Bayo Martins
Bayo Martins, born Adebayo Santos Martins on November 24, 1932 in Calabar, Nigeria, was a influential Nigerian jazz musician. He played drums and congas and is regarded as a pioneer of Afro-jazz. He helped raise the profile of Nigerian musicians and was active in musicians’ unions. He also wrote several books, including The Message of African Drumming and Give Musicianship a Chance. Martins died on August 12, 2003, in Germany at the age of 70.
Martins began his music career after moving to Lagos with his family in 1946. He was also known as John Martins. He influenced Fela Kuti and helped shape a connection between jazz and highlife. He was friends with blues legend B.B. King, hosting King in Lagos in 1974.
In the 1950s he played with the Nigerian Jazz Club, a small group started by Bobby Benson. The band included Zeal Onyia on trumpet, Paul Isamade on saxophone, and Benson on piano, and they played modern jazz. Martins went to London in 1959 and returned to Nigeria in 1962, the year the Afro-Jazz ensemble was formed with Chris Ajilo, Martins on drums, Zeal Onyia on trumpet, and Ayo Vaughan on bass; it later became the Jazz Preachers by 1964.
Martins was part of Fela Kuti’s early band, Koola Lobitos, formed in 1960. In 1964 he started the African Messengers with Mike Falana; other members included Peter King, Humphrey Okoh, and Paul Edoh. They recorded singles such as “Highlife Piccadilly” and “Blues for Messengers” and performed widely, backing groups like The Four Tops, The Temptations, and Diana Ross.
He worked with Grand Marcus on the Rythmes Et Voix Du Congo album and with the group Ikwezi on their 1981 self-titled album. He later contributed to Rhythms and Voices of Africa by A.K.V. Collective, co-producing and co-designing the project and creating tracks like “Oniyangi,” “The Way,” and “Next Time Your Colour Talk,” while also handling percussion, singing, and narration.
As a writer, Martins published books including Fela Anikulapo-Kuti Abami Esa (a compilation about Fela). He was married to German author Gerwine Bayo-Martins. Martins died in Germany on August 12, 2003.
His music still appears on compilations, such as the 2015 release Highlife on the Move, which features tracks like “Fancy Baby” and “Maggie” credited to John Santos Martins and Zeal Onyia & His Band.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:53 (CET).