Admiral Dele Abiodun & His Top Hitters International - Ring My Number:Temi Laago (1988)

This chunk of late '80s juju is a bit infectious; the fidgety rhythms propel us at speed through the delightful wash of slide guitars and vocal harmonies. It's raining here in Brighton but this is the sound of summer.

Tracklist:

Side 1: Mo Kan'Lekun Oro / Eni Kanju Ola / Emi O Majo / Temi Laago (821 367)

Side 2: Maranti Olore / Temi O Ni Soro / Kolre Baje / Adawa Loni Juju

Get it HERE.

Sir Shina Peters - Afro Juju Series 1(1989)

Hey, hey, here's some more juju for yer ears!  Sir Shina Peters started out playing guitar for General Prince Adekunle before forming a group with Segun Adewale in the early eighties.  He formed his own juju troup in the late eighties and this was his first release.  It's a frantic fusion of juju and fuji - a surefire hit on the dancefloors of my dreams - and I hope you like it.



And while you're here, you may want to check this out - a bizarre Shina Peters jungle remix:
  


Tracklist:
01         Afro-Juju       
02         Je Kajo       
03         Ijo Shina       
04         Moju Kuro       
05         Oyin Momo       
06         Omoge To Rewa       
07         Omo Enia Lo Sora       
08         Jesu Gbadura Mi       
09         Atoto Arere       
10         Irawo Lagba (Ace)       
11         Adebisi Odutayo       
12         Afro-Juju Lo Gbode 

Get it HERE.

Sunny Ade & His African Beats - Volume 10

 

 

I picked up this lovely double LP in the bargain bin of local second hand shop, unfortunately the first disc was missing - maybe someone else has it?

Regular visitors will know that I'm quite partial to a bit of Sunny Ade's juju sound, especially these vintage recordings (of which there seems to be very, very many).  These songs are fairly genteel in pace making the LP quite a languid affair.  Perfect for the warm sunny days we've been having recently.  

Tracklist:

01 Ariya Odun Kewa
02 Teni Begi Loju

Get it HERE.

Lanrewaju Adepoju & His Akewi Theatre - Volume 3

Here's a treat.  Lanrewaju Adepoju was (is?) a famous Yoruban poet an on this 1975 recording they deliver an exciting blend of highlife, juju and afrobeat sounds that you just might like.  And if you do, you can find another wonderful LP over here.

Tracklist:

Side One - Igba oro ki i fo/Maa see e niso/Oyinbo Kare
Side Two - Timi agbale waja/Baba dari ji wa/Oga l'olowo

Get it HERE.

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.

King Sunny Ade & His Green Spot Band - Sunny Ade: Master Guitarist Volume 4 (1971)

It's been a long time since I posted any Sunny Ade, so here's a treat for all you Juju hounds. These recordings date back to the late sixties and early seventies and they have a rougher edge than much of his later music however, the supple rhythms of the talking drums and the intricate, intertwining guitar lines are all present and correct, as are the gorgeous vocal harmonies which make me feel like I'm floating on golden clouds of angel hair. The songs are shorter too so that's a bonus for all those with attention deficits.



Tracklist:

01 Mr. Adenaike (Olulu)
02 John Ali
03 Egbe Board
04 Chief Lekan Salami
05 Prince Adesanya
06 A Ye Wa
07 Akure Nile
08 Major General Adebaye
09 Akanbi Ogun
10 Constant Star

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.

King Sunny Ade (Golden Mercury of Africa) & His African Beats - Searching for my Love (Sunny Alade 1980)

Just for a treat, here's some more sublime, cosmic juju to brighten up our days. Perfect sounds from King Sunny Ade, the Golden Mercury of Africa, and his incredible band.

Track list:

01 I'm Searching for my Love
02 She Loves Me
03 Oh Dear
04 I found my Love

05 Igbagbo Mi Duro
06 Ore Ti Afinu Han
07 Ronu Koto Sebi
08 Chief Aderibigbe Shitta
09 Alhaji Muyideen Agunbiade

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.

Sunny Ade & His Green Spot Band - Master Guitarist Vol. 5

Well, its been too long, so here's another phenomenal album from the juju maestro, the Minister of Enjoyment, King Sunny Ade. This one was released in the very early '70s and has a lovely organic sound that I've been enjoying immensely.

Tracklist:
o1 Late Dr Nkrumah
02 Ka Ma Buni Lole
03 I. S. Adewale
04 Olulade Wilkey

05 Sunny Special
06 Owo Ko Nife
07 Awon Ti Won Yo
08 Alhaja Bintu

Get it 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.

King Sunny Ade & His African Beats - Conscience (Eri Okun) 1983

My next door neighbour found this great slice of '80s electro-juju in a second hand record shop in London. Being a very kind man, he's let me borrow the album to share with anyone with an interest and an internet connection:

Tracklist:

01 Eri Okan / Semi Lasepe
02 Odele Alaga / Igbehin Loju
03 Atiro Gbon Orin Da / Ojumo Oni Tunmo
04 Ebawa Jo / Prince 'Beyo Ade Goke

You can download the zip here.

Dr. Orlando Owoh & His Afrikan Kenneries Beats International - Money for Hand Back for Ground Volume 1

Earlier in November Comb & Razor posted the news that Dr. Orlando Owoh has died. Owoh was an important cultural figure in Nigeria, known for his soulful voice and philosophical lyrics, and for his hybrid of highlife and juju musics. Here's a little taste:

I picked up this cd bootleg of a late '70s album on a stall at East Street Market on my last trip to London. The man on the stall seemed to find it strange that I would be interested in this old Nigerian music, but he was selling some great bootleg cd's of some real classics, including albums by Sir Victor Uwaifo and Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe which I'll be posting at some point in the future.

Dr. Orlando Owoh & His Afrikan Kenneries Beats International - Money for Hand Back for Ground Volume 1

Tracklisting:

Money For Hand Back For Ground
His Highness Oba Oyekan Of Lagos
Eyo Omo Olode
Ailo Lore
Eriloye
Edun Jale Oforu-Lo
Ore Mi Ma Dale
Mori Sisi Kan L'Ode
Sisi Fola Shade
Salewaye Ye Salewa

The zip is over here.

King Sunny Ade - Ijinle Odu (1982)

Another glorious album of light, airy but totally insistent grooves from King Sunny Ade. Ijinle Odu came out in 1982 on Sunny Alade Records of Ikeja, but is quite different from his Island Records releases from around this time, Synchro System and Aura, both of which blend the juju sound with synths, syn drums and dub effects. Ijinle Odu is an altogether more organic affair that just meanders along, languishing in its own beauty. Great, shifting rhythms, some fantastic guitar work and really amazing xylophone playing all combine to make this well worth some of your time.

Track Listing:

A1 Oro Oko Ati Irawo
A2 Aya To Pawo
A3 Ife Ki Ibinu
A4 Alhadji Jide Okunnu

B1 Aja Ngbo Nigbo
B2 Ika O Dara
B3 Ata Wewe
B4 Maje Nbi Were Lomo
B5 E Saiye Re

Although the sleeve and labels say there are 9 tracks, I've posted the album as two separate mp3s because each side works best as a cotinuous piece rather than as a collection of discrete songs. Like I said, the music just makes a subtle shift and you find yourself dancing to a different tune.

Get it over here.

King Sunny Ade - Private Line (1978)

African music seems to be enjoying something of a resurgence in popularity lately. Interest and imaginations have been sparked as a number of young bands like the Dirty Projectors, Extra Golden, Yeasayer or Vampire Weekend have tried to introduce something of an 'African' guitar sound into their music, evoking the rhythms and sounds of highlife or afrobeat. Some fantastic compilations and reissues, and some great blogs, have also helped bring some beautiful, vintage music to listening ears and draw attention to the richness and diversity of this huge continent's recent musical history. So, from the deep and mystical sounding '60s and '70s afro-jazz of Ethiopia's Mulatu Astatke, or the wild, guitar workouts of Sir Victor Uwaifo, we get to catch a glimpse of the Africa that lies behind official representations of a continent and people in need of Europe's paternal presence, first in the name of the colonial civilising mission, then in the name of development.

Today's musical offering is from one of Africa's most popular musicians, The Minister of Enjoyment, King Sunny Ade. I picked up a battered copy of this wonderful example of juju music at a car boot sale.



It's a Nigerian pressing from the Sunny Alade label and I don't think this music has had any kind of European or American release, although the track 365 is my Number was rerecorded and shortened for one of Sunny Ade's Island releases. This really is beautiful music, with gorgeous recurring phrases and melodies that play around the intricate rhythms of the many percussion instruments, and some fantastic, understated guitar playing. Maybe I'm easily pleased, but this stuff just seems to put me in a good mood. We've not had much of a summer here in England, but this stuff has been providing me with plenty of musical sunshine.

Tracklisting:

A		365 Is My Number-Dial
B1		Kale Sanwa Jowuro Lo
B2		Omo Nigeria Ti Mbe Lehin Odi
B3		Ajo Ki Dun Ki Odida Ma Rewo
B4		Alhaji Kola Wole Olokodana

The zip is here or here. Enjoy the sunshine...