Hear Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti's Afrobeat, legendary Beninese band Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, and indigenous funk from Soweto band BCUC. Plus, pan-Nigerian Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah and the "New Fuji Garbage" of Nigeria's Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. Afrobeat is highly danceable complex combination of Nigerian and Ghanaian highlife music, jazz, soul and funk, some psychedelic rock, and traditional West African rhythms. Listen to music by Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti, the father of the style known as “Afrobeat” music, (who repeatedly gave credit to his drummer, Tony Allen, without whom there would be no Afrobeat.) Then, hear Soweto band BCUC, “for the people by the people with the people”, music that blends the traditional sounds of South African communal singing with funky bass lines and a punky, hip hop attitude. The band’s name stands for Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness – ‘Bantu” means “people” and “uhuru” means “freedom,” and their songs are somewhere between trance, ritual, and as a “weapon of political and spiritual liberation”, (Bandcamp liner notes). Then, there’s music from southern Nigeria, from Alhaji Waziri Oshomah, who makes “a unique form of dance music that’s fused with local folk styles, pan-Nigerian highlife and Western pop”. His lyrics “draw on Judeo-Christian and traditional imagery to speak of piety and reverence, while also conveying Islamic values such as humility and modesty”, (Luaka Bop World Spirituality Classics series.) Also, hear music by the legendary Beninese “All-Powerful” Orchestre Polyrythmo; who have been going strong for decades. This grand band, on their release Madjafalao ("Watch Out"), takes a mighty and joyous romp through Beninese Vodou rituals and traditional Beninese music to American soul and funk, Nigerian Afrobeat, Congolese rumba, Ghanaian highlife, and Afro-Cuban sounds. Plus, there’s a piece from Nigerian-born Yoruba singer-songwriter Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who was a pioneer of Fuji and Wéré music (Wikipedia). - Caryn Havlik Program #4757, Deep Groove Africa (First aired 6/2/23) ARTIST: Fela KutiWORK: Water No Get Enemy [9:49]RECORDING: Best of the Black President Vol. 2SOURCE: Knitting Factory Records KFR1029-0INFO: knittingfactoryrecords.com ARTIST: BCUCWORK: Ntuthwane [7:21]RECORDING: Millions of UsSOURCE: On the CornerINFO: bcuc.bandcamp.com/album/millions-of-us ARTIST: Alhaji Waziri OshomahWORK: Omhona-Omhona [8:38]RECORDING: World Spirituality Classics 3: The Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri OshomahSOURCE: Luaka BopINFO: luakabop.com ARTIST: Le Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-RythmoWORK: Madjafalao [7:20]RECORDING: MadjafalaoSOURCE: Because MusicINFO: polyrythmo.com | forcedexposure.com ARTIST: Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde BarristerWORK: New Fuji Garbage [12:42]RECORDING: Refined Fuji GarbageSOURCE: Ace RecordsINFO: Available at AppleMusic, Spotify, Amazon.com
Hear Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti's Afrobeat, legendary Beninese band Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, and indigenous funk from Soweto band BCUC. Plus, pan-Nigerian Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah and the "New Fuji Garbage" of Nigeria's Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.
Afrobeat is highly danceable complex combination of Nigerian and Ghanaian highlife music, jazz, soul and funk, some psychedelic rock, and traditional West African rhythms. Listen to music by Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti, the father of the style known as “Afrobeat” music, (who repeatedly gave credit to his drummer, Tony Allen, without whom there would be no Afrobeat.)
Then, hear Soweto band BCUC, “for the people by the people with the people”, music that blends the traditional sounds of South African communal singing with funky bass lines and a punky, hip hop attitude. The band’s name stands for Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness – ‘Bantu” means “people” and “uhuru” means “freedom,” and their songs are somewhere between trance, ritual, and as a “weapon of political and spiritual liberation”, (Bandcamp liner notes).
Then, there’s music from southern Nigeria, from Alhaji Waziri Oshomah, who makes “a unique form of dance music that’s fused with local folk styles, pan-Nigerian highlife and Western pop”. His lyrics “draw on Judeo-Christian and traditional imagery to speak of piety and reverence, while also conveying Islamic values such as humility and modesty”, (Luaka Bop World Spirituality Classics series.)
Also, hear music by the legendary Beninese “All-Powerful” Orchestre Polyrythmo; who have been going strong for decades. This grand band, on their release Madjafalao ("Watch Out"), takes a mighty and joyous romp through Beninese Vodou rituals and traditional Beninese music to American soul and funk, Nigerian Afrobeat, Congolese rumba, Ghanaian highlife, and Afro-Cuban sounds. Plus, there’s a piece from Nigerian-born Yoruba singer-songwriter Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who was a pioneer of Fuji and Wéré music (Wikipedia). - Caryn Havlik
Program #4757, Deep Groove Africa (First aired 6/2/23)
ARTIST: Fela KutiWORK: Water No Get Enemy [9:49]RECORDING: Best of the Black President Vol. 2SOURCE: Knitting Factory Records KFR1029-0INFO: knittingfactoryrecords.com
ARTIST: BCUCWORK: Ntuthwane [7:21]RECORDING: Millions of UsSOURCE: On the CornerINFO: bcuc.bandcamp.com/album/millions-of-us
ARTIST: Alhaji Waziri OshomahWORK: Omhona-Omhona [8:38]RECORDING: World Spirituality Classics 3: The Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri OshomahSOURCE: Luaka BopINFO: luakabop.com
ARTIST: Le Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-RythmoWORK: Madjafalao [7:20]RECORDING: MadjafalaoSOURCE: Because MusicINFO: polyrythmo.com | forcedexposure.com
ARTIST: Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde BarristerWORK: New Fuji Garbage [12:42]RECORDING: Refined Fuji GarbageSOURCE: Ace RecordsINFO: Available at AppleMusic, Spotify, Amazon.com