Patrice Babatunde Bart-Williams - German-Sierraleonian Songwriter and Singer


Patrice Babatunde Bart-Williams was born on 09-07-1979 in Kerpen to a german mum and a sierra-leonian poet and writer, Gaston Bart-Williams.  He attended a private boarding school, Schule Schloss Salem, where he obtained his A-levels (the german Abitur). Sources say Patrice started actively composing songs when he was 12. His main influences were and are still Jimmy Hendrix and Bob Marley. Today he has released several albums and worked with some of the best artists and producers in the pop-music scenes. His son, Nile, was born in 2005 the same year he released his fifth album titled Nile.

He sings mostly in  Patois. His reggae entails soul, hip-hop, jazz and funk elements. Patrice's music is conscious of daily struggles, vice and virtues of the current state of world issues. As much as his music is thought-provoking, it creates room to dance off the chaos of the day as well.
He sometimes gets inspiration from his late dad's poetry, like  'you always you' which he intergrated in his lyrics. Althought he was born and raised in Germany, he is very much connected to his sierra-leonian roots.He did a tripartite documentory film on africa, which I long to watch someday.

Patrice Babatunde Bart-Williams wurde am 9. Juli 1979 in Kerpen als sohn einer deutschen Frau und eines Dichters und Schrifftstellers, Gaston Bart-Williams, aus Sierra-Leone. Er besuchte das Internat Schule Schloss Salem und machte dort 1999 sein Abitur. Sein Sohn Nile wurde 2005 geboren, er nannte sein fünftes Album im gleichen Jahr nach ihm.
http://www.patrice.net

Mit zwölf Jahren fing er an zu komponieren. Er singt hauptsächlich auf Patois und sein „Reggae“ enthält Jazz-, Soul-, Funk- und Hip-Hop-Elemente. Seine Musik ist ein Denkanstoß und beschäftigt sich mit den Tugend und Untugend vom Alltag. Gedichte seines Vaters sind immer mal wieder eine Quelle der Inspiration, die er zum Teil in seine Songtexte aufnimmt wie in " You always You". Er ist eng verbunden mit seinen sierra-leonischen Wurzeln obwohl er in Deutschland geboren und erzogen wurde. Er drehte einen dreiteiligen Dokumentarfilm über Afrika, den Ich gerne gesehen hätte. 


Albums/Alben

  • 2000: Ancient Spirit
  • 2001: Ancient Spirit/The Second Coming
  • 2002: How Do You Call It?
  • 2003: Silly Walks Movement Meets Patrice
  • 2005: Nile
  • 2006: Raw & Uncut (Live Album)
  • 2008: Free-Patri-Ation
  • 2010: One

Singles & EPs

  • Lions (EP, 1998)
  • Everyday Good (Maxi, 2000)
  • You Always You (Maxi CD1 & CD2, 2000)
  • Up In My Room (Maxi, 2002)
  • Sunshine (Maxi, 2003)
  • Music (Maxi, 2003)
  • Moonrise (Silly Walks Movement Meets Patrice; Maxi, 2003)
  • Truly Majestic (Silly Walks Movement Meets Patrice; Maxi, 2004)
  • Soul Storm (Maxi, 2005)
  • Done (Maxi, 2005)
  • Don't Cry (Maxi, 2006)
  • Clouds (Maxi, 2008)
  • Another One (Maxi, 2008)
  • Dove of Peace (Maxi, 2008)
  • Appreci Luv (Maxi, 2009)
  • Walking Alone (Maxi, 2010)
  • Ain't Got No (I Got Life) (Maxi, 2010)

DVDs

  • Raw & Uncut (Live DVD, 2006)


West African Prints + Soft Textures of Silk = Eki Orleans

"..it's my mission to bring out the colourful goddess in every woman" says Hazel Aggrey-Orleans, the mind and craft behind Eki Orleans fashion label.  Born in Germany to a german mother and nigerian father, Hazel grew up in the busy city of Lagos in Nigeria, where her fascination for west african patterns is rooted. She returned to Germany at 17yrs and later moved to London, her current base. She worked in financial account management for close to 10 years. A mother of two. Like many upcoming new kids in the branch she is a self-thought designer . Discovering her love for indian fabrics added flavour and excitement to her passion for style which led to her first sensational creation: a collection of outstanding scarfs: (Pic below: Eki Orleans scarfs)

Combining vivid african prints with soft textures of silk equals Eki Orleans. A label for every woman who intends to elegantly bring out her passionate, sexy and brave side. Here is my opinion of the Eki Orleans woman: 
The Eki Orleans femme is ageless and unique,  yet like every other woman she tries to find the balance between career and family. A laid back woman who is an eye-catcher when she does the effort to look good. She need not be rich but could save up for that special talk-of-the-day outfit.  She is not mainstreamed creating her own style. She sets her own trend. (Eki Orlean creations: pic below) http://www.ekiorleans.com


Hazel's design and career reflect her nigerian and german roots as well as other influences she gained through travelling across the globe.

http://www.ekiorleans.com