Johnny Folarin's home at the Stereo Society

Johnny Folarin play in on The Contessa's Party  

Originally from Nigeria, conga and bongo master Johnny Folarin has lived in London since the late fifties. His wide-ranging career covers stints in the house band at the legendary London Flamingo club in the early sixties and a big contribution to the Anglo-African music scene that exploded there in the late sixties and early seventies.

Johnny played a significant part in the band Carmel's success in the eighties, and also drummed on Bronski Beat's Age Of Consent. Most recently (2003), he has contributed congas and bongos to Thorne's forthcoming The Contessa's Party CD and to Richard Barone's (formerly of the New York band the Bongos....) forthcoming single Opium Of The Masses.

Left: In London session March 2002

photo: Molesworth

Johnny Folarin at the Stereo Society:
To Johnny Folarin's home at the Stereo Society
To Johnny Folarin's interview

Carmel at the Stereo Society:
To Carmel's home at the Stereo Society
To Carmel McCourt in interview
To audio excerpts from Carmel's interview
To the making of Bad Day
To the making of The Drum Is Everything
To the making of It's All In The Game

Carmel collaborators at the Stereo Society:
To the Uptown Horns' home at the Stereo Society
To Johnny Folarin's home at the Stereo Society

Download printable cover art of four Carmel record covers from our Downloads page