Ambiance was an American jazz-funk/soul band from Los Angeles that released the 1979/80 albums Ebun and Drift Up to Space on Da Mon. Members: Daoud Abubakar Balewa Background Ambiance began in Los Angeles when Nigerian-born reedist and multi-instrumentalist Daoud Abubakar Balewa organized a changing studio collective around his compositions and the self-financed Da Mon Records imprint. […]
Asiko was a Nigerian Afro-rock septet behind the 1976 EMI album Rock Group, followed by the 1977 Gorrilla release Take a Trip With Asiko. Members: Njoubi Basile (bass), Z. Joseph Bolandi (vocals, keyboards), Ntaillou Idrissou (guitar), Ndovmbe Jylvand (trumpet), Essombe Antoine Madie (vocals, percussion), Paul Monnu (drums), Evgene Ndema (guitar) Background Asiko converged in West […]
Tirogo was a Nigerian Afro-funk/psych band that released three albums between 1977 and 1980 on EMI. Their first album, Float, gained newfound popularity after its late-2000s reissues on Shadoks and QDK. In 2013, Afrobeat merchants Voodoo Funk selected the Tirago tracks “Disco Maniac” and “We Like to Party” — culled from the band’s 1978 Aiyé […]
Ofege was a Nigerian Afro-psych band formed by Obalende teenagers. They made the 1973–75 EMI albums Try and Love and Last of the Origins, which drew international ears to the West African scene. On Polydor, they returned with the 1977/78 albums Higher Plane Breeze and How Do You Feel? Members: Melvin “Noks” Ukachi (vocals), Felix […]
Peter King (1939 – August 29, 2023) was a Nigerian Afrobeat musican who released four albums on Orbitone between 1975 and 1978 and a further two on Grandstar Records. During the 2000s, he became an icon of the Rare Groove community when his lost 1974 album Shango appeared for the first time on Afro Strut. […]
Nkengas were a Nigerian highlife ensemble that released two albums in 1973 on Orbitone. The band subsequently morphed into the Ikenga Super Stars of Africa. Members: Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe (vocals), George Atomba, Linus Opara, Pele Asampete Background Nkengas formed in London in 1973 when lead guitarist Vincent Okoroego and several fellow members of the […]
The Mebusas were a Nigerian Afro-funk ensemble that issued the album Blood Brothers on Afrodisia in 1973. Members: Chike Emegokwe (saxophone, flute), Harry Udofia James (trumpet), Fuzzy Gbagi (tenor sax), Raimi Olalowo (trombone), Laja George (drums), Williams Okolie (guitar), Cyril (organ), George Neuville (vocals) Mebusas’ brass/woodwind players were ubiquitous on the West African scene. Harry […]
The Funkees were a Nigerian Afro-funk band that released five singles and the 1974–76 albums Point of No Return and Now I’m a Man. The band also co-headlined For You Specialy, a 1978 solo release by guitarist-vocalist Harry Mosco. Members: Harry Mosco (guitar, vocals, gong), Chyke Madu (drums, vocals), Sonny Akpabio (congas), Jake N. Sollo […]
Jake Sollo was a Nigerian guitarist who was active during the 1970s and early ’80s. He first recorded for Lagos psych-rock quintet The Hykkers, which released two singles on His Master’s Voice in 1971. This was followed by a lengthy stint in London-based Afro-funk group The Funkees, which recorded numerous singles and two albums over […]
Colomach was a Togolese Afro-funk band behind a self-titled 1974 album on EMI Nigeria. Background Colomach formed around northern Togolese musician Gneni Mamadou. Surviving accounts associate the group with Mali, while Mamadou came from the Sahelian region of northern Togo. Colomach played alongside Ghanaian cultural-rock contemporaries Hedzoleh Soundz and Edzayawa. Both groups combined regional traditional […]
Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 — April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer who globally popularized Afro-beat with a 1960s Columbia album run. The following decade, he joined stateside Afro-jazz ensemble Ju Ju, which morphed into Oneness of Juju after two albums. In the wake of Manu Dibango‘s breakout Afro-funk success, Olatunji also cut the […]
