Tony Allen’s Film of Life – 2014 Music Supreme

January 4, 2015 by 2 Comments

“Thank you for listening to my music” Tony Allen says humbly in the opening track of Film of Life. The Nigerian-born, Paris-based drummer/composer/songwriter/musical director best-known to Afrobeat lovers as its co-founder and pioneer alongside Fela Kuti for a long time thereafter, continues ‘Moving On’ by reminding us of past album titles from his long and legendary music career which are (sadly) just as relevant today as then (No Discrimination for example). Tony Allen finishes his introduction to Film of Life by telling listeners to “Check it out”.

Tony Allen - Film of Life (2014)

In response to Tony Allen I’d say “Thank you for 50+ years of making and playing incredible music for the world to hear and enjoy for the rest of time”. Moving on more specifically to Film of Life I say to readers here “Check it out” you must. It’s one of the world’s most valuable musical creations of 2014 and the supreme of all albums added to my music collection this past year.

Ten tracks collaboratively written and performed by Tony Allen and other great artists (Damon Albarn – Nefretiti – Adunni – Kuku) and produced by French trio The Jazzbastards, means diversity. Afrobeat lovers will find music and vocals easily recognisable as straight ol’ (quality) Afrobeat. Flying Lotus fans could be forgiven for thinking some songs from Film of Life are collaborations between Steven Ellison and Tony Allen.  Folks into futuristic spy movies might sometimes feel they’re hearing the soundtrack to their favourite film. Lovers of all sounds funk get plenty of them all throughout Film of Life. Dub heads get their fix too.

Then there’s other bunches of different musical flavours again, like the albums first single co-written and performed with Damon Albarn (Blur / Gorillaz).

The consistency linking it all together is the very distinct-sounding and absolutely supreme chops of 74 year old Tony Allen on drum kit, perfectly playing his multi-layered polyrythyms better-than-ever before; and demonstrating again with Film of Life that in a globalised world of cross-genre music he never fails to drive his ‘Afrobeat Expresso’ into the current day and up front of the musical lane.

Tony Allen - Film of Life (2014)

Given the diversity of sounds on Film of Life two songs can’t properly represent what it is (especially in compressed mp3 version). Here’s a sample taste of its flavours anyway…

Tony Allen - Film of Life (2014)

Film of Life (2014)

‘African Man’ – Tony Allen – Film of Life (2014)

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‘Afo KunfFu Beat’ – Tony Allen – Film of Life (2014)

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If you like the samples, check out Film of Life in it’s highest sound quality version you must. Hear it on vinyl, or at least cd. Keep that and any past Tony Allen albums you can find in your valuable music collection forever thereafter. Amen.

And a happy new year of music to all! 🙂

Filed Under: Nigeria, Tony Allen Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra – Credit Where Credit’s Due

July 15, 2014 by 1 Comment

At their live show at AWME last year I didn’t give The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra as much credit as they were due. At the time I was yearning for ‘purer’ sounds of Afro-beat, and I guess for the sounds of Fela Kuti himself. That desire of mine wasn’t so fair on The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra.

Since that POAO gig, 3 things have happened to make me fully appreciate the innovative musical goodness of this 17-piece Melbourne-based group that’s created its own unique sounds of Afro-beat funk infused with hip-hop:

1.  The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra’s cd Do Anything Go Anywhere made its way back with me from AWME and onto a listening device that shall not be named. And when each 1 of the 7 POAO album tracks came up in a shuffle, I found myself paying all my attention to the music and checking who the artists were who made it. 

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra - Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010)

Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010)

2.  I experienced ‘purer’ forms of live Afro-beat when I heard Femi Kuti & The Positive Force at WOMADelaide 2014 and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 at Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014. And at some point during both those Kuti shows I found myself yearning for the diverse sounds of contemporary fusion music; wanting something more in the mix – like the beats and scratches of The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra’s DJ Manchild for example 🙂 .

3.  I’ve been checking out a lot of new music that’s come my way this year – and have felt pretty uninspired by most of it. Do Anything Go Anywhere inspires me – both the music and its positive, conscious lyrics. The 5-strong horn section and their horn parts written by trumpet player, composer, producer and one of POAO’s 3 instigators Tristan Ludowyk (Hope Street Recordings), especially inspire this here lover of all sounds woodwind and brass.

Public Opinion Afro Orchestra live @ AWME (Australasian Worldwide Music Expo) 2013

With 17 (sometimes more) musicians, vocalists and a DJ on stage or on a record, there’s always the potential trap of sounding too busy. The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra don’t. Full yes, but busy no. There’s also the risk of the individual sounds and artistry of each group member getting lost in the mix. That doesn’t happen on Do Anything Go Anywhere. The music has plenty of solos, plenty of space and all the artists get heard at the right times.

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra live @ AWME (Australasian Worldwide Music Expo) 2013

I guess that having to divide (too-often-shitty) gig monies amongst 17 artists after paying 17 peoples’ travel costs, probably makes touring tough; and that finding stages to accommodate 17 musicians could be hard. Not to mention the challenges of trying to lock-in Public Opinion Afro Orchestra shows amongst the conflicting schedules of so many people involved in different music projects. Isn’t that a shame for the world and all lovers of innovative funk music in it who should be able to get the benefits of a live Public Opinion Afro Orchestra experience? Because the combined sum of those 17+ individual artists with their different music skills, experiences and influences is this: well-composed, well-played music with a great diversity of sounds.

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra live @ AWME (Australasian Worldwide Music Expo) 2013

Probably more credible than my personal testimony to the goodness of the music and musicianship in The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra is this: 2 of Australia’s music festivals that most consistently have a line-up of incredible artists from around the world are Byron Bay Bluesfest and WOMADelaide. The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra have played at both of those festivals.

Check out a sample track here (mp3 only) from Do Anything Go Anywhere…

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra - Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010)

Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010) – The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra

‘Mumbo Jumbo’  – Do Anything Go Anywhere 

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Hear more sample tracks from Do Anything Go Anywhere elsewhere in Beaver Land. ‘Future Africa’ has an especially awesome call-and-response DJ/Horn jam like I’ve only been blessed to hear once before at a Troker de Mexico show.

If you’re into The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra’s music then like always, I encourage you to find & buy a copy of this independently-released music on vinyl or cd so you can hear all the good sounds the artists intended you to hear. People in Australia can get it from local independent music stores and peeps elsewhere in the world can order it on-line for the mail woman or man to deliver.

Anyone around the planet can look out in hope for their own live Public Opinion Afro Orchestra experience. Next up is Melbourne at the Espy in August.  Until you get one, check out this video of their show at AWME (Australasian Worldwide Music Expo) 2013…

YouTube VIDEO – The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra live @ AWME 2013 or on Vimeo

When I get to catch myself another Public Opinion Afro Orchestra gig I’ll probably still yearn for the live Fela Kuti experience. I can’t help it, I always will. But I will better appreciate the unique fusion goodness of the live Public Opinion Afro Orchestra experience.
Filed Under: Australia, The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra Tagged With: , , , , ,

‘A’ is for Afrobeat Hip Hop

December 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I was talking music with a Texan musician recently.  He told me about a few fusion music genres from the U.S. I’d never heard of and sounded great.

When I later checked them out I remembered again that the very long and ever-growing list of music genres in our world, is pretty damn cool.

Don’t you think so?

If you do then you might be into this here series my new Texan friend has inspired me to start. It’s an A – Z of Worldwide (Mostly) Fusion Music Genres…with sample tracks where possible.

Here goes…

A

Afrobeat

is a combination of traditional Yoruba music, highlife, jazz and funk with chanted vocals styles and conscious lyrics.

Afrobeat made it into my A list cause it’s one of my all-time favorites.

Afrobeat’s main pioneer was the legendary Nigerian artist Fela Kuti  (you knew that already).

Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti was of course succeeded by Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti (amongst others).

Femi Kuti

Femi Kuti

Seun Kuti

Seun Kuti

Many Things (2008)

Many Things (2008)

African Problems (Many Things-2008) – Seun Kuti

Remember please people…it’s just an mp3. Kuti (Fela, Femi & Seun) albums are easy to buy and touch, and amazing to hear.

Afrobeat Hip Hop

I haven’t found this one in any official-type music genre lists. It’s on my A list cause in Melbourne recently I heard The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra playing a combination of Afrobeat and hip hop at their AWME gig.

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra

Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010)

Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010)

How Long It Go Take (Do Anything Go Anywhere – 2010) – The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra 

 

Afro-Cuban Jazz

is the earliest form of Latin jazz. It mixes Afro-Cuban clave-based rhythms with jazz harmonies and improvisation techniques.

Another one of my favourite music genres.  Sadly for the world and for Cuban artists, people don’t get to hear most Afro Cuban jazz or other incredible Cuban music without physically going to its soils and looking.

Here are a couple of sample tracks from the Afro-Cuban Jazz Project album Descarga Uno…

Afro Cuban Jazz Project - Descarga Uno

Afro Cuban Jazz Project – Descarga Uno

Campina (Descarga Uno) – Afro Cuban Jazz Project

La Fiesta Esta Comenzando (Descarga Uno) – Afro Cuban Jazz Project

Aleatoric

Music the composition of which is partially left to chance and/or some primary element of a composed work’s realisation is left to the determination of its performer.

Aleatoric could be fusion, or not, but it sounds interesting anyways.

Anyone have some Aleatoric music to share?

Or some other weird and wonderful  ‘A’ genre?

Filed Under: Afro Cuban Jazz Project, An A-Z of Worldwide Fusion Music Genres, Australia, Cuba, Fela, Femi & Seun Kuti, Fusion Beaver Style, Fusion Music, Nigeria, The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra Tagged With: , , , , ,