Afro-beat legend Fela Kuti with his best friend and confidant J.K Braimah. Sadly, Braimah passed away yesterday in London after a protracted illness.
Jimoh Kombi(J.K) Braimah was born in Lagos in 1935. He met Fela in Lagos in 1954 while he was a guitarist for the legendary Victor Olaiya’s Cool Cats Band. He introduced Fela to Olaiya who later had a brief stint with the Band as a trumpeter and singer. Braimah relocated to London in the late 50s. Fela soon joined him in London where they continued their friendship and musical journey. At some stage in 1959 they formed a group called The Highlife Rakers along with pianist Wole Bucknor. The group was short lived and Fela later went on to form the Koola Lobitos.
Though Braimah was resident in London for most of his life, he and Fela had a remarkable enduring bond of friendship.
source: personal
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