|
|
|
|
viewing 1 To 7 of 7 items
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
LIVST 007LP
|
Movements: Boogie Down In Africa is a compilation of lovingly selected tracks from three albums by Willie Nfor: Mighty Flames Willie Nfor (1979), Feel So Fine (1981) and My Turn (1982). All highly sought-after albums of quality Nigerian boogie funk. This release is Livingstone Studio's seventh release, and it resonates with the label deeply. "The sessions were at Decca Studios at Akoka area of Lagos, they had a 16-track analog recording unit. It was like jazz, you had to be on top of your game as a musician, you couldn't erase the guitar lines or drums and redo it like with digital, one person slips up, you start all over again... So we rehearsed and rehearsed and then we went down and recorded the takes." Cameroon has a tradition of great bass players, names such as Jean Dikoto Mandengue, Vicky Edimo, Alhadji Toure, Basil Barap, Armand Sabal Lecco, Felix Sabal Lecco, Raymond Doumbe, Guy Nsangue, Jay Lou Ava, and Richard Bona. He was in that tradition. His Nigerian career was not well distributed outside Nigeria so that didn't help but when he got to Paris, he quickly became one of the hottest African musicians on the circuit, playing with Mory Kante (for whom he played on three albums and enjoyed a global hit, "Yeke Yeke", which took them touring around the world), Tulio de Piscopo, David Sancious, Charlelie Couture, Mbilia Bel (with whom he toured Southern Africa), Kante Manfila, Manu Dibango, Aicha Kone, and a host of others. Willy was special; before ending up in France, he played in the East of Nigeria and in Lagos both as a session man and as a member of The Mighty Flames, Sonny Okosun's band, and Bongos Ikwe's Groovies. Migration has become one of the biggest global news items in recent times. Willy Ngeh Nfor was a migrant before the word became so popular and tinged with a bad connotation. His music was made to travel. This release is a celebration of music as a space capsule and of man as a vector of creativity, inventions, love, and energy. Everybody migrates at some point in history. Everyone needs to celebrate humanity and free the migrant from bad energy, bad choices, and a bad image. Includes previously unpublished photos and detailed notes; gatefold sleeve.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
LIVST 006CD
|
Livingstone Studio present a reissue of Gboyega Adelaja's Colourful Environment, originally released in 1979. Fresh from touring with Hugh Masekela -- The Boy's Doin' It (1975) -- Gboyega Adelaja goes into the lab to drop heavy keyboard science on his Moog and Fender Rhodes. Its Joe Sample meets the Afro funk of BLO. With names like Jake Sollo on guitars, Mike Odumusu (BLO, Osibisa) on bass guitar, and Gasper Lawal on percussion, this is a top quality, Afro funk -- an all-stars affair that shines from the inspired interventions, masterly arrangements to the sublime production.
Adelaja on the period of recording: "I was already following Hugh Masekela when I met him, he was an outstanding musician and I knew of his collaboration with Hedzoleh, that band brought him nearer to many of us, because he was playing authentic African melodies with the Hedzoleh sound which was mostly percussion oriented. Yes I knew about Hugh's music before I met him. In fact when we started playing together, he insisted that I stay with him in our three bedroom apartment, other members of the band had their own apartments, but Hugh and myself shared the same three bedroom apartment". "We were touring, under Casablanca owned by Neil Boggart, we toured as professional musicians, flying to our gigs. There was a time when we were touring with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic we had two luxury buses deployed for our use. We made many friends where ever we went to play, we met many big and popular musicians who came to watch our shows, the Spinners came to see us in Detroit, we met Wayne Shorter of Weather Report, Freddie Hubbard, we played a gig with Herbie Hancock at the Carnegie Hall New York City, we toured almost all the 50 States of the US."
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
LIVST 006LP
|
LP version. Livingstone Studio present a reissue of Gboyega Adelaja's Colourful Environment, originally released in 1979. Fresh from touring with Hugh Masekela -- The Boy's Doin' It (1975) -- Gboyega Adelaja goes into the lab to drop heavy keyboard science on his Moog and Fender Rhodes. Its Joe Sample meets the Afro funk of BLO. With names like Jake Sollo on guitars, Mike Odumusu (BLO, Osibisa) on bass guitar, and Gasper Lawal on percussion, this is a top quality, Afro funk -- an all-stars affair that shines from the inspired interventions, masterly arrangements to the sublime production.
Adelaja on the period of recording: "I was already following Hugh Masekela when I met him, he was an outstanding musician and I knew of his collaboration with Hedzoleh, that band brought him nearer to many of us, because he was playing authentic African melodies with the Hedzoleh sound which was mostly percussion oriented. Yes I knew about Hugh's music before I met him. In fact when we started playing together, he insisted that I stay with him in our three bedroom apartment, other members of the band had their own apartments, but Hugh and myself shared the same three bedroom apartment". "We were touring, under Casablanca owned by Neil Boggart, we toured as professional musicians, flying to our gigs. There was a time when we were touring with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic we had two luxury buses deployed for our use. We made many friends where ever we went to play, we met many big and popular musicians who came to watch our shows, the Spinners came to see us in Detroit, we met Wayne Shorter of Weather Report, Freddie Hubbard, we played a gig with Herbie Hancock at the Carnegie Hall New York City, we toured almost all the 50 States of the US."
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
2LP
|
|
LIVST 005LP
|
Repressed; Double LP version. In the late '70s, the thrust of mainstream music had changed from the indigenous highlife to a more international funky disco sound. Keyboards and drum machines were the key components of the new sound. The implications on sales was real as names like Bunny Mack, Chris Okotie, Christy Essien, and Jide Obi replaced Osita Osadebe and the Oriental Brothers on the charts. It was in this effervescent climate that Duomo Sounds Ltd was established by Humphrey Aniakor, a business man with no prior investment in the industry. It was simply the in-thing for a young affluent businessman. The name suggested European sophistication, modernity and a little abstraction. D U O M O Sounds, the kids loved it. The first release was Bassey Black's Someone To Love which sold over a 100,000 copies, a big hit at the time. The success of the album attracted several artists the most influential of which was Mike Umoh. He aimed for the pop market with accessible, funky arrangements. However his affinity for funk and disco has made him a reference for collectors worldwide. His LP entitled, Honey, Honey was the label's second release and his most successful album. He also produced the label's 19th release, Bindiga's No More Starvation, an Afro-boogie funk masterpiece. The album in its original format is very sought after by collectors and DJs and changes hands for huge sums. It's been described by many as cosmic funk at its finest. Christy Ogbah's disco soul/highlife records on Duomo are also very highly sought after. This new Livingstone Studio release presents the best of Duomo Sounds Ltd. for the first time. Features Christy Ogbah, Johnny O, Mike Umoh, Bindiga, Bassey Black and The Natty Messiah, Godfrey Odili, and Eunice Mokus Arimoku. Liner notes by Nigerian Music expert Uchenna Ikkone; Includes previously unpublished photos.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
LIVST 005CD
|
In the late '70s, the thrust of mainstream music had changed from the indigenous highlife to a more international funky disco sound. Keyboards and drum machines were the key components of the new sound. The implications on sales was real as names like Bunny Mack, Chris Okotie, Christy Essien, and Jide Obi replaced Osita Osadebe and the Oriental Brothers on the charts. It was in this effervescent climate that Duomo Sounds Ltd was established by Humphrey Aniakor, a business man with no prior investment in the industry. It was simply the in-thing for a young affluent businessman. The name suggested European sophistication, modernity and a little abstraction. D U O M O Sounds, the kids loved it. The first release was Bassey Black's Someone To Love which sold over a 100,000 copies, a big hit at the time. The success of the album attracted several artists the most influential of which was Mike Umoh. He aimed for the pop market with accessible, funky arrangements. However his affinity for funk and disco has made him a reference for collectors worldwide. His LP entitled, Honey, Honey was the label's second release and his most successful album. He also produced the label's 19th release, Bindiga's No More Starvation, an Afro-boogie funk masterpiece. The album in its original format is very sought after by collectors and DJs and changes hands for huge sums. It's been described by many as cosmic funk at its finest. Christy Ogbah's disco soul/highlife records on Duomo are also very highly sought after. This new Livingstone Studio release presents the best of Duomo Sounds Ltd. for the first time. Features Christy Ogbah, Johnny O, Mike Umoh, Bindiga, Bassey Black and The Natty Messiah, Godfrey Odili, and Eunice Mokus Arimoku. Liner notes by Nigerian Music expert Uchenna Ikkone; Includes previously unpublished photos.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
LIVST 004CD
|
Livingstone Studio present the first official reissue of Grotto's Grotto II: Wait, No Hurry, originally released in 1979. "Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time,' Benson says, 'and he auditioned us, liked the material and signed us.' Odion Iruoje of course had groomed and produced Ofege. Now he was looking to repeat the formula with other high school groups such as Tirogo, Apples and Question Mark. Grotto's deep rock would be a welcome addition to this 'schoolboy rock' series. Work on their album started immediately, with Iruoje in the producer's chair. Adapting to the tastes of the times -- as well as their own maturing musical sensibilities -- Grotto started transitioning from acid rock towards sleeker, more dance floor-friendly grooves. 'As I grew older I think I got a bit jazzier,' Benson says. 'I also listened to Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Isley Brothers, Prince and a lot of funk groups from that era.' 'Hard rock was the content of the first album,' Amenechi agrees, 'and funk/jazz/R&B the focus of album number two. Especially with the late Toma Mason Jr. joining as bassist.' The group's second album, Grotto II: Wait, No Hurry (released in 1979) reflected the growing sophistication of its members' musical outlook. Fat, funky bass grooves rubbed shoulders with jazzy flute lines; space-age synthesizer tones punctuated good, old-fashioned crunchy rock riffs." --Uchenna Ikonne Liner notes by Nigerian Music expert Uchenna Ikkone; includes previously unpublished photos and extensive interviews by Temitope Kogbe.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
LIVST 004LP
|
LP version. Livingstone Studio present the first official reissue of Grotto's Grotto II: Wait, No Hurry, originally released in 1979. "Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time,' Benson says, 'and he auditioned us, liked the material and signed us.' Odion Iruoje of course had groomed and produced Ofege. Now he was looking to repeat the formula with other high school groups such as Tirogo, Apples and Question Mark. Grotto's deep rock would be a welcome addition to this 'schoolboy rock' series. Work on their album started immediately, with Iruoje in the producer's chair. Adapting to the tastes of the times -- as well as their own maturing musical sensibilities -- Grotto started transitioning from acid rock towards sleeker, more dance floor-friendly grooves. 'As I grew older I think I got a bit jazzier,' Benson says. 'I also listened to Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Isley Brothers, Prince and a lot of funk groups from that era.' 'Hard rock was the content of the first album,' Amenechi agrees, 'and funk/jazz/R&B the focus of album number two. Especially with the late Toma Mason Jr. joining as bassist.' The group's second album, Grotto II: Wait, No Hurry (released in 1979) reflected the growing sophistication of its members' musical outlook. Fat, funky bass grooves rubbed shoulders with jazzy flute lines; space-age synthesizer tones punctuated good, old-fashioned crunchy rock riffs." --Uchenna Ikonne Liner notes by Nigerian Music expert Uchenna Ikkone; includes previously unpublished photos and extensive interviews by Temitope Kogbe.
|
|
|
|