Afro-beat from the north - ”Danish Roots Artist of the Year 2020” The KutiMangoes unite people by sharing a new, global sound that connects cultures. Traveling the world with their complex, imaginative and incredibly warm Afrobeat from the North, this 6-piece from shares their award winning music that pushes borders on the afro- and jazz scene.

"How unlikely that one of the hottest afro-jazz bands on the planet comes from Denmark. Authenticity is more a question of attitude than origin," Kieler Nachrichten proclaimed in 2016. The KutiMangoes' (TKM) third Afrotropism was released late 2019 to widespread critical acclaim. Recorded entirely in Copenhagen, the album has been praised for its intensely personal expression and unique, innovative sound. German roots magazine Folker concluded that Afrotropism is ”the result of a musical emancipation and a successful step into independence." International German radio Deutschlandfunk kultur termed the album: ”Complex, imaginative and incredibly warm music played with Danish coolness and amazing lightness. Imagine discovering the hidden meeting of Fela Kuti and Jimi Hendrix”. Danish national daily paper Politiken announced: ”World class. Afrotropism transforms the Danish band into a new force in music.” and Berliner Zeitung claimed it as ”the harmoniously successful conclusion of a brilliant trilogy.” Following the release, TKM have toured far and wide in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland & Italy and continue the high activity in 2021. Since the release of their award winning debut album Afro-Fire in 2014, the band has continuously worked on refning their bold and groovy horn-driven sound to position them as one of the most interesting and hard-grooving bands on the global music scene.

First album: TKMs debut album "Afro-Fire" (2014) was nominated for 5 Danish Grammy Awards, winning "Best World Music Album" and "Best World Music Track". Festival invitations to Africa, Asia, North America and many European countries, showcases at the jazzahead!, WOMEX, Spot and Reeperbahn Festivals as well as extensive club tours followed. The reviewer from Hessisch- Niedersächsische Allgemeine recorded the mood in the concerthall as follows: "After the last encore the audience simply sang the chorus of the last song for several minutes .... Meanwhile, the six musicians had long since left the stage. A better form of enthusiasm can not be expressed by an audience."

Second album: For the second album, Made In Africa, released in November 2016, the musicians made the long but rewarding journey to Mali and Burkina Faso. There they created an album based on traditional folk songs as well as new compositions. It was received to critical acclaim, among many others the BBC wrote "Great album! Very authentic and such great playing!". The album was nominated for two Danish Grammy Awards, and the documentary Bamako Play shot by Director Anders S. Jepsen during their trip won the Best Mixed-genre Documentary Award at the New York Jazz Film Festival.

The new album, Afrotropism: Whilst TKM's frst 2 were heavily infuenced by the search for the spiritual roots in West African music and the impact they have on blues, jazz and soul, Afrotropism takes its starting point from The KutiMangoes' own world of experience.

The term ”tropism” describes the growth of a plant in response to the environment – so when a plant turns towards the sunlight, this is an example of tropism. Afrotropism, then, refers to the fact that the band is drawn towards African traditions, but rooted in Nordic soil – and it is precisely this meeting the album takes on.

Concrete inspirations come from Fela Kuti's afro beat, the West African Bambara tradition, highlife music and the groove of the Mali blues. The group's compositions are based on jazz, Nordic melodies with a melancholic undercurrent accompanied by globally oriented grooves - a further development of The KutiMangoes' rich, almost orchestral horn sound. They experiment with synthesizers, sound collages and electronic effects, without losing sight of driving grooves, catchy melodies, dense atmospheres and of course heartfelt virtuoso musicianship.

Even more than before, the third album, like its predecessors, produced entirely by the ensemble itself, expresses the fundamental concern of the musicians to overcome cultural boundaries and to fnd common ground; it gives more space to individual articulation and provides points of departure where the inspirations from Africa left lasting traces that are now becoming independent in new forms: "Our music shows how people can create something together that can outgrow all of them. In a cozy jazz club, youngsters at a huge festival, a school for the blind in Ouagadougou. It's all about human exchange, sharing moments of energy and feeling connected through the music.”

"Our mission is to create music together, to share music and unite people through music, and this is one of the reasons we fell in love with a lot of music from Africa" - says Gustav Rasmussen and continues "the tree's roots are the foundation, but it grows new branches and leaves when it touches air, light and water – just like our musical roots that engage with the world today, the sounds and the people to create something new, vibrant and fresh.

The KutiMangoes are touring in Denmark and Germany in 2021 and have previously performed at Reeperbahn Festival (DE), Jarasum Int. Jazz Festival (S. Korea), (DK), Jazz à Ouaga (BF), OCT-Loft Festival (C), Reykjavik Jazz Festival (I), Jazzy Koun Ben (Mali), Funkhaus Europa Silvesterparty (DE), (DK) and others.

Press Quotes ”World class. Afrotropism transforms the Danish band into a new force in music.” - Politiken (DK) 5/6 "Very authentic and such great playing!" - BBC (UK) "How unlikely that one of the hottest afro-jazz bands on the planet comes from Denmark. Authenticity is more a question of attitude than origin." - Kieler Nachrichten (DE) “The KutiMangoes killed the audience!!!” – Victor Kye, dir. Jarasum Jazz Festival (S. Korea) ”Afrotropism is the harmoniously successful conclusion of a brilliant trilogy" - Berliner Zeitung (DE) "Afrotropism is the result of a musical emancipation and a successful step into independence." - Folker! (DE) ”The sextet thrilled the audience with their highly explosive mix between jazz and afro. The KutiMangoes transformed the sold-out ”Pferdestall” into a joyous, dancing crowd.” - Nordsee- Zeitung (DE)

Line-up Michael Blicher // saxophones and fute Gustav Rasmussen // trombones and guitar Aske Drasbæk // saxophones Johannes Buhl Andresen // keyboards Casper Mikkelsen/Eddi Jarl // drums Magnus Jochumsen // percussion

For further information & updated tour calendar, please visit www.kutimangoes.com

Contact: Gustav Rasmussen +45 61661086 [email protected]