The HighLife

Flavorheard Radio Vol. 5 - Whiskey Barons Edition
Enjoy!

It's starting to feel like we're really beginning to thaw out of the winter; so to celebrate the sunshine we're having today, here's some of what i like to call "Music for a Sunny Day"

Happy Friday!!!

Here a shot of java to get you through the rest of your Monday.  Best version of this song of all time...


Osibisa - The Coffee Song

Jammin' since before jammin' been jammin'! A masters course in sustained groove.  This is how you change your world.  It's not the song, the message.  Live from 1983, a very good year i might add, this is...


Fela Kuti - M.O.P. (Movement of the People)

It's Friday again people!  Hope your week has been awesome.  It's been an African kind of week for me.  I've been dropping highlife and afrobeat tracks all week, and today we'll be concluding the series with a diverse set of tracks that truly hit at the essence of the genres.  Relax, drop your inhibitions, pick up your feet, and dance like you're the only one in the room.  This is Afrobeat.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

And i'm spent!  That'll it do it for now.  Hope you've enjoyed the selections.  Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi

p.s. Flavorheard w/ Certified Max  of Certified Bananas @ Middlesex Lounge  tonight.  Do it!

One day til the weekend and please believe i'm so ready for it.  My Pitt Panthers will be taking the floor soon, and i just had to drop this edition as a herald of future success.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

A-Side
We looked at music from Femi Kuti yesterday, and continuing the trend we've got music from his younger brother today.  I've mentioned this guy a bunch already on this site, search his name on here and you'll find it.  Regardless, this is the future of afrobeat.  Seun Kuti - Don't bring that shit to me, Mosquito Song


B-Side
We go back to Ghana for the second track of the day.  This is another artist i've never really heard of before, but i really like this song.  Ebo Taylor - Atwer Abroba


That's it for today.  It's almost the weekend! Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi

Hello again.  Nothing witty to say.  Straight to the afrobeat we go.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

A-Side
As we work our way down the seniority chain, we find ourselves at the first offspring of afrobeat.  His father created the sound, and he's done a lot to carry the sound into halls that typically wouldn't have it.  Unlike his father's strictly pan-African view of music, and the world, he's branched out into many other genres and worked with artists spanning many tongues, cultures, and countries.  I've also seen he and his band, The Positive Force, performing live.  And i'll tell you this much, i left drenched in my own effort, but what sweet effort it was.  Femi Kuti - Live for Today/ No Shame


B-Side
Highlife music is a very West African genre.  The Gold Coast, also known as Ghana, does highlife, and they do it very well.  It could be argued that highlife made it's way over from Ghana into Nigeria, which eventually led to the birth of afrobeat.  But we're not here for that.  This is a Ghanaian band from the highlife era i assume, origin unknown to me, that has a really nice sound with a really poignant message.  The Third Generation Band - Because of Money


And on it goes.  Keep on keeping on.  Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi

Greetings and salutations!  Here again with a few more afro-tinged selections.  It's going down all week so keep checking back, i'm sure you'll come across something new.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

A-Side
We'll keep it real African, and work through this by seniority.  There was some Fela yesterday, so today we'll work our way to his long time drummer/band leader/collaborator/co-creator of Afrobeat, Tony Allen.  There are few people who hit the skins as well as this guy.  James Brown credits his drumming for helping in the discovery of funk.  He parted ways with Fela in the 70s and has been doing his own thing, to massive critical acclaim, for a while now.   He's currently the drummer for the group The Good, The Bad, and The Queen (which really is just the album name, not the band name).  Anyway, check out the rhythm sticks on these tracks.  Tony Allen - Aye Le, Ise Nla


B-Side
This next song is kind of enigmatic.  I'd never heard of the group that made it before i heard it, but i can tell that afrobeat is not their main cup of tea.  They did create this song that, if the song title didn't give it away, is very much influenced by the robust percussion action of Nigerian afrobeat.  The track gets more ambient and synthy as it progresses.  But the first two-ish minutes of the song alone, when the groove sets in, makes the rest of it worthwhile.  Physical Sound Sport - Nigeria Game


That's what i got today.  Stay tuned all week as we, as they say in Yoruba, "ko mo 'le" (shake it down to the ground).  Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi

Back on the grind!  But it's cool, it's officially springtime!  There a fresh new week ahead, and i'm looking forward to some upward trending weather.  Hopefully the tracks this week do the same, quality-wise.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

A-Side
We'll ease into this with a song by a Nigerian afrocentric-jazz musician.  The song is an homage to afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti (the title is his full name).  True to the afrobeat sound, the piano groove works you through the entire song while all the other instrument jam out.  And by the time the song is over all you want it to do is keep going.  Kayode Olajide - Olufela


B-Side
If there ever was a song made, as far as i'm concerned, that would warrant the classification of "perfect".  This next song would be it.  This song jump started my interest in all things afrobeat.  The horns are the energy that float over the everlasting groove percolating underneath.  And is it ever percolating.   When listening to this, ignore the horns for a bit, let the keyboard and guitar take you, and then bring it all back together.  You'll be glad, and singing that groove to yourself for the rest of the day.  The song pretty much advises you to be wary of would-be showoffs/posers/power-trippers, and gives examples of where said "power show"(s) could take place.  So, if you're on one, get off the high horse and relax.  Fela Kuti - Power Show


That's it today.  Hope the week goes swell.  Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi