Tony Allen in blue corridor

TONY ODALIPO ALLEN - A TRIBUTE

“There was no drummer like Tony Allen” – Femi Kuti

Tony Allen in blue corridor

It’s with a heavy sadness that we heard the news that our friend and fellow-traveler Tony Allen passed away in the night. Apparently, he was feeling fine yesterday, fit, ready for a session, a beat, a whisky (or ‘yellow water’ as he liked to call his favorite tipple), like he always was. Then he felt poorly, was taken to hospital in Paris, and two hours later he was gone. It’s a small blessing that there was no long decline for a man who always looked so trim, so capable of living life to the full in every sense. You’d be forgiven for thinking that he could go on forever, chatting, drinking, smoking, laughing, and being such a generous upbeat presence in our lives.

That was the man, then there was the legend: the youth from Lagos who taught himself how to play drums, one ear tuned to Art Blakey, Max Roach and Kenny Clarke, and the other to the music of the ancestors, the African beats of Guy Warren, and other highlife precursors. When he met Fela Kuti in 1964, the wayward prince asked, “how come you’re the only guy in Nigeria who plays like this – jazz and highlife?” 

For the next fifteen years Tony and Fela were more or less inseparable, blending Yoruba rhythms and beats from other parts of Nigeria and Africa, with jazz and funk, to create afrobeat. Their partnership reached its zenith with Africa 70, and they recorded twenty albums together, spawning a million imitators. “There was no band like Africa 70,” Femi Kuti once told Rolling Stone magazine, “and no drummer like Tony Allen.”

When it all fell apart in the late 1970s, Tony Allen left for London and then Paris, disillusioned with the bloated court of sycophants that had encrusted itself around Fela. He could so easily have sunk under the weight of his own legend, but that was never his style. Instead he became ubiquitous, a dependable collaborator who was always ready to try something new. His score sheet is quite astounding: The Good The Bad and The Queen, Susheela Raman, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Air, Zap Mama, Damon Albarn, Flea, Jeff Mills, Oumou Sangare, not to mention his own solo albums, which have been classics of modern African music in their own right.

“You can tell a good drummer because we have four limbs, and they’re all playing different things,” Tony once said. So true, and yet so baffling. You could sit next his drum kit for hours and study his every inflection, but it wouldn’t gain you entry to that rarefied space which he occupied, one where total precision and total looseness somehow came together in a magical alchemy of rhythm, where standard rules of emphasis went out the window. No pedagogical system or notation could ever hope to do his style justice. It was beyond science, beyond thought. It was all to do with heritage, feeling, genius.  “I know I can make my drums bring the house down if I have to,” he said, “But I know how to make it subtle. You listen to it like a free-flowing river.”

And that river flows on. If you tried to calculate how many people have danced to his beat, and will continue to dance to it, you’d soon run out of numbers. He gave grace to our limbs. And with that, he gave us friendship, and generosity, and a kind heart, all of which were part of the package, every time you met him.

We’ll miss you like hell, Tony. You were always such a rock, a steady beat, a dependable smile, at any Africa Express event. How many times, sitting in some rehearsal room, surrounded by musicians and friends, would we have to pinch ourselves and say, “that’s Tony Allen, playing the drums, just over there.” So many, and every one of them we can count as a blessing.

May the earth rest light upon you as you down your single malt, light up a big one and make the angels dance too. 

Andy Morgan – 1st May, 2020


Africa Express confirmed for Dour Festival, Belgium - 15 July

Africa Express will be setting the opening day of Dour Festival in Belgium alight with their usual mix of radical African and non-African sounds. We’re one of four curators who are taking charge of the programming at Dour on July 15th, alongside Carl Cox, AZF and Zwangere Guy. As usual, we won’t be announcing line-ups until close to stage time. It’s all about taking a leap of faith, into the great unknown!

More info
Dour Festival line-up
Dour Festival box office


Festive greetings and big things in 2020!!!

Thanks to our friends and fellow travellers for the music, jams, laughs, love and inspiration you gave us in 2019. All the effort and faith were hugely appreciated. Hoping for more magic, more music, more of those moments in 2020!

Warmest wishes from all of us at Africa Express xxxx


EGOLI - new album - OUT NOW

We are thrilled to announce the release of EGOLI – a brand new studio album, OUT NOW, on the newly created Africa Express Records.

You can stream/download/buy here:https://africa-express.lnk.to/EGOLI

“…a collaboration to stir the senses”- The Guardian

“Egoli translates from Xhosa as “city of gold”, a fitting title for an album that offers its riches so freely” – Q Magazine

We travelled to South Africa in January last year to complete an electronic album in just 7 days, a week of discovery, collaboration and music-making. The result is EGOLI – 18 tracks capturing the fresh, joyous sounds of Afro Futurism, straight out of Johannesburg.

Featured artists include:  BCUC, Blk Jks, Blue May, Damon Albarn, DJ Spoko, Dominowe, FAKA, Georgia, Ghetts, Gruff Rhys, Infamous Boiz, Mahotella Queens, Moonchild Sanelly, Morena Leraba, Mr Jukes, Muzi, Nick Zinner, Nonku Phiri, Otim Alpha, Phuzekhemisi, Poté, Radio 123, Remi Kabaka, Sho Madjozi, Sibot, Zola 7 and Zolani Mahola.

Check out the album on your favourite streaming service here: https://africa-express.lnk.to/EGOLI

Or in full on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLobHQPChwH077aHh4yeltjiuMzPu9KrDI


EGOLI - new album announcement

We are thrilled to announce the release of EGOLI – a brand new studio album, coming on the 12th July 2019, on the newly created Africa Express Records.

You can pre-order here:https://africa-express.lnk.to/EGOLI

We travelled to South Africa in January last year to complete an electronic album in just 7 days, a week of discovery, collaboration and music-making. The result is EGOLI – 18 tracks capturing the fresh, joyous sounds of Afro Futurism, straight out of Johannesburg.

Featured artists include:  BCUC, Blk Jks, Blue May, Damon Albarn, DJ Spoko, Dominowe, FAKA, Georgia, Ghetts, Gruff Rhys, Infamous Boiz, Mahotella Queens, Moonchild Sanelly, Morena Leraba, Mr Jukes, Muzi, Nick Zinner, Nonku Phiri, Otim Alpha, Phuzekhemisi, Poté, Radio 123, Remi Kabaka, Sho Madjozi, Sibot, Zola 7 and Zolani Mahola.

Check out the first four tracks below which you can get straight away when you pre-order the album here: https://africa-express.lnk.to/EGOLI


MOLO - EP Out Now

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We are so proud to announce the release of a brand new 4-track EP from our recording project in Johannesburg last year.  The title – MOLO – is Xhosa for hello. This is the first release on our new record label, Africa Express Records.  We hope you love it as much as we do.

Get it here: https://africa-express.lnk.to/Molo

Featured artists are BCUC, Blk Jks, Blue May, Damon Albarn, Georgia, Ghetts, Gruff Rhys, Infamous Boiz, Mr Jukes, Moonchild Sanelly, Morena Leraba, Muzi, Nick Zinner, Otim Alpha, Phuzekhemisi, Poté, Radio 123, Remi Kabaka, Sho Madjozi, and Zolani Mahola

Video shot by Denholm Hewlett & Edited by Matt Cronin
Artwork by Gareth Halliday

We would like to dedicate this record to our friend and legend, DJ Spoko.


In Honour of DJ Spoko

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of a true giant of African music, Marvin ‘DJ Spoko’ Ramalepe (15/08/82 – 14/03/18). The young electronic music producer was born in Limpopo, and grew up in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, honing his love for music as part of the Hip-Hop crew GBE. DJ Spoko went on to create and enrich various musical styles that swept through South Africa and eventually the world, including Sghubu Sa Pitori, Direkere and most famously Bacardi House and Shangaan Electro.

Marvin went on to put his city on the map and redefine South African house through monumental songs such as ‘Mugwanti’, ‘Township Funk’ and ‘Cucumba’, alongside colleagues such as Mujava. He moved to further pushed the envelope by fusing his style of production with maskandi and rock as part of the collective Fantasma.

Marvin enjoyed global acclaim and was at the beginning of a promising touring career when he was struck by  illness. Never one to give up, Marvin put his love of music to the world until the very last days of his life.

His great talent, uncanny wisdom, sense of humour and charm will be missed by his friends, family, and fans around the world. He was a true pioneer who despite his humble background, used his abilities to make a living for himself and inspire many people around the world.

DJ Spoko’s funeral service will be this weekend in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. Any contributions towards the wellbeing of his 3 young children, will be greatly appreciated. Continue to support and share his music, and keep the legacy of The King of Snares alive.

 

DJ Spoko – Discography

 

 




 

Words by Spoek Mathambo


Fatoumata Diawara New Album Out May 25th

Malian songstress and advocate for women’s rights Fatoumata Diawara has performed with Africa Express on several occasions. We were honoured to have her join us during the Train Tour in 2012, Marseille’s Fiesta Des Suds and our Roskilde takeover in 2015. Since her critically acclaimed debut album “Fatou” (2011), Fatoumata has toured the world, featured in films such as Timbuktu and Mali Blues and now is releasing her hotly anticipated album “Fenfo”. The record, set to be released by Wagram/Montuno on 25th May features collaboration with musicians such as Malian Kora player Sidiki Diabaté, Vincent Ségal on Cello and Matthieu Chedid (playing organ and guitar).

Expect to hear a mixture of styles on ‘Fenfo’ as it crosses between ancient and modern, from slow simmering blues to funk and afro-pop and beyond.

Watch the video for Nterini directed by Aïda Muluneh  below and stream/buy it here.

 

Catch Fatoumata on tour across Europe and US throughout 2018:

March
Mon 19th – Konzerthaus – Vienna, Austria
Thurs 22nd – Moods – Zurich, Switzerland
Fri 23rd – Philharmonie – Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Sat 24th – Philharmonie – Koln, Germany
Sun 25th  – Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands – SOLD OUT
Mon 26th  – Jazz Café – London, UK – SOLD OUT
Tues 27th – Theatre Municipal – Reze, France – SOLD OUT
Thurs 29th – Theatre Romain Rolland – Villejuif, France – SOLD OUT
Fri 30th – De Roma – Antwerp, Belgium
April
Thu 5th – Festival Chorus – Boulogne Billancout, France
Sun 8th – San Francisco Jazz Festival – San Francisco, USA
Thurs 12th – Koerner Hall – Toronto, Canada
Fri 13th – The Andy Warhol Museum – Pittsburgh, USA
Sat 14th  – Black Rock Arts Centre – Germantown, USA
Mon 16th – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, USA
Sat 21st  – Cully Jazz Festival – Cully, Switzerland – SOLD OUT
Sat 28th  – Fest. TouCouleurs – Toulouse, France
May
Sun 13th – Guitar Fest – Barcelona, Spain
Sat 19th – Corbak Festival – La Chaux-du-Milieux, Switzerland
Sat 26th – Massala Festival – Hannover, Germany
Thu 31st – Int´l Africa Festival – Wurzburg, Germany
June
Sun 24th – Etnojazz Poland – Wroclaw, Poland
July
Sun 8th – Rudolstadt Festival – Rudolstadt, Germany
Sat 14th – Festival Cruilla – Barcelona, Spain
Fri 27th – La Mar de Musicas – Cartagena, Spain
Sun 29th – Iboga Summer Festival – Valencia, Spain
August
Sun 5th – Concertgebouw – Amsterdam, Netherlands
December
Tue 11th – Le Trianon – Paris, France

Remembering Marco

It was with a terrible sadness and shock we received the news that our friend and fellow passenger Marc-Antoine Moreau had died on Wednesday in Paris, of complications arising from malaria.  He was taken away from us just when his life was entering a beautiful new phase, with a new job in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, as head of Universal Africa – the kind of challenge that animated Marco’s dreams. He loved Africa and African music like birds love the air, never feeling better than when he was standing in a ramshackle bar in the downtown bustle of some great African city, ice-cold local beer in his hand, cig between his fingers, checking out new talent.

As one of the founders and key movers of Africa Express, Marco lived and breathed the principle that African music, art and culture shouldn’t be ghettoised or patronised but rather nurtured with respect. He was a sterling presence at our events, always astute in his musical judgement and suggestions – and always up for the craic. The list of bands he managed or helped in some major way is truly astounding. It starts with Amadou and Mariam of course, but also includes Cheick Tidiane Seck, Mamani Keita, Mo DJ, Jupiter and Okwess, K’naan, Chérif M’Baw, Mounir Troudi, Songhoy Blues and so many more.  Cities like Bamako and Kinshasa were almost second homes to him, loving to buzz around bars and neighbourhoods on a moped in search of music, people and life.

Above all, he was a dependable friend. He might have scaled rare heights in his chosen profession, and hob-nobbed with stars and luminaries, but he was always there with a hug, an idea and a huge bucket full of inspiration and enthusiasm. We will miss him terribly, richer as we all are for all the music, the good times, the laughter, the love that he gave us.

Marco…notre ami…may the groove be loud and funky in your heaven, and may the earth rest light upon you here below…