The Word Café Podcast with Amax

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What if jazz didn’t just borrow from culture but stood inside it, breathing in real stories and rhythms from across the Sahara? We sit down with The Salako—musician, festival founder, and fearless improviser—to map the living space between Yoruba folk, Afro jazz, and the kind of stage magic that turns a crowd into an instrument.

We talk about identity and clarity—why he embraced “The Salako” to guide listeners to the right artist—and then get into the core of his craft. He shares how Bobby McFerrin’s approach unlocked a mindset of freedom: starting from a spark, building songs with the room, and letting rhythm, audience voices, and raw texture find their form. That same spirit led him to create the Abuja International Afro Jazz Festival, a truly global platform where artists bring their culture into jazz, not the other way around. From South African mentors to Norwegian partners and a Senegalese groove, the festival gives Abuja a front-row seat to the world’s musical dialects.

We challenge assumptions about attention spans and “easy music,” and discuss why depth still wins when presented with honesty. The Salako writes long-form pieces, then crafts radio edits for entry points, trusting listeners to seek the full journey. That faith pays off: Gen Z showed up and stayed to the last note at the most recent festival. He also teases Pirates of the Sahara, dropping alongside his April tour, with themes that look beyond love to real issues—discipline, social strain, traffic impatience—carried by bold meters, brass, and storytelling arcs. A highlight, Dagunro, reframes a Yoruba warning tale as a cinematic, 7/8 surge that feels both ancient and new.

Underneath it all sits a generous belief: everyone is musical. The Salako loves turning audiences into choirs because creativity isn’t a niche—it’s human. If you’re curious about African jazz, cultural storytelling, improvisation, and how legacy-minded work can still thrill a modern crowd, this conversation is your map. Listen, subscribe, and share with a friend who needs a fresh spark in their playlist. Then tell us: what sound from your city deserves a global stage?

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