Eki Shola

Musician, composer and physician, Eki Shola, is originally from London but now calls both the San Francisco Bay Area and Japan home. Her 5th album, 還 Kaeru was recorded predominantly with local Japanese talents such as drummer Hidenori Tsugita, shamisen and shakuhachi virtuoso Uma Ebina, and Mongolian Morin Khuur maestro Tatsuya Okabayashi. This fifth album represents a captivating mix of traditional Japanese instrumentation with electro jazz elements.

Kaeru, translating to “to return home,” delves into themes of belonging and self-identity, inspired by Eki Shola’s extensive global travels and personal reflections. Drawing from her encounters in Hiroshima, Lisbon, and Addis Ababa, Shola finds a deep resonance with Japan, a connection rooted in her initial visit two decades ago as a medical student. Collaborating with local talents and recording at Studio Tepemok, a former community hospital, Eki Shola intricately weaves cultural and personal narratives into her music.

Beyond genre confines, Eki Shola’s music encompasses jazz, electronica, soul, and more, reflecting her multifaceted artistry as a vocalist and pianist. As a practicing physician, she skillfully employs music as a means of healing, a role she’s embraced while sharing stages with luminaries like Dr. Donald Byrd and Steve Turre. Notable for her performances at the Blue Note Napa, Kyotophonie Borderless Music Festival in Japan and opening for Habib Koité, Bebel Gilberto, DakhaBrakha, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kitaro, and others, Eki Shola’s accolades include receiving the ASCAP Plus Award yearly since 2019, six NorBay Music awards and participation in prestigious artist residencies like the OBRAS foundation in Portugal. Along with collaborating with Germany based Oonops Drops and the Japanese artists Nautilus, Shin-Ski and SWING-O a.k.a. 45, her Japan and Europe tour in support of “Kaeru”, underscores her commitment to cultural exchange and musical innovation.   

Recently, Eki Shola released a triple album, Dare To Love Free, inspired by her time concurrently residing in Japan, London and California. An eclectic 40-track collection that explores the intersection of jazz fusion, R&B, and piano, with some dives into house, reggae and classical, it’s a tribute to those who have paved the way for this musical journey, and represents freedom—expressed through the wide-ranging musicality and emotional depth—and captures the magic that unfolds when one honors authenticity and, through love, creates one’s own path. Rather than presenting the album through a conventional release tour, she has created a hybrid performance format that brings together deep listening sessions, live performance, shared reflections, and audience Q&As. Intentionally chosing intimate, unconventional venues in Japan, London, and the San Francisco Bay Area, and inviting artist collaborators, the result is a flexible performance language that adapts across cultural and venue contexts.