Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Ayamma - Anambra Beats
2. Okwukwe Na Nchekwube - Ukwu, Celestine & His Philosophers National
3. Amalinja - Ezekiel, Don Isaac Combination
4. Akula Owu Onyeara - Funkees
5. Oja Omoba - Ojo, Dele & His Star Brothers Band
6. Koma Mosi - Harbours Band
7. Nekwaha Semi Colon - Semi-Colon
8. Osalobua Rekpama - Uwaifo, Sir Victor & His Melody Maestroes
9. Onwu Ama Dike - St. Augustine & His Rovers Dance Band
10. Feso Jaiye - Sahara All Stars Of Jos
11. Ema Kowa Iasa Ile Wa - Mono Mono
12. To Whom It May Concern - Oyelana, Tunji & The Benders
13. Ugali - Benson, Tony Sextet

Disc 2:

1. Asiko Ni Mi - Nigerian Police Force Band
2. Torri Wowo - Ezike, Godwin & The Ambassadors
3. Belema - Opotopo
4. Alabeke - Satch, Dan & His Atomic 8 Dance Band Of Aba
5. Arraino - Popular Cooper & His All Beats Band
6. Simini (Yaya) - Elaiho, Collins Oke & His Odoligie Nobles Dance Band
7. Buroda Mase - Johnson, Bola & His Easy Life Top Beats
8. I Want A Break Thru - Hykkers
9. Business Before Pleasure - Akaeze, George & His Augmented Hits
10. Omo Yen Wu Mi - Shadow Abraham & Mono Mono
11. Blak Sound - Fadaka, Leo & The Heroes
12. Eguae Oba Osayomore - Joseph & The Creative 7
13. Akpaisong - Williams, Etubom Rex & His Nigerian Artistes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3307 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-04
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Enhanced

From the label:

Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-1976 presents some of the best un-reissued and forgotten sounds from Nigeria, covering the amazing vibrant and diverse styles that emerged and flourished at the time. Everything from Highlife, Jazz, Afro Beat and Blues to more traditional styles are represented. The 32-page booklet covers a history of the time plus in-depth information on the artists and musicians, as well as a look at the striking pop-art cover designs of Nigerian records.

Reviews:

"...incisive, nonstop grooves" - Steve Dollar, Time Out (Chicago)

***** - Time Out (New York)

Customer Reviews

This is
one of the best records I've ever heard in my life. Why didn't I hear this music when I was young?

A must for anyone with any interest in African music
I didn't have great expectations of this album when I initially ordered it, given that there are a fair few albums focused on West African music from the seventies and they are of distinctly varying quality, in my experience. Fortunately on its arrival I was pleasantly surprised to find a double album that was beautifully put together in terms of packaging and one of the most interesting and informative accompanying booklets I have seen for a while. The music was pretty good too.

Essentially this is a compilation of rare tracks that the compiler felt were worth trying to bring to a wider audience. Predominantly it explores the highlife scene of early 1970's Nigeria but without being exclusive. Furthermore, thanks to the excellent sleeve notes, it puts it all into its linguistic and cultural context.

There are some really brilliant individual tracks on here as well. In the vein of deep Afro-rock grooves, Mono-Mono's "Ema Kowa Iasa Ile Wa" is a real winner, as is the Don Isaac Ezequiel Combination's "Amalinja" and "Asiko Ni Mi" by the Nigerian Police Force Band. "Akula Owu Onyeara" by the Funkee's deserves to be a funk classic and "Okwukwe Na Nchekwube" by Celestine Ukwu and His Philosophers National is a wonderful demonstration of what Highlife music, as Nigerian pop, can really be all about.

This is obviously not an album that will appeal to everyone, and as with any compilation there are some tracks that will remain in the memory longer than others, but this is a record of real charm and intelligence which brings to life an interesting musical scene without over-indulging on one or two artists who have achieved more success.

Five Stars Are Only Half Of The Story
A wonderful and intelligently compiled collection of Nigerian electric highlife and Afro-rock from the early 1970's. With a four panel digipack case, a well written and informative booklet and 2 discs of impossibly rare music, excellently mastered for CD reissue, this is an absolute bargain.

Unlike many of the recent reissue collections of Nigerian music this one bypasses the more well known Afrobeat selections and concentrates on some of the more obscure sounds created in the nation's most fertile period. There is irresistably infectious highlife, there's embryonic Afrobeat style workouts and there is straight ahead rock sounds, although with a definite African influence.

The compilers deserve a big pat on the back for releasing such a varied, but consistently excellent album. Hopefully they have plans to extend this series and uncover further selections of some of the most joyous music on the planet.

If you're a fan of Fela, Femi, Franco, Nigerian, Ghanaian or Congolese music the there is very little chance you'll be disappointed by this set. And at just over eleven quid it's an absolute steal