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12"
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PMG 030EP
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"We're talking early '80s sophistication here, with a killer groove designed to let you show off all your moves and still look as classy as hell. By the late '70s and early '80s, disco was king in Nigeria and BLO were under pressure to follow the trend. Typically, they did it their own way, with slinky bass lines, Nile Rodgers guitar licks and a beat guaranteed to make you move. The Afro-beat and psyche rock stylings were gone, but the tightness and funkiness that comes from laying down rock hard grooves for over a decade remains." --Peter Moore.
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CD
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PMG 020CD
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PMG present a reissue of BLO's Phase IV, originally released in 1976. "Phase IV is BLO at the height of their not inconsiderable powers. Buzzing after a hugely successful tour of Denmark and Norway, the Afro-funk trio returned to London in 1975 and headed straight into the Orange Studios to get the magic down on tape. BLO had been fixtures on the Nigerian scene since they started out as Clusters International in 1970. The original 'O' in the band, bassist Mike Odumosu, had left to join Osibisa by Phase IV, (although he appears on the cover and gets a vocal credit) and was replaced by velvet-voiced keyboardist, Otu Udofa. Berkley Jones's guitar work is still immense - have a listen to 'Scandi Boogie' and 'Music Make You Happy'. And the sweet breakdowns by drummer Laolu Akins on 'Number One' made it an instant b-boy breakdance classic. Rightly regarded as the holy grail of Afro boogie, Phase IV is an extraordinary blend of highlife, rock, blues and soul that sounds just as good through headphones as it does on the dancefloor." -- Peter Moore. "These guys were known as Clusters International when I was their lead singer in Lagos in 1970. We then moved with Tee Mac and started The Afro Collection under a new management. They later changed the music scene in Nigeria when they started a very funky three piece band known as BLO. They were very tight and played Nigerian funk which is a blend of highlife, rock with a trace of blues. It wasn't a surprise when they quickly conquered Lagos and other parts of Nigeria with their unique style of music and performance and moved to London where Phase IV was recorded. Before this they had several hits in Nigeria. After a very successful tour of six cities in Denmark and four cities in Norway, they returned to London and straight into Orange Studios where Phase IV was recorded. It is the accumulation of many years of experience with their unique style of music. BLO Phase IV is sure to blow your mind." -- Steve Black.
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LP
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PMG 020LP
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LP version. Reissue of BLO's Phase IV, originally released in 1976. "Phase IV is BLO at the height of their not inconsiderable powers. Buzzing after a hugely successful tour of Denmark and Norway, the Afro-funk trio returned to London in 1975 and headed straight into the Orange Studios to get the magic down on tape. BLO had been fixtures on the Nigerian scene since they started out as Clusters International in 1970. The original 'O' in the band, bassist Mike Odumosu, had left to join Osibisa by Phase IV, (although he appears on the cover and gets a vocal credit) and was replaced by velvet-voiced keyboardist, Otu Udofa. Berkley Jones's guitar work is still immense - have a listen to 'Scandi Boogie' and 'Music Make You Happy'. And the sweet breakdowns by drummer Laolu Akins on 'Number One' made it an instant b-boy breakdance classic. Rightly regarded as the holy grail of Afro boogie, Phase IV is an extraordinary blend of highlife, rock, blues and soul that sounds just as good through headphones as it does on the dancefloor." -- Peter Moore. "These guys were known as Clusters International when I was their lead singer in Lagos in 1970. We then moved with Tee Mac and started The Afro Collection under a new management. They later changed the music scene in Nigeria when they started a very funky three piece band known as BLO. They were very tight and played Nigerian funk which is a blend of highlife, rock with a trace of blues. It wasn't a surprise when they quickly conquered Lagos and other parts of Nigeria with their unique style of music and performance and moved to London where Phase IV was recorded. Before this they had several hits in Nigeria. After a very successful tour of six cities in Denmark and four cities in Norway, they returned to London and straight into Orange Studios where Phase IV was recorded. It is the accumulation of many years of experience with their unique style of music. BLO Phase IV is sure to blow your mind." -- Steve Black.
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CD
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HC 020CD
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Reduced price, last copies. Hot Casa Records is proud to present this Holy Grail of Afro-Funk and rare gem from the '70s Lagos music scene. Reissued for the first time outside Nigeria, including an interview and photos of the original band members. The three core BLO band's members were "B" for Berkely "Ike" Jones on guitar, "L" for Laolu, "Akins" Akintobi on drums, and "O" for Mike "Gbenga" Odumosu on bass. BLO was formed just as a trio in late 1972 and split up in 1982. They developed their music on tour before they recorded their first album, Chapter One in 1973 on EMI Records. They built something unique, original and different than any other young African group at the time, blending rock with its African roots and transmuting it into soul-fusion. They left an indelible impression on the Nigerian music scene and became an institution for worldwide music lovers. From Clusters to Afrocollection alongside with the Lijadu Sisters, they'd been involved in many various acts. They also toured with Ginger Baker, the famous English drummer of both power trio Cream and Salt, whose influence has been considered by Laolu Akins as "another major player in the development of BLO." After their highly inspiring worldwide tour with Salt, leading them from Munich's Olympic Jazz Festival to the USA, BLO decided to work on their own concept album with the main ingredients of Afro, rock and dance. Immediately preceding their disco period, Step Three is a real and beautiful definition of Afro soul music.
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LP
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HC 020LP
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Limited restock. LP version. Hot Casa Records is proud to present this Holy Grail of Afro-Funk and rare gem from the '70s Lagos music scene. Reissued for the first time outside Nigeria, including an interview and photos of the original band members. The three core BLO band's members were "B" for Berkely "Ike" Jones on guitar, "L" for Laolu, "Akins" Akintobi on drums, and "O" for Mike "Gbenga" Odumosu on bass. BLO was formed just as a trio in late 1972 and split up in 1982. They developed their music on tour before they recorded their first album, Chapter One in 1973 on EMI Records. They built something unique, original and different than any other young African group at the time, blending rock with its African roots and transmuting it into soul-fusion. They left an indelible impression on the Nigerian music scene and became an institution for worldwide music lovers. From Clusters to Afrocollection alongside with the Lijadu Sisters, they'd been involved in many various acts. They also toured with Ginger Baker, the famous English drummer of both power trio Cream and Salt, whose influence has been considered by Laolu Akins as "another major player in the development of BLO." After their highly inspiring worldwide tour with Salt, leading them from Munich's Olympic Jazz Festival to the USA, BLO decided to work on their own concept album with the main ingredients of Afro, rock and dance. Immediately preceding their disco period, Step Three is a real and beautiful definition of Afro soul music.
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12"
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STRUT 12007
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"After cutting their teeth touring with ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker in 1971, Blo were a real revelation in their native Nigeria, a three-piece dynamo that successfully mixed traditional Nigerian high life with psychedelic funk and, later, disco and boogie. This12" features two Blo classics from different stages in their career. 'Don't Take Her Away From Me' comes from the band's early Phase 2 set (1972), a rough and raw funk-rock outing which receives a slow, dubbed-out treatment from London's Akwaaba, regular producers on the Idjut Boys' Discfunction lebel. 'Get That Groove In' is a funky disco party track from '79 (taken from the band's Bulky Backside LP) and the extended re-work comes courtesy of Raj Gupta, under his Ray Mang alter ego."
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