Joyously “Hypersensitive” with Afra Kane

At last, an Afra Kane debut album! It is called “Hypersensitive” and was released on 4 March 2022 by Mother Supreme Records.

With a truly unique style of jazz-inflected soul with hints of classical music as well as Nigerian gospel, Afra Kane has been gathering accolades for quite some time now, including winning the solo category at the “Montreux Jazz Talent Award” (with Stanley Clarke, Chilly Gonzales and Chucho Valdés in the jury). She has appeared as a guest on other peoples’ records and released a well-received EP, “Scorpio”. She has toured Italy as support act for Jack Savoretti and she has recently returned from a two-month residency at the Café Carlyle Hong Kong where she followed in the footsteps of Earth Kitt and Bobby Short. Now, at last, comes her true declaration of artistic independence.

Born to Nigerian parents in Vicenza, Afra Kane found herself captivated by the music of Chopin even before she was a teenager. Whilst studying at the conservatory of her home town, she also discovered Etta James, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. She liked the combination: “In classical music, the focus was on faultless interpretation. With soul music, I was able to express my feelings without in any way having to think of technique”, she says. She tried to continue her musical studies in Cardiff but was discouraged by the lack of interest by her fellow students in her musical ideas. Moving on to Geneva and the campus in Neuchâtel, everything was different. Ironically, she says, people in England now told her she had to move to London, otherwise she would never be able to fulfil her vision. “But it was in Switzerland that I very quickly found open-minded musicians who enjoyed playing with me and appreciated my music. They gave me confidence. I realised that I didn’t have to allow them to stick me in a certain box. I could be the musician I wanted to.”

Afra Kane