Okan (band)

Okan is a Canadian Afro-Cuban jazz group, whose core members are Cuban Canadian musicians Elizabeth Rodriguez and Magdelys Savigne. ^[1] They are most noted for their 2020 album Espiral, which won the Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2021, ^[2] and their 2023 album Okantomi, which won the same award at the Juno Awards of 2024. ^[3]

They were previously nominated in the same category at the Juno Awards of 2020 for their 2019 debut album Sombras. ^[4]

Rodriguez and Savigne are both former members of Jane Bunnett's band Maqueque, who left that band in 2017 to form Okan. ^[1] They perform both as a duo, and as leaders of a larger combo featuring session musicians. ^[1]

Discography

Albums

• Sombras (2019)
• Espiral (2020)
• Okantomi (2023)

Extended Play

• Laberinto (2018)

Singles

• Luz (2018)
• Mas Que Nada (2019)
• Yemaya (Ile Ladde) with Rauzzy Ferrer (2022)
• Iglú (2023)
• La Reina Del Norte (2023)
• Okantomi (2023)
• Bailando en tu vibra with Ramon Chicharron (2024)
• + Que 1 Chingx with Boogát (2024)

Appearances

• AAA with Phosphore (2021)
• Toadas do Norte with Aline Morales and Anita Graciano (2021)
• Del Horizonte with Boogát (2024)
• Niebla with Ramon Chicharron (2024)

References

1. Roger Levesque, "Cuban-born Okan explores musical roots in Canada, Cam Neufeld traces Gypsy routes to the Far East". Edmonton Journal , January 16, 2020.
2. Holly Gordon and Andrea Warner, "Here are the 2021 Juno Award winners". CBC Music, June 4, 2021.
3. "Junos 2024: full list of winners". CBC Music, March 23, 2024.
4. Melody Lau, "Alessia Cara and Tory Lanez lead the 2020 Juno nominations". CBC Music, January 28, 2019.