Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & His Inter-Reformers Band - Sound of the Moment (1980)

I'll start by apologising for the lack of recent posts - I've been rather busy with one thing or another and just haven't been able to make the time for music posts.

However, I'm returning with the sweet musical sunshine. I picked up this beautiful chunk of balmy Nigerian juju heat at a recent bootsale and it's helping to make up for the lack of sunshine here.
If you've never heard the juju, then this is as good a place as any to start your habit. If you have, then you'll know the score: gloriously woozy slide guitars, mesmeric talking drums and sublime vocal harmonising all blended up into a lazy psychedelic gumbo.

Previous Ebenezer Obey posts can be found here.

Tracklist:

Side One: Kaiye Mi Ko Dun Ko Dero / Aja Kole Ba Agbo Kan / Ewure Ile Komo Oyi Ode / Mo Mo Iyi Enia Mi / Omode Yi Nwo Mi Loju / Ade Komolafe

Side Two: Chief Muraina Adisa Makinde / Borikan Ba Sunwon / Folaranmi / Kenimani Sebi Ogun Ni

Get it HERE.

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & His Inter-Reformers Band - What God Has Joined Together (1981)

Back in July last year I posted this album, which featured some great extracts from Ebenezer Obey's albums from the early '80s. The music on that album is all wonderful, but when the song fades I'm always left feeling a little disappointed, like I might have missed something important. This 1981 album from Obey's amazing band drifts the way juju should, the songs stretch out and subtly shift in pace and texture and you get the impression they could just groove on and on and on...

Tracklist:

Side 1: Eto Igbey Awo / What God Has Joined Together / Ile Oko Ile Eko

Side 2: Ore Oluwa Akari / Olusola Lumous

Get it HERE.

Chief Ebenezer Obey - Miliki Plus (1983)

Excellent compilation of songs from 4 of Obey's early '80s albums. I'm loving the juju sound...Obey's voice is sweet and strong like honey and his band are just incredible. Miliki means enjoyment in the Yoruban language and that just about sums up these perfect summer sounds.

Tracklist:

01 Ere Oloyin Momo
02 Singing for the People
03 What God Has Joined Together
04 Happy Birthday (Celebration)
05 Eiye To Ma Ba Kowe Ke
06 Eyi Yato
07 Oro Mi Ti Dayo
08 Ore Oluwa a Kari

Get It Over HERE.

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & His Inter-Reformers Band - Womanhood (1991)

I picked up a handful of African records at a flea market yesterday, so here's the first of them, it's some gloriously cosmic juju from Chief Commader Ebenezer Obey. Along with King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey was Nigeria's most famous and successful juju musician and this album from the early '90s is just beautiful...exquisite vocal harmonies, intricate layers of mesmerising guitars, a chorus of talking drums, all these things work together in the construction of some really wonderful melodies. The whole thing sends me into raptures! Each side of the album is dedicated to a famous or powerful public figure, so side 1 goes to Mrs Maryam Babangida who was Nigeria's first lady at the time of the record's release. Here, Mrs Babangida is praised by Obey for her involvement in efforts to alleviate poverty through the introduction of the Better-Life Programme (I don't know much about this, presumably it involved the redistribution of some of Nigeria's oil money...get in touch if you know more).

Tracklist:

Side 1 Iba Lo Ye Ka Se / Woman Deserve Better Treatment / Better Life For Women / Happiness Of Mothers / I Love You For Ever

Side 2 Ori Lafi'N Meran Lawo / Bashorun M. K. Abiola (14th Aare Onakakanfo) / Orun I'Osupa Ti Muyi Wa / Ologbo To Fe Peja Ninu Omi / In The Continent of Africa

Get it HERE.