Okoi Seka Athanase L'Empereur du Kete Rock (Ivory Coast, 1977)

(Badmos BLP 50).

Okoi Seka Athanase recorded this wonderfull album in Decca studio (Lagos) with help of Black Santiagos horn section. This goes from deep afro soul to highlife and soukous. The funky "Melokon Membun Ou" cannot be shared via souncloud but many good tracks on this LP, and Mubades may be my favorite, including serious guitar plays and sebene.

The Natural Seven International - Free Advice (Nigeria, 1977)

(Hasbunalau records HRCL36).

This LP from Nigeria is realized by The Natural 7 International but the label credits The Sea Birds International. Anyway, Eddy Dada delivers an hybrid soukous sung in pidgin english and the following track with reggae-dub flavor.

Yusef Lateef in Nigeria (African tradition + jazz experiment, 1983)

(Landmark LLP-502).

Flute and tenor sax player Yusef Lateef (1920-2013) just passed away, so here's a post dedicated to this real sound explorer (before being a jazzman), who integrated eastern or african influences in many of his recordings. Famous for his deep, free and spiritual music all along the 60's and 70's in the US, he also directly enriched his open-minded approach spending years in Nigeria in the early 80's.

Jazz Hot magazine views about Fela and Afrobeat in 1981

Every year is celebrated a Fela Day (few weeks ago in Paris), proving that Fela Kuti's spirit is still gliding around, despite a very varied comprehension. Good occasion anyway to search in muzzicaltrips archives, and look at how evolves perception of african music along the years. Here's an article about Fela Kuti which reveals part of the perception of a jazz magazine from 1981 (Jazz Hot, first jazz magazine in Europe created in 1935).

Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Barrister - Erin Goke (Fuji music, 1987)

(Omo Aje, OLPS1338).

Fuji is a kind of smooth transe music...

Fatai Ayilara and his group (Apala music from Nigeria, 70s)

(EMI 45-NH).

Let's have a deep travel into nigerian roots music with this Apala song: yoruba rooted rhythms with superb talking drums and hypnotic voices. I guess this can lead to transe if played all night long...

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey and his international brothers (Juju music, 1972)

(DECCA WAP38).

Juju music takes his roots in Yoruba secular rhythms, adding electric guitar to the talking drum. It became popular in Nigeria from the 50s and is rather related to nigerian christians (in parelel to Fuji music more in muslim environnement). It was performed live in "ariya" (ceremonies to celebrate weddings, birthdays, funerals...) but also for wealthy audiences in the hotels as modernized style of the time.

Oriental Brothers International Band (Guitar Band from Nigeria, 1977)

(Decca DWAPS 2034).

Three brothers from south-east of Nigeria founded the Oriental Brothers band: Godwin Kabaka Opara (who left in 1977 before this LP), C. Ezebuiro Obinna (surnamed "Warrior") and  F. Dansatch Opara. At this time Nigeria was more with Juju and Fuji, but as a major highlife band in the country, Oriental Brothers band remained recording great albums with hypnotic and evolving guitars and percussions. 

The Bukky Leo Quintet, Totally Wired, Dingwalls & Adam Friedman (Junglejazz trip, 1989)

Afrojazz has been produced by late 80s acidjazz crazy activists Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller. This is the case with this track from the quintet led by Bukky Leo, a nigerian sax player based in UK. I am not aware of any other release of this tune than in this Totally Wired acid jazz compilation (JAZ ID 13LP).

Bukky Leo released more recently a kind of "new afrobeat from london" album (Mr bongo 2006), nice but not to be compared to this junglejazz trip...

Roy Chicago and his "Abalabi Rhythm" Dandies (Highlife from Nigeria, 1961)

(PHILIPS 420 011).

Roy Chicago (John Akintola Ademuwagun, x - 1989) plays highlife in a nigerian style, based of various nigerian floklores elements. What is particularly interesting is the introduction of talking drum, like in "Sere Fun Mi Baby", track from early sixties. 

MIX /// Tropical Round Trip #3 by Muzzicaltrips (A sound travel around Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Guadeloupe, Benin, Ivory Coast, Angola, Nigeria...)

Ray Stephen Oche and his Matumbo - Interpretation of the Original Rythm (Afrojazz from Nigeria, 1970)

(ESP 155 501).

His African Name Owoicho Oche means: "God is the King".

Lisandro Meza - Shakalao / Shakara (Fela Kuti vibe in Colombia, 1975)

(Limeza).

Muzzicaltrips travels around mutual influences between Africa and Latin America.
Here's a great example, "Shacalao", played by Colombian Lisandro Mesa, cumbia master, known as "Accordion World Champion", joined by his conjunto.

It consists of a roots afro-colombian version of nigerian king of afrobeat Fela Kuti song "Shakara".

Amazing mixed influences version, atlantic ocean seems to have evaporated...