Every day is a blessing, every breath a gift. To know this is to understand grace, to accept this is to embrace faith.
These two albums express thanksgiving and gratitude to God for what he has done and continues to do, I can never understand God’s love or his grace but one thing I know for sure, when God is for you, who can be against you?
The two albums also represent different times and expreriences.
I believe Tutu’s voice and singing style come from a place deep within her, a place of authenticity. She is not an artist, she is worshipper. She is what you see and what you hear and it is truly remarkable to experience that level genuineness.
Awa Na Re is a song of thanksgiving that goes beyond the words and reaches in to the true depths of appreciation for life and what God means to us. I listen to her sing and honestly think she was singing her heart out…. actually, she was singing our hearts out… and I know this because I have listened to this song like a million times and each time I listen I still get the same experience. Wale Adenuga featured this recording on the fountain of praise music compilation – refresh.
Your change you will come is a song I know someone reading this needs to hear right now. It was a song written by Tutu herself I believe and produced and arranged by a dear brother of mine, Seye Odebiyi. He is one of the most talented producers and arrangers I know, giving musical meaning and expression to ideas like this one. This song was my go to song every day at a point in time, the ministration towards the end was a declaration I held on to like a lifeline. Tutu has this way of ministering in the studio in a way that makes you forget you’re on the studio! It takes a lot of discipline to engineer her sessions :). I still listen to this song every time I find myself restless in the now, reaching impatiently for the future, “delay is not deny… your change will come!”
Abba father, baba gbo baba gba lyrics and song idea literally came to me while I was falling asleep late one night at home in Osogbo! Yes, Osogbo :). I always get these inspired moments just as I’m falling asleep and when I get up to capture it, it often disappears because I can’t write fast enough. This time I decided to try… I waited and let the lyrics play in my mind over and over over again multiple times before I got up to try to write them down. Then first thing the next morning I went straight to shalom studios in ife and recorded it. Over the years I recorded it a few times, two of the versions i have on record were with Tutu singing it. There is another version which I will share separately.
Expressions of faith available at cdbaby Apple Music Spotify …and all popular music distribution and download services like amazon music, etc.
Emi ko me sai s’ope is a more recent composition / arrangement, 2009 or 2010 I think. I recorded this version when I went looking for my big sister in Perth Dolapo Onamade to record it. Her voice is so strong and rich I’ve always wanted to record with her and I did a few times in Singapore though this one happens to be one I recorded in Perth! Oyigiyigi, the last song on this compilation was recorded in Singapore and actually had her husband, Nigel (Yinka) Onamade playing drums.
E Bami ki baba ku ise is one of those arrangements I really can’t get enough of. I love the way it uses Lau erebe as the layer beneath the Psalms acting as the verses between the two songs E Bami ki baba ku ise and Oun Ani l‘an Gbe L‘aruge acting as choruses. Having Tutu on the chorus and calling out on the Lau erebe was a plus I couldn’t resist and getting Tumi Ayeni to read the verses was just the icing on that cake.
E Bami Ki Baba Ku Ise available at cdbaby Apple Music Spotify …and all popular music distribution and download services like amazon music, etc.
I have had the most fun and fulfilling time of my life recording these songs and albums and many more that haven’t even been officially released. I love making music like these, music that means something to me and maybe could mean something to at least one other person. Music for me is an experience, a very real and personal experience and I look forward to creating more of these experiences in 2018 and sharing them.
Selah.
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