AGORSOR

The Africa-rooted band Agorsor makes high-energy, spirit-filled music, overflowing with free-flowing vocals, innovative instrumental harmonies, and contagious rhythms, all inspired by the vibrant sounds and emotions of Africa. The band is guided by the graceful singer, fine artist, and dancer Nyornuwofia Agorsor (vocals, songwriting), whose acrobatic voice and movements are enhanced by talented instrumentalists Kofi Agorsor (songwriter, various instruments), Kofi Acheampong (percussion), Emmanuel “Chico” Napour (conga), Julius Quaye (gome), Margaret Selasi Gbindey (bvs), and Dzimesah “Yoga” Boku (compositions, xylophone, flute, gome, conga, gonje). Together, they create magical world music with flavors of funk, Afrobeat, soul, and jazz. Agorsor’s rich recordings show the band’s talent for experimenting with different styles and offer a blend of rare African percussion and acoustic instruments, with lyrics that tell wise stories about loss, love, suppression, expression, hope, discovery, and the unending quest for understanding within African communities and around the globe.

HUGADEM is Agorsor’s debut album and is a collection of songs that celebrate the mysteries of love and human connection to the spirit. HUGADEM – which in English is “The Absolute is Married to Me” – features eight passionate original songs about the many complex dimensions of the concept of spiritual presence. It illustrates the members’ journey as Africans and humans navigating the complex world around them and finding profound meaning in nature, God, and others.

Agorsor was formed in 2000, brought to life by the imagination of painter/sculptor, songwriter, composer, arranger, and performer Kofi and painter, songwriter, dancer, and multi-instrumentalist Nyornuwofia. Nyornuwofia was raised in a musical household that nurtured her natural artistic talents, which have always been expressed through bright colors and playful textures in both the music and visual art she creates. As she grew and her worldview expanded, she continued to develop her skills as a painter and musician, learning about musical theory and visual art techniques while finding her own artistic voice.

Kofi’s clever use of pulsating colors in his paintings and sculptures has always translated into modern layers in his musical compositions and performances. Nyornuwofia and Kofi’s complementary approaches to art and storytelling have made for a natural collaboration and are what continue to infuse Agorsor with dazzling energy.

Agorsor performs regularly at many local and international events, forging genuine connections with audiences through multi-disciplinary performances that connect cultures and inhabit both the natural and supernatural universe. The group’s joyful live performances combine music with dance and visual art, showing the power songs have to transform the soul. HUGADEM was written and crafted at the band’s live recording studio in Accra, a sacred space that continues to give the band the freedom to explore new musical territory. The album will be released on the self-titled label, Agorsor Records, which was formed in March 2018.