This album should be subtitled ‘what Fela did to the Nigerian music scene in the 1970’s. ‘ As it’s a document of some of the highlife and dance bands attempting cope with the latest music craze, and attempting to integrate it into their own styles.
Fittingly it begins with Fela Kuti & Africa 70, a 7inch version of Who’re You? A different version was subsequently recorded for his London Scene LP. Released in 1971, it”s not what you’d subsequently attribute to Fela, yet these are early days and his repetitive vocals and taught instrumentation, not to mention modest running time of 8.35 owe much to US funk music. Easily overlooked in his vast repertoire it’s without doubt the most explosive, urgent and commanding piece on this varied compilation. A swipe at those who didn’t appreciate his new style, with a great keyboard solo.
Yet before long most of Nigeria was hooked on Afrobeat, and the remainder of the obscure artists collected here had to decide whether to sink or swim. None of these other tunes have been subsequently reissued outside Nigeria. Not all have the recipe right, attempting to bring new and different elements to the table, yet this only adds to the allure. The highlight is Saxon Lee and the Shadows International with the highly catchy Mind Your Business, a simple funky groove, some seedy jazzy organ, intermittent horns and the repetitive refrain ‘mind your business,’ quite similar to the way Tony Allen would go on to breath his vocals on his subsequent solo efforts. Perhaps the key to the tune is that it’s built on such a laid back groove, keeping it cool rather than going for bombast or urgency.
Elsewhere Orlando Julius & His Afro Sounders mix hand and kit percussion with an ultra funky bass and some urgent horns on a killer instrumental Afro-Blues and the poor production or the worn LP that We Dey Find Money was lifted from only enhances Eric Showboy Akaeze & His Royal Ericos mix of highlife, soul, afrobeat and funk. Perhaps the oddest tune comes from Sunny Ade’s guitarist, Bob Ohiri, who with his Uhuru Sounds offer some whacked out psychedelic Afrobeat on Ariwo Yaa. It’s absolutely amazing, with grinding sax and some really amazing stereo mixing, almost sounding at times like two separate tunes. Ohiri apparently only recorded this one solo effort in 1976 and if the remainder of the album is anything like this monster then it’d be well worth tracking down.
Nigeria Afrobeat Special is a really curious mixture of restraint and bluster, a mash of styles, some tracks you’d hesitate to confidently label Afrobeat, but they are all brimming with a certain energy that’s impossible to ignore. It’s also great to see that whilst Afrobeat began with Fela, others also took up the fight, fusing it to their own distinct elements to varying degrees of success.
Bob Baker Fish
