Odion Livingstone was founded by Temitope Kogbe and Odion Iruoje in 2016, the vision is to reissue works from Africa's musical past ('60s to '80s) that is culturally important. Odion Iruoje worked as resident producer with EMI in the 1970s and '80s. He is considered as the most influential producer of his time. Temitope Kogbe is a vinyl collector and trader in vintage vinyl from West Africa. Odion Livingstone's first release, Friday Night, a disco funk masterpiece, was highly acclaimed and a commercial success. Subsequent releases have all enjoyed similar commendation.
|
|
|
viewing 1 To 6 of 6 items
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CD
|
|
ODILIV 002CD
|
2017 release. Odion Livingstone present another essential reissue of a rare gem from the Nigerian archives, Grotto's lost Afro-rock classic At Last..., originally released in 1977. Formed at "Greg's" (St Gregory's college in Ikoyi, Lagos), Grotto came up at the same time as several other influential student bands based there, including Ofege. "As Grotto, we played a rock/funk fusion. We were probably aged 15, 16 or thereabouts and we were heavily into music; we listened to Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana and lots of rock bands," explains lead guitarist Soga Benson. Their debut album is a heavyweight trip, drifting from psychedelic workouts to crunching breaks and funkier directions. "Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time and he auditioned us, liked the material and signed us. He also produced our recordings," continues Benson. "Most of us were boarders and the school encouraged music and had instruments so we had time to jam and really gel together. The group still continued after we left Greg's. We had to juggle A-Levels with gigs and we used to skip school whenever we had a show, rehearsal or a recording date." While many Nigerian student bands were studio-based projects, Grotto was an active live unit during the '70s. "We played at The Shrine with Fela, with Tee Mac at Batakoto, with Sonny Okosun at Kakadu, Segun Bucknor at Granada Hotel." This first international reissue of Grotto's debut album comes with a full interview with Soga Benson and producer Odion Iruoje, along with a selection of rare and previously unseen photos of the band. Fully remastered by The Carvery.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
ODILIV 002LP
|
LP version. 2017 release. Odion Livingstone present another essential reissue of a rare gem from the Nigerian archives, Grotto's lost Afro-rock classic At Last..., originally released in 1977. Formed at "Greg's" (St Gregory's college in Ikoyi, Lagos), Grotto came up at the same time as several other influential student bands based there, including Ofege. "As Grotto, we played a rock/funk fusion. We were probably aged 15, 16 or thereabouts and we were heavily into music; we listened to Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana and lots of rock bands," explains lead guitarist Soga Benson. Their debut album is a heavyweight trip, drifting from psychedelic workouts to crunching breaks and funkier directions. "Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time and he auditioned us, liked the material and signed us. He also produced our recordings," continues Benson. "Most of us were boarders and the school encouraged music and had instruments so we had time to jam and really gel together. The group still continued after we left Greg's. We had to juggle A-Levels with gigs and we used to skip school whenever we had a show, rehearsal or a recording date." While many Nigerian student bands were studio-based projects, Grotto was an active live unit during the '70s. "We played at The Shrine with Fela, with Tee Mac at Batakoto, with Sonny Okosun at Kakadu, Segun Bucknor at Granada Hotel." This first international reissue of Grotto's debut album comes with a full interview with Soga Benson and producer Odion Iruoje, along with a selection of rare and previously unseen photos of the band. Fully remastered by The Carvery.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
ODILIV 001CD
|
2017 release. Odion Livingstone, based out of Lagos, Nigeria, present its debut release, a reissue of the sought-after Nigerian disco LP rarity Friday Night by Livy Ekemezie, originally released in 1983. "I was just out of senior secondary school and I wanted to make an album," recalls Ekemezie. "I was into disco and funk at the time and I was looking for a bass-driven funky sound. The entire idea was to make an album that sounded like something made in London or the U.S. I tried to sound 'American' but we ended up with something else: a mix of American and Nigerian." Friday Night was recorded at Goddy Oku's Godiac 24-track recording studio in Enugu, one of the best studios available in Nigeria at the time. "It took about nine months to a year to make the album," continues Ekemezie. "I financed it by myself so I had to resort to friends helping out with loans for session men and studio time. The original LP was released on blue vinyl and that idea came from William Onyeabor. We used his pressing plant and he sold the idea to me. It was different so I said 'why not?'" The LP has been picked up by many in recent months as the demand for Nigerian disco originals has grown with the track "Delectation" receiving an unofficial edit and DJs like Motor City Ensemble dropping the album into their sets. This first ever reissue features full original artwork along with new interviews with Livy Ekemezie and contributing musician Jules Elong by Odion Livingstone's Temi Kogbe.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
ODILIV 001LP
|
2018 repress; LP version. Blue vinyl. Odion Livingstone, based out of Lagos, Nigeria, present its debut release, a reissue of the sought-after Nigerian disco LP rarity Friday Night by Livy Ekemezie, originally released in 1983. "I was just out of senior secondary school and I wanted to make an album," recalls Ekemezie. "I was into disco and funk at the time and I was looking for a bass-driven funky sound. The entire idea was to make an album that sounded like something made in London or the U.S. I tried to sound 'American' but we ended up with something else: a mix of American and Nigerian." Friday Night was recorded at Goddy Oku's Godiac 24-track recording studio in Enugu, one of the best studios available in Nigeria at the time. "It took about nine months to a year to make the album," continues Ekemezie. "I financed it by myself so I had to resort to friends helping out with loans for session men and studio time. The original LP was released on blue vinyl and that idea came from William Onyeabor. We used his pressing plant and he sold the idea to me. It was different so I said 'why not?'" The LP has been picked up by many in recent months as the demand for Nigerian disco originals has grown with the track "Delectation" receiving an unofficial edit and DJs like Motor City Ensemble dropping the album into their sets. This first ever reissue features full original artwork along with new interviews with Livy Ekemezie and contributing musician Jules Elong by Odion Livingstone's Temi Kogbe.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
ODILIV 003CD
|
2017 release. Odion Livingstone present another reissue from the Nigerian archives, the first ever international release of The Apples' essential Afro-funk rarity Mind Twister, originally released in 1978. As part of the St Gregory's student band scene in Lagos during the late '70s alongside Ofege, Grotto, and more, Apples were picked up and produced by legendary EMI Nigeria producer Odion Iruoje who added overdubs to the album at Abbey Road in London with Curved Air keyboardist Francis Monkman. The band met and formed in Lagos. Bandleader Frank Ikpefuran teamed up with Georges Vieira from the American School and brothers Clifford and Gerard Nagi who were studying at St Greg's in Lagos, and remembers, "I must have been 19 years old when I met Clifford. We used to hangout on Victoria Island, watching bands play and jamming with them. That's how we met Georges. We all listened to Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Idris Muhammad and the Beatles." "We started jamming with Clifford on the guitar, his brother Gerard on the bass and Georges on the guitar. We chipped in with song ideas, with the group contributing arrangements and refining things until we were satisfied. The band had a natural sound, which stemmed from the chemistry we had. It was a strange chemistry, we were an odd combination from different backgrounds but when we played, something happened..." After landing a residency at Tee Mac's club in Surulere, Apples auditioned for Odion Iruoje who arranged recording dates and cut the record. For a young band, Iruoje was surprised by the quality of the band, adding in extra keyboard parts from Lemmy Udofia and Francis Monkman, founder of Curved Air and session man for Kate Bush, Sky, and music libraries like BBC Music, Bruton, and KPM. Iruoje remembers, "their playing added a layer of sophistication and sheen without encumbering proceedings." This definitive edition of Apples' Mind Twister features new interviews with bandleader Frank Ikpefuran and producer Odion Iruoje. Fully remastered by The Carvery.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
ODILIV 003LP
|
2018 repress; LP version. Odion Livingstone present another reissue from the Nigerian archives, the first ever international release of The Apples' essential Afro-funk rarity Mind Twister, originally released in 1978. As part of the St Gregory's student band scene in Lagos during the late '70s alongside Ofege, Grotto, and more, Apples were picked up and produced by legendary EMI Nigeria producer Odion Iruoje who added overdubs to the album at Abbey Road in London with Curved Air keyboardist Francis Monkman. The band met and formed in Lagos. Bandleader Frank Ikpefuran teamed up with Georges Vieira from the American School and brothers Clifford and Gerard Nagi who were studying at St Greg's in Lagos, and remembers, "I must have been 19 years old when I met Clifford. We used to hangout on Victoria Island, watching bands play and jamming with them. That's how we met Georges. We all listened to Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Idris Muhammad and the Beatles." "We started jamming with Clifford on the guitar, his brother Gerard on the bass and Georges on the guitar. We chipped in with song ideas, with the group contributing arrangements and refining things until we were satisfied. The band had a natural sound, which stemmed from the chemistry we had. It was a strange chemistry, we were an odd combination from different backgrounds but when we played, something happened..." After landing a residency at Tee Mac's club in Surulere, Apples auditioned for Odion Iruoje who arranged recording dates and cut the record. For a young band, Iruoje was surprised by the quality of the band, adding in extra keyboard parts from Lemmy Udofia and Francis Monkman, founder of Curved Air and session man for Kate Bush, Sky, and music libraries like BBC Music, Bruton, and KPM. Iruoje remembers, "their playing added a layer of sophistication and sheen without encumbering proceedings." This definitive edition of Apples' Mind Twister features new interviews with bandleader Frank Ikpefuran and producer Odion Iruoje. Fully remastered by The Carvery.
|
|
|
|