You don’t call something ‘definitive’ unless you’re feeling particularly cocky, though one listen to this 2cd set and you’ll understand Strut’s confidence. A collection of Nigerian funk from the 70’s (and early 80’s), this compilation when it was originally released in 2001 sent crate diggers into a dribbling frenzy, unearthing a hitherto barely known vibrant scene. Of course Fela Kuti appears here twice, with his early band Africa 70, so too does percussionist Tony Allen fronting his African Messengers after he split with Kuti, otherwise the only other real ‘name’ is King Sunny Ade. Whilst many of the others are a little more obscure, it appears that they don’t know this, and if anything are more crazy and inventive than those who went on to make a name for themselves internationally. Of course the formula is pretty similar, traditional percussion meeting some funky assed bass grooves, yet some of the jams are truly out of this world, entering psych rock, blues or even almost disco influences. Some of the sounds, possibly questionably recorded originally sound amazing now, such as the killer guitar solo on Monomono Tire’s Loma Da Nigbehin, sounding like a buzz saw played down a telephone line. And that’s not even mentioning that it just appears unexpectedly out of nowhere three quarters of the way through the track. It doesn’t get much cooler than this. Or interesting. Contextually it’s amazing to hear what was happening around Fela as he was refining Afrobeat, and the diversity of music is truly unexpected. The only person who sounds like Fela here is Fela There’s a certain raw power to the music, particularly tunes like Ofo The Black Company’s Allah Wakbarr, a dirty urgent funky as hell stomp of fuzz and aggression that is the highlight of what is one of the most incredible, inventive and funky collection of music you will ever hear.
Bob Baker Fish
