Konkolo Orchestra is a 12-piece band founded by drummer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Alexis Malefakis. Fusing jazzy afrobeat with a modern twist, the band draws inspiration from musical icons like Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, and Ebo Taylor. The project was initiated in 2022, when Malefakis started writing and recording music for a Fela-style big band. Because he played the majority of the instruments himself, he called the project “Konkolo Orchestra”. The term "Konkolo," derived from Yoruba and meaning "tiny," served as both a nickname for his daughter born around that time and a fitting descriptor for his new "one-man orchestra". The first single, Blue G., featuring vocalist Nongoma Ndlovu, was released in 2022 on Rocafort Records, and quickly gained attention, with Gilles Peterson (BBC) calling it “one of the big tunes of the year.” Building on this success, Malefakis expanded his collaborations, bringing in percussionist Eric Owusu and vocalists Kitio Batola and Frank Karikari. The result was Future Pasts, an eight-track debut album released in January 2024. The album generated a strong demand for live shows. In March 2024, Malefakis assembled a full band, and Konkolo Orchestra made their live debut at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July. The band toured Switzerland’s top jazz festivals and venues, culminating in a standout performance at London’s Jazz Café in November 2024. In 2025, they will continue to rock the stage while Malefakis works on their next album.