, Reggae & Highlife, but with this album we dive deeper into our musical roots. You’ll hear a stronger musical statement in the Hip-Hop & Reggae songs in particular, but you’ll also hear elements of Doo-Wop, Gospel, Blues & Funk. At the same time, the album has a greater cohesion than ever before and makes a much stronger socio-political statement. To me it’s a record w/ both a bigger heart and a harder hand.
You used to travel very often to the motherland to record and shoot your videos and stills. When was the last time u visited home?
It’s been a while. I haven’t been home since August of ’09 which was two years ago. Now that we’ve relocated back to the East Coast this Spring, I’m hoping to get back more often.
Derrick, you’ve been busy. How have you kept it all in balance?
Honestly there’s no magic to it. It takes a lot of discipline and a very strong commitment. I also have the privilege of working w/ an amaaazing team of people on both the creative & business sides and on a daily basis they make the impossible a reality.
Is there any point when you might finally decide to lean more towards your work around the world and let go off the band. perhaps work as a solo artist even? You must have an incredible schedule!
I don’t really think along those terms. To me music is at the root of my contribution to the world & many people are unaware that it’s been my experiences as an artist that led to many of my other opportunities to have a global impact. My first opportunities to work on projects in Europe, Latin-America, the Caribbean & Asia, all came as a direct result of my music, and I am careful to remember where my roots are. As for doing solo work, everyone in this band does solo work, we just maintain a perspective that enables us to bring that work to a collective table. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Jon. What’s the difference between how you write as a group now compared to your days in Harvard in the face of family, kids, marriage etc.
Life changes have not changed our methods as much as our perspective. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere at anytime, but the things that are a part of our daily life now, especially the issues that matter to us most are a bit more refined. We have always had a heart and passion for youth and making the world a better and safer place for them, the only difference now is that we think specifically of our own kids, which makes us all the more passionate about it. Seeing a new life in the world that you are specifically responsible for lights a certain fire under you that makes it feel like everything you say and do matters that much more, because it is for they that are a part of your new we.
Derrick, lets talk a bit about Obama. Have you two met yet? If you met Obama like that journalist met you in LA, which 5 or 6 successive questions will you ask him without allowing him a few seconds to answer!
LOL no I haven’t met President Obama and if I did, I would not treat him like that journalist in LA. I would want to ask him a couple of questions though. First, do you believe that the higher unemployment figures actually reflect a systemic reset of the American economy (ie. to some degree are they here to stay)? I would also ask him if it’s realistic to expect the USA to remain globally competitive over the next half-century when we’ve got the highest wealth inequalities in the world? Finally I would ask if the way we finance our campaigns has led to a reality that elected representatives now represent the interests of those who pay their campaign bills, rather than those who cast their ballots…
Finally guys, what should your fans expect from you tomorrow night at Viva La Vuvuzela?
You can expect the passion that we have inside to be put on display, you can expect to be invited to join in by clapping, grooving, dancing and singing along. You can expect to see us put it all out there, not some or half but ALL. We will be rocking for you in Hip Hop, Reggae and Rock all with a bit of that Afropolitan flavor. And we will be performing our newly released single “AFropolitan” from our album of the same name due to be released this Fall. In short it will be HOT FIYAH!
