NIGERIA SPECIALS

I’ve really been digging the Soundway label from Brighton, England, ever since I picked up the amazing Ghana Soundz compilation back in 2002. Since then they’ve been consistently unearthing and compiling obscure gems from West Africa and beyond, always with a strong emphasis on the funk. Rare doesn’t always mean good, but with these guys, seemingly, yes it does. They never cease to amaze me with the sheer quality of the music that’s laid forgotten in dusty humid basements for decades, most of the tracks they’ve compiled have never been released outside of their country of origin, so despite the huge popularity of funk throughout the world in the 70’s many of these great artists remained unknown outside their immediate locale. Aside from the quality of the music, all tracks are remastered from best available sources, are properly licensed, and they usually come with extensive liner notes, archive photographs and beautiful covers. You can just tell what a labour of love it is for these guys.

Their latest project is their most ambitious to date, the Nigeria Special series. First in the series is Nigeria Special an incredible selection of 26 Highlife, Afro-beat, Jazz and native Blues tracks from between 1970 to 76, covering the time from the end of the bloody Biafran War to the 1976 military coup, available as a 2xCD or 2 volumes of 2xLP. This was a period of independence, new found wealth, optimism, and an explosion of musical creativity in Nigeria. American music had found it’s way back to West Africa via the radio and Nigerian artists like Fela Kuti, who had spent time in the USA, Orlando Julius and Peter King were fusing African rhythms with American Soul, Funk and Jazz. None of those artists are featured here, but don’t worry about that, the results are spectacular, and incredibly diverse, with traditional sounds, heavy grooves and touches of psychedelia from a whole host of lesser known artists. This set has already become one of the best compilations I’ve ever bought. Do your ears a favour and buy this album.

The 2nd installment in the series is Nigeria Disco Funk Special, a selection of 9 heavy funk dancefloor bombs showcasing the vibrant Lagos clubbing scene of the late 70s, available on CD and 2xLP. The cover here is excellent, and once again Soundway don’t disappoint with the music on offer. I should say though that the Disco term here more applies to the fact that this was the music played in Lagos discos of the time and isn’t really what most people would think of as “disco music”, (clean drums, uplifting vocals and strings, etc). The emphasis is on extended funk jams. From liner notes; Soundway presents 9 slabs of rhythm from a time when Saturday and Sunday nights in Lagos City were for looking good and going out. All of them vital musical feathers in the Lagos DJ’s bow alongside the latest Brass Construction, BT Express & James Brown imports that were hot off the plane. Once again, an essential selection.

The 3rd and final installment in the series is Nigeria Rock Special, which is due out this month. Yup, there was also a vibrant afro-rock scene in 1970s Nigeria. As well as the psychedelic Western sounds that could be heard on the radio, some rock stars like Ginger Baker (the drummer from Cream) actually went to live in Nigeria and learn about rhythm. He stayed with Fela Kuti for a while and formed a band from local musicians, who would later go on to become one of the best and most popular Afro-Rock bands in Nigeria, BLO. Other popular bands from the time featured here include Ofege, Mono Mono, and the Funkees. Expect heavy afro rhythms fused with fuzzy electric guitars.