Julius Essoka

Born in Douala (Cameroon) 1967, I spent my childhood and adolescence at Bonaberi, a calm and
nice-living quarter. At home, waking-up was similar to a rhythmical ritual that turned into an
involuntary artistic conditioning reflex of my father; a tape recorder and turn table of German origin
(precisely the Grundig, for whom it was the most solid brand). Every 4.45AM begins by his music
selection that goes till 7.30AM the time for me to turn the set off before going to school. In the
meantime, he must have already gone to work and I will have changed the volume and
programming. All the new tunes, curiosities and selections for animations and festivities were
taken into account. There was also a microphone to announce a song or simply to record on
Sundays, poems and songs that the children had learn at school... I grew up in that routine till the
age 22 when I left the family home.
By the age of 12, I started with 3 neighbours _ Richard & Alex Ndoumbe _ as well as Guy Toto _
to frequenting rehearsals of the only cabaret of the locality _ situated 200 metres from home;
Venus Night Club _ that later on became the Columbia Night Club. There could be found spotlight
artists that would come to have more concentration while preparing their shows; Pierre Didi
Tchakounte and Andre Marie Tala were amongst the first I saw there. The bouncer would make
us comfortable in a corner of the room. At the end of the rehearsal, we would go back home to do
practice the repertoire with instruments we had made at our best; drums and percussions, a guitar
and a piece of wood as microphone for me. We would above take advantage of our parents?
absence for being a musician in those days meant being a vagabond! When the cabaret closed
down, a Nigerian occupied the premises by a well stocked music store from where American,
European and Cameroonian music were alternately and noisily diffused. After listening, we would
go back home to try them. This took us more than four year of sharing together.
1982 ? I meet childhood friend who has become a guitarist named Ndema System. He likes the
way I sing and instead of guitar courses I requested for, he proposes to form a band that would
play something different from what radio stations are diffusing, and above all, to play our own
songs. One of his friends Richard Bona, a bass player later joins us? and the trio would rehearse
every Saturday. This adventure will last for three years with the same consistency and pleasure of
playing music.
1983 ? I meeting Fred Doumbe, a calm and humble multi instrumentalist. This collaboration lead
to my first demos with the pioneer of home studios in Cameroon. Knowledge and riguour were his
watch words.
Then came opportunities to improve my own music with groups like Ding Deng Dong Jazz Quartet
and Azîk Bantou
1992 ? I meet the late Tom Yom?s. Professionalism was my aim, but we rather shared
brotherhood, calling each other ?Ah Frèr?am? (Bros!). I have shared the floor, recorded, composed
and written.
1994 ? I leave for Europe with Tom Yom?s. I quickly found my way with Afro Pop groups (Mou
Djeri, Melodic Vibration, The Fantastix), before forming with a Spanish friend of mine(Xavier
Mesa), a band band of afro rock blend dubbed Ultra Freak an? Mixture to promote the Afro
Sauvage concept. Meet people and exchanging ideas was the most important aspect of these
years.
1998 ? November: a 5 track CD is released, blending techno music, rock and African rhythms;
Jokin?at home ! for the Afro Rock concept (The tangling beat of Africa ).
Back in Cameroon, I discover anew the wealth of our rhythms and start designing projects, giving
a helping hand here and there, while finalizing Epass?i
n?Epassi?

Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
  • FURTHER ARTS
  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

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