Tunji was born in Papua New Guinea in 1970. He grew up in Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Germany and Australia. In his early years in Nigeria, he talked drums before language and started playing as a baby, inspired by the power of Yoruba drumming tradition. At the age of five he returned to Papua New Guinea and at eight moved to Australia. In 1980 Tunji went back to Nigeria to study Yoruba drumming,and in 1986 went to South India to study classical percussion. He stayed three years and received the highest mark in the state exam for percussion. Since 1990 Tunji has been living in Germany where he has had the opportunity to play with greats such as: Charlie Mariano (USA), Bill Cobham (USA), Iain Ballamy (UK), Ashley Slater (UK), T.A.S.Mani (India), R.A.Ramamani (India), Trilok Gurtu (India), Zakir Hussain (India), Satsuki Odamura (Japan), Linsey Pollak (Australia), Markus Stockhausen (Germany), Schäl Sick Brass Band (Germany), Deishovida (Austria) & the really really really great Xenos (Australia) |