Babatunde Olatunji

He never sang in the Glee Club, but collaborated with Whalum on a staple of the choir's repertoire, "Betelehemu", a Nigerian Christmas carol.

Olatunji won a following among jazz musicians, by infusing Nigerian rhythms with elements drawn from Ghanaian and Afro-Caribbean traditions.

Olatunji recorded with many other prominent musicians (often credited as "Michael Olatunji"), including Cannonball Adderley (on his 1961 African Waltz album), Horace Silver, Quincy Jones, Pee Wee Ellis, Stevie Wonder, Randy Weston, and with Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln on the pivotal Freedom Now Suite aka We Insist!, and with Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart on his Grammy winning Planet Drum projects.

Olatunji's most notable involvement comes from composing music for both the Broadway theatrical and the 1961 Hollywood film adaptations of Lorraine Hansberry's acclaimed play, Raisin in the Sun.

Olatunji's musical compositions added a rich and evocative layer to these productions, enhancing the overall emotional impact of the storytelling.

Collaborating with renowned musician Bill Lee, Olatunji lent his expertise to the musical score, contributing to the film's cultural resonance and critical acclaim.

His involvement in this project underscored his ability to seamlessly blend traditional African rhythms with contemporary sounds, creating a musical backdrop that complemented the narrative and resonated with audiences.

His progressive political beliefs are outlined in The Beat of My Drum: An Autobiography, with a foreword by Joan Baez, (Temple University Press, 2005).

The 1990s brought further recordings with Babatunde Olatunji, Healing Session, (originally released as a limited edition cassette tape and later on CD in 2003), and Drums of Passion - Freedom, Justice and Peace.

Olatunji with the drumming ensemble supported the recording with a ten city national tour, playing sold out shows at such venues as Carnegie Hall.

The 1997 recording, "Love Drum Talk", on the Chesky label, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best World Beat Music.

Throughout the 1990s Olatunji's tour schedule more than doubled bringing Drums of Passion to events as far-flung as the International Peace University, Berlin, Kodo Drum Society of Japan, The National Cathedral of the United States of America, Ontario Anti-Racist Secretariat, Universita della Studi di Napoli, United Nations Hunger Project, along with an endless schedule of theater and club dates.

In early 2000, Olatunji purchased a home in Washington, D.C., where he lived for a short time, along with his roommate, Professor Akinsola Akiwowo.