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$15.99 CD
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ORLANDO JULIUS
And the Afro Sounders
(Voodoo Funk)
Fans of Nigerian music should be throwing up their hands in funky revelry right now, as one of the lost artifacts of West African music, Orlando Julius and the Afro Sounders, has been miraculously recovered from complete obscurity. Originally released by Philips in 1973, the distribution of this major early Afro-beat document was hopelessly bungled, allowing one of the most definitive statements in West African music to fall completely by the wayside. Thanks to Brooklyn's Voodoo Funk (our old friend Frank Gossner, who previously released the Psychedelic Aliens and Lagos Disco Inferno records through Academy LPs and the Pax Nicholas album through Daptone), who seem to have found the only known remaining copy of the record buried somewhere in South East Nigeria, it's now re-released with full sonic restoration, original album artwork in beautiful full-color packaging, and a booklet including vintage photographs, with liner notes written by Orlando Julius Ekemode himself.
Recorded at Ginger Baker's ARC studio in Lagos between 1970 and 1973, free from the meddling direction of Philips' managers who oversaw the bulk of his recordings from this era, Julius attained complete creative control as composer, and producer, making use of 24 multi-track technology, allowing for him and his band to relax, expand on their sound, and to be more freely creative. As a result, every instrument on the record is crystal-clear and placed beautifully, from the bright, brassy, blaring horns, to the organ star-sparkling his way across the mix, to drummer Akanbi Moses' tight, responsive, sometimes wildly fast jazz conversationalism, managing to inflict lyricism in every song, without ever forgetting to swing. The band is in remarkable form throughout these six tracks, seamlessly blending traditional African rhythms with their own sped-up highlife, glorious funk, American soul and jazz inflections, into a stew of fresh-as-hell Afro-beat, that from the first few hard-hit horn shots, doesn't let up in intensity, imagination, or infectious grooves until the last notes of "Kete Kete Koro."
The record kicks off with super heavy Afro-jam "Yio Si Da Miliki Beat," lingering on an ascending guitar line, as Moses' sharp, layered drum parts respond to the moods and melodies of Julius and the band's call-and-response vocalizations, filling in every open space with smart, energetic cymbal and tom-tom flourishes. Polyrhythmic powerhouse "Afro Instrumental" follows, the slinky bassline laying the groundwork for swelling horns, augmenting an equally infectious and somewhat mysterious melody. The fast, tight rhythm of "Aseni," with its swinging cymbal work, and tight, warm, horn syncopations gives way to a blazing organ solo, revealing flashes of Jimmy Smith's influence, as Julius pumps out layered lines of melodic invention, never straying very far from the melody, all the while audibly amping the rest of the band up. "Kete Kete Koro" is equally as marvelous, showing off some of Julius' best Coltrane-esque tenor runs, the band backing him as solidly as ever, effectively closing out the disc with each horn player taking a melodic bow, each playing the theme a couple of times unaccompanied before an all-too-soon finish. As a complete vision, there is a consistency and weight to this record that's difficult to overlook, and we're lucky to have it. This undeniable masterpiece could have easily been lost forever, now thankfully restored to its rightful position as a living document of Afro-hi brilliance. If you're an African music fan, you need this in your collection; if you're not yet a convert, this very well might just be the record to do it. In any case, do yourself a favor, and pick this one up right now! [JCa]
Order CD by Texting "omcdorlandoand" to 767825 |
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Edwyn Collins
!!!
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl) 
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