Sunshine, West Africa

Hello, Risk players know that there's a line between Brazil and West Africa, well i follow that Yoruba trail back as it where. I start with the King of Juju who impacted the west in the early eighties, Sunny Ade, fused with modern reggae production techniques, for a moment he seemed poised to become a selling star in the west (or was that marketing bloat), anyway Ade didnt comply-sing in english and so he was dropped from the picture, not so in Africa. He's doing well. The more traditional King of Juju is Chief Ebenezer Obey, his style remains closer to the Hi -Life music, Virgin in need to compete with Island's King Sunny, released Miliki plus a compilation of his previous 4 albums.
Fela Kuti, was a giant in Nigeria and Africa and well respected in the west, unfortunately his ideas didnt go down well with the Junta's that exploit Nigeria. I post here his first big release, a live album recorded in 1971, great music. Finally a master drummer from neighbouring Ghana, Kofi Ayivor, shares his unique drumming talent with us on his showcase, Rhythmology.

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King Sunny Ade & His African Beats - Synchro System
King Sunny Ade & His African Beats - Aura
Chief Ebenezer Obey - Miliki Plus
Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa 70 - Live!
Kofi Ayivor - Rhythmology.

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King Sunny Ade & His African Beats

King Sunny Ade is the undisputed king of juju music.Born to a Nigerian royal family in Ondo, Ade left grammar school to pursue his career, which began with Moses Olaiya's Federal Rhythm Dandies, a highlife band. He left to form The Green Spots in 1967. He formed a record label in 1974, fed up with being exploited by a major label. Beginning with Juju Music, Ade began gaining a wide following as Mango Records, a subsidiary of Island Records, released his albums. He was soon billed as the African Bob Marley, and headlined concerts in the US. Soon after, Nigerian imports (mostly pirated copies) of his massive back catalog began flooding the Western market. Island, concerned about sales and Adé's refusal to include more English in his repertoire, cut him loose after his third LP for them featuring Stevie Wonder, 1984's Aura didnt live up to the overbloated expectations they had. (As ever with these crooks its all about money not music).

By the end of the 1980s, Ade's star began to dim, and his albums sold less, though he continued to garner critical acclaim and widespread popularity in Africa. 1998's Odu, a collection of traditional Yoruba songs, was nominated for a Grammy Award. Ade has remained a powerful force in Nigeria. Money received from his early albums has been used to launch an oil firm, a mining company, a nightclub, film and video production company, a PR firm and a record label specializing in recordings by African artists. It's been estimated than more than seven hundred people are employed by Ade's companies..

With a phalanx of electric guitars that functions like a percussion section, and talking drums that sound like a gossipy Greek chorus, King Sunny Ade and His African Beats, all 20 of them, proved that African music could be as complex, dramatic, and symphonic as any European ensemble. Some thanks must go to French producer Martin Meissonier, who took the basic elements of Ade's sound--unison guitars, Yoruban drumming, seamless song medleys, and self-reflexive lyrics--and added a diverse assortment of Jamaican production techniques to heighten, deepen, and psychedelicize a sound that, with Ade's deliciously sweet vocals and the haunting strains of Demala Adepoju's Hawaiian 'space' steel guitar, was plenty wild to begin with.

As an exception to the rule not 1 but 2 albums by Sunny Ade, initially i planned to post Aura, ripped and ready to go, when i retrieved that previous classic, Synchro System. Its noticeable that between those albums commercial pressure is applied, the appearance of then megastar Stevie Wonder, certainly made the whole package sound more 'professional' , the songs hold up well even if its sounds less rootsy then Synchro System. I've added my introduction to his work, Ja Funmi, from his Juju album (gone awol alas) anyway back then i bought the 12 " aswell because of the B side Ja Funmi Waka... space is the place (its all in the head and rising)



King Sunny Ade and His African Beats - Synchro System ( 83 ^ 312mb)

101 - Synchro Feelings-Ilako (5:33)
102 - Mo Ti Mo (5:24)
103 - Penkele (3:53)
104 - Maajo (4:07)
105 - Synchro System (6:27)
106 - E Saiye Re (3:26)
107 - Tolongo (3:15)
108 - E Wele (4:56)
109 - Synchro Reprise (1:27)
110 - Ja Funmi (12" remix) (7:05)
111 - Ja Funmi Waka version (6:55)




King Sunny Ade and His African Beats - Aura ( 84 ^ 235mb)

01 - Ase (9:06)
02 - Gboromiro (7:27)
03 - Ogunja (2:28)
04 - Oremi (6:50)
05 - Ire (4:55)
06 - Iro (6:26)

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Chief Ebenezer Obey - Miliki Plus ( 83 ^ 83mb )

With a musical career spanning nearly four decades during which time he has to his credit over 50 albums, and over 100 songs, Ebenezer Obey commands such a huge following even among today's youth that few remember he began his career under the tutelage of Pa Fatai Rolling Dollar, way back in the 1950's.Ebenezer Ramilekun Aremu Olasupo Fabiyi or Ebenezer Obey, for short, arguably remains the only living Nigerian juju music artiste whose musical evolution would be traced almost directly to the highlife music that rocked the country since independence and post independence era. Obey is the originator and exponent of the Miliki style of music in which by sheer experimentation he tried to find a resting ground for which could today be referred to us the dance hall music, although in the juju context.

Even though music making was not such a luxury in those early days, Ebenezer Fabiyi paid his dues and established himself with the International Brothers Band and went on to record big hits such as, "E Wa Wo Ohun Toju Miri", Öre Mi Se Pelepele"and Ölomi Gbo Temi" amongst others. Since the 1960s, Ebenezer Obey has been one of the most popular, prolific, and influential musicians in Nigeria, releasing over fifty albums, developing juju style, while his lyrics were traditional, his musical direction was highly innovative. he modernized the highlife sound by adding the funkiness of Yoruba drumming, more western-style guitars and added more drum where only one was used. That was the beginning of modern juju.



01 - Ere Oleyin Momo (5:03)
02 - Singing for The People (5:06)
03 - What God Has Joined Together (3:25)
04 - Happy Birthday (Celebration) (3:25)
05 - Eiye To Ma Ba Kowe Ke (5:24)
06 - Eyi Yato (3:39)
07 - Oro Mi Ti Dayo (4:12)
08 - Ore Oluwa A Kari (4:04)


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Fela Ransome Kuti and Africa 70 - Live! ( 71 ^ 446mb)

Fela, was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.Hewas born into a middle-class family, his mother was a feminist active in the anti-colonial movement and his father a Protestant minister and school Principal. Fela went to to London in 1958 with the intention of studying medicine but decided to study music instead . He formed the band Koola Lobitos, playing Afrobeat ( his fusion of American Jazz and Funk with West African Highlife). In 61 he married his first wife 2 years later he was back in Nigeria. He re-formed Koola Lobitos and worked as a radio producer, in 69 whilst on tour with the band in the US , Fela connected with the black power/panther movement., this would impact his music and political views and Fela renamed the band "Nigeria 70". Once returned to Nigeria he changed it to Africa 70 , he then formed the Kalakuta Republic, a commune, a recording studio and a home for many connected to the band which he later declared independent from the Nigerian state.

Fela's music became very popular among the Nigerian public and Africans in general. In fact, he made the decision to sing in Pidgin English so that his music could be enjoyed by individuals all over Africa, where the local languages spoken are very diverse and numerous. As popular as Fela's music had become in Nigeria and elsewhere, it was also very unpopular with the ruling government, and raids on the Kalakuta Republic were frequent. In 1977 Fela and the Afrika 70 released the hit album Zombie, a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the "zombie" metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military. The album was a smash hit with the people and infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic, during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Fela was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Fela's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed.

Despite the massive setbacks, Fela was determined to come back. He formed his own political party, which he called "Movement of the People". In 1979 he put himself forward for President in Nigeria's first elections for more than a decade but his candidature was refused. At this time, Fela created a new band called "Egypt 80" and continued to record albums and tour the country. In 1984 he was again attacked by the military government, who jailed him on a dubious charge of currency smuggling. His case was taken up by several human-rights groups, and after twenty months, he was released from prison, on his release he divorced his twelve remaining wives.

His album output slowed in the 1990s, and eventually he stopped releasing albums altogether. The battle against military corruption in Nigeria had taken it's toll. Rumors were also spreading that he was suffering from an illness, on August 3, 1997 his brother Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, a prominent AIDS activist and former Minister of Health, stunned the nation by announcing Fela had died from an AIDS releated disease, more than a million people attended his funeral at the site of the old Shrine compound.



01 - Let's Start (7:43)
02 - Black Man's Cry (11:30)
03 - Ye Ye De Smell (ft Ginger Baker) (12:42)
04 - Egbe Mi O (12:06)
bonus
05 - Ginger Baker & Tony Allen Drum Solo (16:21)

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Kofi Ayivor - Rhythmology ( 04 * 480mb )

In traditional African life the master drummer plays an enormous role in providing social cohesion. He is the keeper and transmitter of much wisdom. Besides generating a truly folk music for the whole community at festivals, weddings, funerals, or during communal work or play, he may also conduct musical duels or act as a healer of the sick. The music he masters is alive from within an imbued with a spirit that invites call and response, dialogue, and conversation among various voices, rhythms, and dancers. This spirit can also speak from the dead ancestors to the living.

Kofi Ayivor grew up on the coast of Ghana. Trained to become a master drummer in the native Ewe tradition, renowned for its knowledge of "syncopations" and cross-rhythms. Kofi took the rhythms he already knew from his village to the capital city of Ghana and then on to foreign lands. His career began as a player in the classic highlife music of the fifties and sixties with such bands as ET Mensah's Tempos Band before going on to become a member of Afro-rock pioneers Osibisa.

Rhythmology showcases many rare or previously unreleased tracks of Kofi Ayivor's own compositions as well as a cross-section of the incredible variety of genres to which he has lent his unique drumming talent.




01 - Somaja
02 - Agbadza Music
03 - Tatito
04 - Breakdown
05 - Rhythmology
06 - Adzagli(Jungle Funk)
07 - A Song for You
08 - Yaba Yaba
09 - Conversation for Two Elephants
10 - Onipae Da Wo Ho So
11 - Mediterranean Blues in
12 - Rhythms
13 - Gahu
14 - Tatito(jazz version)

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !