Customer Reviews

Nigeria 70

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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The box set doesn't lump every style under the one rubric of afrobeat unlike what the other reviewer said. There is actually an extensive booklet discussing the history of the different genres and musical styles including highlife, ju ju, afrobeat and the hybrid musical styles found on Nigeria 70. So named because this CD concentrates on the wide variety of funky sounds being created in Nigeria during the 1970s. A third documentary CD is included with various commentary and interviews for the listeners further edification. A name is just a name anyway, the music speaks volumes more in its conflation of western jazz, rock, R&B and African styles. Horns, guitars, vocals, keyboards and drums, drums, drums combine to make sublime polyrhythmic and melodic groove. Some of the musicians may be familiar to western ears such as King Sunny Ade, OJ Ekemode, and of course Fela. But there's plenty of more obscure (to me anyway) folks on here such as Tunji Oyelana and Segun Bucknor (his song La La La is an African take on James Brown). In any case if you don't feel like moving when you hear this stuff you're probably dead.

Rarely do I buy albums on impulse, but that is how I bought this album after listening to a few tracks at a Virgin record store in Paris. I have no regrets. There is more than 2.5 hours of music, and in this case, quantity hasn't replaced quality. This album is a compilation of Nigerian music in the 1970s, and is predominantly funk music. I am normally not a big fan of funk music, but in this case, what makes the album for me are the elements of jazz and a sound that is distinctly African. If you already have an appreciation for funk, you will love this album. If you desire something different and get this album, at the very least you will have spiced up your music collection, and you will probably be wondering like me "since when was funk this good and why haven't I heard this kind of music before."

This is a great way to start to familiarize yourself with Nigerian Funk and Highlife. Raw, Dirty and Gritty. Love this Album.

Basically an explosion of 70s Nigerian music. Very funky and sinewy. Recording quality surprisingly good. I'm a huge Fela & Antibalas fan, so this for me was a must have. The 3rd disc is a spoken documentary, which I am waiting on a long road trip to listen to.

Please note that there are different and distinct genres of Nigerian music. It is a misnomer to lump various artistes from different genres under an umbrella. For a fee, I can be of help. For example, Sir Victor Uwaifo plays Ekassa music,which is not by any stretch of imagination Afrobeat. I can not allow this rewriting of history, as it were, to go unchallenged.The creator of Afrobeat as we know in Africa is the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
The world has moved on and it is ethical to ensure that consumers are adequately informed.

A.K.O.Etuazim
Mexico City.