Remembering Funmi Ononaiye ❤️

This week we lost a true giant— Funmi Ononaiye. He had seemingly endless layers and knowledge, and was omnipresent in the many corners of New York’s vast music scene. A master DJ, percussionist, former A&R executive, chief programmer for Jazz at Lincoln Center, a fixture on the national jazz scene, and forever dedicated to seeking and spreading positive vibrations, Funmi left his mark on so many.

Rarely do you come across a human being with such a forcefield of optimism and hope surrounding them. Funmi lived his life connecting people— artists, musicians, thinkers, healers, community leaders, and anyone else who wanted to participate in his world.

We became friends in my early days in New York City in 2012. I’ve never seen someone appear at more gigs than Funmi, always there support and encourage musicians. The music truly fueled his soul. If you wanted to know if a band was hitting a groove, all you had to do was watch the way Funmi moved.

Funmi cherished time spent documenting in the recording studio. He loved to be part of the studio magic— he once spontaneously showed up and played impromptu percussion on a Herlin Riley record. In fact, he came to so many record dates I was on. Often times the group would hit a rut, feel stuck, or face some sort of a musical/vibrational challenge. Funmi would arrive, and instantly clear the air with an insightful comment and a deep laugh. The musical path forward would always seem obvious in his presence. As abstract as it sounds, musicians just played better when he was in the room.

When the pandemic hit, we instantly became family. Underground music, culture, and camaraderie were so important to him, and he became an integral part of our “Live From Emmet’s Place” livestream. In the early days, it would just be Russell, Kyle, Funmi and me in the apartment. The trio would play to a physical audience of one (just Funmi), but he had a way of channeling the energy of those watching online, and make us feel like we were playing to a thousand energetic fans.

He was so invested in what we were doing, and had an acute sense for just how impactful our stream would be for jazz globally. His early advice: keep it natural, funky, diverse, and full of love. Our text message thread became a constant brainstorm for discussing future livestream guests, concepts, how to pair different musicians, and other ways to improve upon what we had started. He was a huge force behind the scenes, and I’m eternally grateful for his brilliant guidance. I am certain he was a key factor in our success.

After his pancreatic cancer diagnosis, it was a painful and tragic decline, and extremely difficult for those who were closest to him. Even in sickness, he would connect his friends and family, visit jazz clubs, and look for the joys in life. I got to know his beautiful mother, his siblings and many other people in his orbit. Funmi exhibited extreme strength and will power up until the last breath. I never heard him complain once, and no matter how bad things got, each time I would ask him how he was doing, he’d reply, “give thanks.”

We will honor Funmi by remembering to give thanks and practice gratitude for all of the blessings in life, big or small. He taught us about the possibilities unlocked from unwavering positivity, and made us marvel at his boundless energy. He never owned a smartphone and was always fully engaged in the present moment. He would make daily delicious sea moss smoothies and share them with anybody he’d come across in his day. He’d pull out the Kashaka, his favorite percussion instrument from West Africa, and in minutes have everyone grooving and dancing in a circle around him.

Funmi made one final trek up the five flights to the Emmet’s Place on November 20, 2023 to see Herlin Riley, and join in on our Harlem Rent Party festivities. He introduced the show with a passionate speech, and left us with a final thought: “Make sure you get up out of your seat and do the DANCE.” Funmi’s dance lights an eternal fire under all who were blessed to know him.

Rest in power Funmi Ononaiye.

Видео Remembering Funmi Ononaiye ❤️ канала Emmet Cohen