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Victor Olaiya's - All Star Soul International

He may have been dubbed the Evil Genius of highlife, but this reissue of his long-lost 1970 album shows that Victor Olaiya had a lot more tricks up his sleeve. Blending the sounds of highlife with those of the raunchy American funk that was making its Read More...

Posted Wednesday, March 03, 2010 4:24 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Victor Olaiya, James Brown, King Sunny Ade and Sir Victor Uwaifo

Fred Fisher Atalobhor - African Carnival

Spotted in 1972 while recording a vocal session in Lagos, trombonist and singer Fred Fisher was soon recording his own albums with his own band. The resultant sound was dubbed Asolo Rock, a blend of Afro funk-rock with soulful melodies, or what I like Read More...

Posted Wednesday, March 03, 2010 4:23 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: CD, Reviews, Fela Kuti, Fred Fisher Atalobhor

Oumou Sangare - Seya

Oumou Sangare is back and she has returned in style. It’s been 13 years since Sangare’s last studio album and five since World Circuit put out the double-disc compilation, Oumou . With business interests in the hospitality, agriculture and motor-vehicle Read More...

Posted Friday, September 18, 2009 3:27 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: CD, Reviews, Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Salif Keita, Tidiane Seck, Bassekou Kouyate, Youssou N’Dour, Oumou Sangare, Mory Kanté

Something Old and Something New

When it first hit shelves in 2001, Nigeria 70 (Kurse Music) broke the mould for African compilations. Delving deep into the archives, it offered a textured look at Nigeria's recorded music history in the funky 1970s. Compiled and researched by Strut Records' Read More...

Posted Wednesday, August 19, 2009 5:17 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: CD, Reviews, Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Victor Uwaifo, BLO, The Funkees, Bongos Ikwue, Anthologising Africa

Hugh Masekela presents the Chisa years 1965 – 1975

So a few weeks after I had written those couple of posts about Hugh Masekela I found this great album at a second hand dealer I regularly frequent. (Regular readers should remember the posts I am talking about, if you want to read them scroll down, it Read More...

Posted Thursday, October 16, 2008 5:38 PM by Lloyd | 2 Comments

Filed under: CD, Reviews, Fela Kuti, Hugh Masekela, Letta Mbulu, Chisa Records

Anthologising Africa

Throughout Africa old seven-inch singles lie in dusty boxes and crates, the music on them long forgotten. Thankfully this year is shaping up to be the year of the African crate digger. As you are reading this, audiophiles with a healthy obsession for Read More...

Posted Monday, September 29, 2008 2:13 PM by Lloyd | 6 Comments

Filed under: Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Hallelujah Chicken Run Band, Analog Africa, The Green Arrows, Victor Uwaifo, Orlando Julius, Victor Olaiya, Rex Lawson, Vampisoul, Soundway, ET Mensah

Fela Kuti - Music is the Weapon DVD

So my work colleague lent me this Fela Kuti DVD last week and I've been feeling bad because it's been sitting on my desk at home and I just hadn't found the time to watch it. So last night I sat down with a quart of milk stout to check it out. The verdict, Read More...

Posted Wednesday, March 12, 2008 6:53 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: Reviews, dvd, Fela Kuti

Antibalas – Security

New York’s afrobeat funksters return with a smoking hot album, that pokes some boney looking fingers at George Bush’s fear-loving America. The rhythms are just killer; orchestrated percussion, basslines that will make your bones bend and enough studio Read More...

Posted Friday, January 11, 2008 5:09 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: CD, Reviews, Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Tortoise, Antibalas

Yo la Tengo - I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass

Stop the vote counting now: the undisputed winner for best album title of the year is New Jersey’s Yo la Tengo. Luckily, the songs on this album are so great that it’s not the only thing it has to offer. Starting an album with a 10-minute song is either Read More...

Posted Monday, November 20, 2006 5:04 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: CD, Reviews, Fela Kuti, Yo la Tengo

Afrobeat: Beast of no nation - Interview with Tony Allen + My Nomo piece

Kwanele Sosibo speaks to Afrobeat founder Tony Allen about innovation and diversification and my Nomo piece is tagged on the end. Herculean, the first single from the yet-to-be-named group featuring Fela Kuti’s former drummer Tony Allen, Damon Albarn Read More...

Posted Monday, November 20, 2006 4:54 PM by Lloyd | (Comments Off)

Filed under: CD, Reviews, Interview, The Clash, Feature, Nomo, Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Gorillaz

Interview with Elliot Bergman from Nomo

Ann Arbor's Nomo have released one of the most interesting Afrobeat albums of the year. I spoke to them about playing music that began in Nigeria, decades ago. (Look out early next week for a Tony Allen interview by one of my mates) 1. Tell me a little Read More...

Posted Friday, November 17, 2006 4:09 PM by Lloyd | 1 Comments

Filed under: CD, Interview, Talking Heads, Nomo, Fela Kuti