Mogo

Mogo is a musical project crossing cultural boundaries. U.K. jazz pianist John Reeves performs with African percussionists, vocalists and ‘Mulicultural Achiever Award Winners 2007’, Sam Okoth from Kenya and Nii Armah from Ghana.  This trio has performed together in The Brisbane Festival and Multicultural Festival 2008 in the group Samoko, and at Woodford Folk Festival 2007 as Baala Baajo. 

John was trained at the Royal College of Music in London and has performed all over Australia including at The Sydney Opera House with Verve Recording Artist, Mark Sholtez. He was awarded a Queensland Sector Development Grant in 2006  to study drumming, dancing and singing in Ghana  with ‘The Kusun ensemble’, an international touring group who perform  traditional music from Ghana. John brings his unique versatility to Mogo drawing on both a jazz and classical background to create his own style of African piano music. 

Mogo combines traditional African drumming, singing and dancing with the piano, covering jazz standards, popular tunes and original compositions. Music of many of the melodic instruments of Africa such as Mbira, Kora and Balafon form the starting point of these arrangements and compositions. The result is a rhythmic feast 

Including the fine vocal talents of Sam and Nii Armah. John is also greatly 

Influenced by the music of South African pianist and composer, Abdullah Ibrahim.  

Mogo's performances are full of life, fire and feeling. Music for the senses!