Rating: * * * *
The world was a pretty funky place in the 70s but judging by this double-disc, 23-track compilation, there was no funkier place to be than Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos.
Nigeria 70, subtitled The Definitive Story of 1970's Funky Lagos, offers up both classic songs and
rare gems from a rich and forgotten era in Nigerian music.
So there are the influential players like Fela Kuti with two tracks, including 15-minute epic Upside Down; Sunny Ade's trance-like instrumental Ja Fun Mi; and Tony Allen (drummer in Kuti's Africa 70 band) offers up the noodly, raw and righteous No Discrimination.
And on the not so well-known side there's the uppity horns of the Funkees' Dancing Time; the soulful and gritty vocal serenade of Segun Bucknor's La La La; and William Onyeabor's weird 1978 synth-driven track Better Change Your Mind, which has hints of Kraftwerk's Autobahn and Herbie Hancock's Chameleon.
And it's not all arse-shaking grooves - there's the progressive funk of Blo's catchy Chant To Earth Mother; Bongos Ikwue sounds like a Nigerian Johnny Cash on the country funk of Woman Made The Devil, and Ofo the Black Company's Allah Wakbarr is fuzz-funk with smoky Doors organ. This is one funky compilation that transports you back to a golden age.
Scott Kara
