An Appraisal of Olugbenga Obagbemi’s Ji Masun - A Contemporary Art Music Composition

Abstract

Contemporary Nigerian art music has experienced a degree of criticism from music scholars, as well as from professionals in other creative and literary fields for not having a wider appeal to the local audience. This paper examines Gbenga Obagbemi’s Ji Masun, a new art music composition that seems to have a wider audience. The study places significant emphasis on the rich information gathered from both the composer's insights and the musicological description pertinent to the musical piece under consideration. By integrating these two dimensions, the paper provides a thorough discussion based on analysis that explains the complexities and nuances inherent in the music, allowing for a more informed dialogue regarding its artistic expression. Its model of expression borrows from different genres in providing entertainment and relevance to twenty-first-century music taste. Thus, Ji Masun exemplifies a medium of communication whose content is more relevant to society.