| Jazz |
Adrian Younge explains the origins of this album to us: “It was a considerable honor to welcome Mr. Allen for a very special recording session at Linear Labs Studio during the summer of 2018, and we are thrilled to share these crucial and incredibly funky tracks with you.”
On the album opener, “Ebun,” guitars and horns build off of Allen’s instantly recognizable drum patterns, stretching and warping time signatures as they cross paths. It immediately recalls the seminal Africa 70 recordings on which Allen made a decisive contribution. Psychedelic keyboards and percussion clash on “Steady Tremble,” a powerful track specially designed for dance floors around the world.
Some of you may remember the electro version of Makoko that was released in the 2000s. Tony Allen, although an artist of the prestigious Blue Note label, was also a musician in search of new elements to nourish his music. It’s hard to imagine that Tony Allen left us in 2020, resolutely modern. He traversed decades of music, leaving his mark on the sound of the 70s as the drummer for Fela Kuti’s revolutionary Africa 70. Allen’s polyrhythmic drumming defined Afrobeat, combining American jazz and Nigerian highlife to animate one of the most iconic artists of all time. Tony Allen’s music reflects the interconnected musical relationships and dialogues across the African diaspora, as well as their lasting influence on how we listen.
In fact, this album aims to immerse us in the 70s through its sound, instrument choices, and even the mixing. It exudes vitality more than ever, offering a great way to experience Tony Allen’s funk inspirations. Throughout his recording career, Allen defined the sound of Afrobeat by blending funk and jazz influences with Nigerian highlife, creating an intercultural dialogue that spread worldwide. “It was a considerable honor to welcome Mr. Allen for a very special recording session at Linear Labs Studio during the summer of 2018, and we are thrilled to share these crucial and incredibly funky tracks with you”, says Adrian Younge.
Undoubtedly one of the most impressive albums from Jazz Is Dead, resonating with the core of Bayou Blue Radio and Paris-Move publications, both considering it a “must-have.”
Thierry De Clemensat
Correspondent in USA
Bayou Blue News – Bayou Blue Radio – Paris-Move
PARIS-MOVE, July 8th 2023
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