The HighLife

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

February has been a good month musically.  Random, but still good.  We had the Grammy's at the beginning of the month, with Adele and Chrisette Michelle taking home awards.  Bob Marley's birthday.  Mos Def's delayed album. Our introductions to the very danceable Private, and the uber-soulful Jesse Dee.  Lily Allen and Ryan Leslie releasing new albums. And an onslaught of fat beats in general.  That said, here's a set of pretty much all of February's Jumpoff selections, save one or two here and there.  Enjoy!

Fela Kuti - Question Jam Answer
This song may initially come off as a little off-beat and dissonnant.  It's not, just keep listening and it'll all come together eventually.  The song is about arguments and their futility.  It also alludes to the fact that when two sides don't see eye to eye, there is no saying what it could escalate to.  "Jam" in the song title means 'to crash into'. "Shele" in the chorus means 'to happen'.  So "when Question jam Answer...another thing go shele o".  The "another thing" is left to the imagination.  Fill in the blank with whatever you think 'another thing' could be.  Word to the wise, it's easier just to not quarrel.

Friends of The HighLife, Flavorheard, just released their latest mix of music for "your booty and soul".  Pour out a glass of something smooth, and then prepare yourself to get down. 
Flavorheard Radio Vol. 3

Check out their other mixes and upcoming dates at flavorheard.com and on their myspace.

Sort of like the end of year dispatch.  Here's a playlist of music selections that were featured in January's Jumpoff posts.  Enjoy!

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra - Nyash
I'll keep this short because there isn't much to know.  I just saw these guys tear it up with The Roots last night, two stages, two bands, at the same time, back and forth, singularly.  I don't have too many adjectives to describe it other than to say it was amazing!  This is one of my favorite songs of theirs, and all that the song says is that you need to move your ass, which is what 'nyash' translates to.  Now that you know, do it.

Tic Tac and Tony Tetuila - Fefe n'efe
This song is the result of a collaboration of two artists from Ghana (Tic Tac) and Nigeria (Tony Tetuila).  Some of the Yoruba lines are sketchy in the grammatical correctness, and i simply can't speak on the Ghanaian aspect.  But the song pretty much is just talking abuot the beauty of a woman, and that's about all that you really need to know.  The rest is dancing.

Fela Kuti - Fogo Fogo



I'd like to be able to one day say that there isn't a Fela Kuti song that i haven't heard.  For a little while i was starting to think that, until i came across this gem of a track.  I've literally listened to this song on repeat for the last two weeks, and i don't think that's going to stop for a good while. From the repeating guitar riff, layered over the snare and drum kicks that drop in and out like exclamation points on the groove, this is Afrobeat at it's finest.  The only thing that could be better than hearing this here is hearing it live.  Which, i imagine, would be more raucous.  The song is sort of a parable about people who would take advantage of your generosity and in the process cause you ruin.  I'll set the scenario.  You should also know, fogo, in Yoruba, means to break glass. So, Fela goes out with some people and he buys them drinks all night until he's out of money. These guests then get drunk  and proceed to break the bottles of all that they've had, beer, whiskey, palm wine, etc, on the floor leaving the expense of repairs and clean up to Fela.  The chorus "fogo fogo, ebe mi", essentially then is sarcastically speaking to the culprits saying that he'll assume responsibility for the glass breaking, but please believe, you fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice,.. well, you can't be fooled again. (i just had to one last time)

One of the very first posts i had on this site included music from Seun Kuti.  There's also a video of his encore performance at Paradise in Boston, courtesy of George, in the Vids tab (highly recommended viewing).  So as if he wasn't cool enough already, i just found out that he was one of the performers at the Dec 11, 2008 Nobel Peace Prize Concert honoring Namibia's Marti Ahtisaari.



And then to boot, he also recently released his first official music video for "Many Things", off his debut album, Think Africa.



I was going to add more to this, but i'll stop myself now.  Look out for more on him later.