“…Onyeabor mostly sounds like nobody else on the planet.”

—TIME

A diverse lineup of tremendously talented musicians celebrate the music of the elusive Nigerian synth-funk pioneer William Onyeabor. Under the musical direction of Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane), ATOMIC BOMB! The Music of William Onyeabor features performances by David Byrne, Money Mark (Beastie Boys), Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem), Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip), Luke Jenner (the Rapture), Devonté Hynes (Blood Orange), the Lijadu Sisters, and Joshua Redman. This engagement is one of the first in a month-long citywide music festival from Red Bull Music Academy.



William Onyeabor self-released eight albums in southeastern Nigeria between 1978 and 1985, all of them now nearly impossible to find. He soon after disappeared from the music scene. After a five-year odyssey to track down Onyeabor, the Luaka Bop label released Who is William Onyeabor? in 2013. The album introduced Onyeabor’s infectious music to a wider audience and was included on Time magazine’s Top 10 Albums of the year and named a Best New Reissue by Pitchfork.