ariBu Afrobeat Arkestra is one of those new bands on the scene. Spiritually influenced by the great Fela Kuti, “JariBu” which means “Try” in Swahili, have created their own “Neo Afrobeat” sound, interweaving traditional Afro Beat with funk and jazz sounds. They released their first album “Afro Sound System” in 2009 which was critically acclaimed by many DJs and radio producers. They performed at the FUJI Rock Festival 2009 which is the biggest festival in Japan. After that they started to search for ways to expand and develop their Afro Beat sound and began recording their second album, Mediacracy.
Over the past couple of years, JariBu Afrobeat Arkestra have established themselves as one of the most exciting live bands on the Tokyo scene. They currently play three to four gigs a month, including their own monthly event “Natural Vibes” at “Plug” in Shibuya and are the undisputed leaders of the Japanese Afro Beat scene