Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int’l
Sunday, September 28
TIME: 6:00pm-7:00pm
VENUE: Wagner Stage. midway plaisance at south woodlawn ave.
A photo of the members of the Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int’l standing side by side on a central stage inside a club.
Photo by Jon Shaft
OCCIDENTAL BROTHERS DANCE BAND INT’L
Chicago's Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int'l blends high-energy soukous, rootsy Ghananian Highlife, and African Jazz to conjure the sound of the golden age of the African guitar band and push the music into new worlds of sound. Founded in Chicago by American-born musicians, the group has included Congolese legend Samba Mapangala, former members of TPOK Jazz, and Ghanaian supergroup Western Diamonds. With the release of their latest record, Likambo Te, the ensemble celebrated twenty years of music-making.
The OBDBI was founded by guitarist Nathaniel Braddock, who spent much of 2024 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has been touring West Africa in 2025 with his group, the Accra Quartet. He is joined by co-founder Greg Ward on alto saxophone and by Joshua Ramos on bass. The Ghanaian trumpeter Kofi Cromwell and Zambian artist Mathew Tembo contribute vocals.
The Occidental Brothers have energized festival stages in Europe and North America, including at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Poland’s Made in Chicago, Chicago World Music Festival, Chicago Jazz Fest, Nijmegen Music Meeting NL, Moers Fest DE, Ottawa Bluesfest, Toronto AfroFest, GlobalFest, Montreal Jazz Festival, Vancouver Jazz Festival, and Pitchfork.
The musicians:
Nathaniel Braddock - electric guitar
Kofi Cromwell - trumpet and lead vocal
Greg Ward - alto saxophone
Joshua Ramos - electric bass
TBD - drums