Tolu Ajayi – Keyboards

 

When did you start playing your instrument/singing and why?

I’m a church kid and grew up surrounded by aspiring young musicians all learning their craft and being thrown into the deep end of leading congregations. I can strongly attribute everything I know about knowing my place and forming my part within a band to doing so week in week out on a Sunday.

I originally picked up an acoustic guitar for my Duke of Edinburgh silver award having completed a few grades of classical piano, but I heard a friend playing some Ben Folds Five on a Yamaha keyboard during high school and I was hooked instantly – I had to learn to master jazz piano!

Jazz piano is hard.

So I just learnt a few Ben Folds and Jamiroquai songs instead. Close enough.

I left music for a while to study at uni, but music always had a way of keeping up with me, playing with many different projects to earn a bit of extra crust as a student, and now I’m massively humbled that sessioning is my main source of income!

I met Tom by crashing his set at a food and music night for the homeless I help run called the Sanctuary. Having barely met an hour before, I just took a pew and the spare mic and we played a blinder! He needed a keys player for the Better Things EP launch, he hadn’t heard me play but had the faith after the Sanctuary set gelled so well. After scaring him by pretending I still played a Casio, we played the launch and I just kept getting in on the rest of the gigs. Either the guys enjoyed a bit of chocolate sauce after a few years of pure vanilla, or more likely everyone was too polite to ask me to leave. Either way, now I’m on the album cover. Win.

As for why I play, I’ve been up and down and in and out of various churches, but church playing catalyses musicianship and bandology* like no project ever could, and it’s cool to have a purpose behind my playing.

*(this should be a word)

What’s your musical background, broadly speaking (bands you’ve been part of in the past, formative listening)?

We were raised on a musical diet of the Kings of 80s pop and gospel; Michael Jackson and Ron Kenoly respectively. Meanwhile, my sisters were subconsciously feeding me chart pop bands. So naturally I rebelled and got into all things grunge, metal and emo in my early years. I discovered house and garage during sixth form and uni, and only in recent years have I started to scratch a soul and RnB itch.

Now, I still thrash out to Rage Against the Machine and Thrice every so often, but equally if ‘N Sync or Daft Punk drops, I drop. I now also front a NeoSoul project, Pieces of a Man, who supported the Better Things launch, and like TGB, we love all things D’Angelo and Roots.

I’m thankful that my spectrum is so broad as to take the best bits of groove from everything. I’m a sucker for a heavy bassline whatever the genre!

Which artists most influence the way you approach the TGB and how?

It’s a fluid and eclectic mix as the band isn’t particularly rooted within one genre. Despite the blues categorisation, gospel, soul, pop and rock are all key ingredients of the TGB pie, so equally my list of influential artists is expansive and too boring to list in full.

Notable players include my keys heroes Ben Folds, Stevie and Herbie, there are more technically gifted players out there but I love the way these guys use the breadth of the board so rhythmically and percussively.

I love the chordal work in gospel music, Ron Kenoly, Israel Houghton, Fred Hammond and Donny McClurkin are inspired singer songwriters and so innovative in the way they approach song crafting. I hear something fresh whenever I soak into their records and I’d love to inject that long lasting aural freshness to my parts within the TGB.

What’s your favourite memory of being in the band so far, musical or otherwise?

There are many nonmuscial moments. Dave failing to recognise we were boating on the Thames and not “manmade waters”. Louie, during a very long tour van ride home, innocently revealing to the entire band that Matthew Newby and Alec Stockton had unknowingly shared history. Tom’s pre-gig “black tea snortgate” that I’m sure somebody else will detail (in short, he had to wear his T-shirt inside out for that gig).

Musically, it was jamming ‘Waiting’ with the band for the very first time at my very first full band rehearsal. The song is still under reconstruction but I put a different spin on the riff that everybody seemed to dig, and from then on I really felt like part of the unit, a working cog.

Out of the gigs you’ve done with the band, which was your favourite and why?

It has to be Painswick Arts Fest, mainly due to the sheer volume of long haired happy smiling dancing gingers present, including those on stage! There was such an energy about the place, everybody genuinely enjoying what we brought and vibing with us. The best gigs have been those where it doesn’t feel like we’ve been performing, rather hosting a party. Admittedly a party that they’ve invited themselves to.

Favourite TGB song to play and why?

That’s like asking me to choose between adopted babies!!

Well, if I have to…

You Got Me – Fell in love with this track from the first two chords, and I’ve in fact had blessing to sample it,  so watch out for that legal battle in the future when that version blows up.

Strongest Hands – A very unassuming tune with a brass line I have listened to on repeat many a time.

Superman – Probably my favourite (don’t tell the other tracks), such a well written feel good track with plenty of audience participation and gives a chance for every single band member to shine! Who doesn’t love a gospel singalong.

Favourite part of the process? (Writing, rehearsing, gigging, recording, etc.) and why?

I think this band is the only band where the rehearsal process isn’t a chore, we’re constantly creating and buzzing off the tracks and we never get bored of playing them! There’s so much banter and a lot of moments completely unsuitable to share publicly. (I’d of course be happy to divulge said moments in my autobiography if the band split for musical differences and a tabloid offers silly money for the dirt. So much dirt).

You can’t beat the buzz of the writing, gigging or recording process but if the admin and practice is something to rave about, it’s safe to say the rest of it is a sterling pleasure to be a part of!