New movements from Oku
PIONEER dub poet Oku Onuora will release his latest album, A Movement, in Kingston on Tuesday.
Co-produced by Onuora and Courtney Panton, the set was launched digitally yesterday by Zojak World Wide.
Next week’s release on compact disc takes place during the Poetry Society of Jamaica’s monthly fellowship at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.
Onuora, 61, told the Jamaica Observer that A Movement was inspired by his daughter Ayana and the recent resurgence in Jamaican poetry.
“I am inspired by the new generation of poetic voices, particularly Jawara [Ellis]. The sequel to (Jawara’s) recording Sketches has reignited my passion for the works,” he said.
The album is also a tribute to his wife Adugo Ranglin-Onuora who died July 5, 2011. She produced his first recordings.
Onura describes A Movement as an experimental piece.
The album features jazz pianist Monty Alexander and acclaimed rhythm duo Sly and Robbie.
A Movement is Onuora’s third dub poetry album. His first, the critically-acclaimed Pressure Drop, was released in 1984
That was followed by Bus Out in 2005.
Born Orlando Wong, Oku Onura’s writing first came to prominence in the 1970s while he was incarcerated for armed robbery.
His poems caught the attention of academic Mervyn Morris who played a significant role in getting his work published.