FLYafricatribute Touching Africa, Touching The World!
Tony Allen
FLYafricatribute Tony Allen
A tribute to the drummer who put the beat in Afrobeat
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A special tribute to Tony Allen
West Africa has been paying tribute to drummer Tony Allen, who died in Paris on 30 April. The Nigerian was considered by many – among them legendary producer and musician Brian Eno and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea – to be the finest drummer the world has ever seen. His fluid, polyrhythmic style behind the kit put the beat in Afrobeat as an integral part of Fela Kuti’s band Africa ‘70 and he went on to find fame – and a host of A-list collaborators – around the world. Here Nigerian music lover Chidozie Uzoezie explores Allen’s indelible musical legacy.
W
hen, in 1964, Fela
name in 2008, described him as
Anikulapo Kuti invited
“one of the greatest drummers to
a young Tony Oladipo
ever walk this earth”. Also involved
Allen to his home studio Kalakuta
in that album was Ghanaian rapper
Republic in Lagos to audition for
M.anifest, who said Allen “put the
his new Koola Lobitos jazz-highlife
beat in afrobeat” and lived a “quietly
band, not many people, includ-
epic” life. Even Fela Kuti, who was
ing Fela himself, envisaged how
not often given to praising others,
revolutionary a moment it would
said “without Tony Allen, there would
turn out to be. Although only 24 at
be no Afrobeat”.
the time, Tony Allen, who was born in Lagos of mixed Nigerian and
Afrobeat sound
Ghanaian parentage, was already
Between 1968 and 1979, the Fela-
a determined young man who had
Allen combo proved to be a highly
developed a unique drumming style
prolific and sought-after team. The
that drew on jazz, highlife, funk and
duo invented and popularised the
traditional African drumming.
original Afrobeat sound in the 70s
Needless to say, Allen got the
with the Africa ’70 band, combining
Koola Lobitos job and a long, frac-
elements of West Africa’s fuji music
tious and yet rewarding musical
styles and highlife with American
relationship with Fela began. After
funk and jazz. They regularly
co-creating Afrobeat, Allen contin-
engaged in marathon sessions of
ued to push the boundaries of his
electrifyingly entertainment at
music – incorporating elements of
Kalakuta Republic. “We’d play six
dub, electronica, jazz and dance –
hours a night, four days of the week,
until his death aged 79.
that’s what the people wanted,”
Deeply touching tributes have
KEEPING THE BEAT At the Rock Werchter Festival, Belgium, 2019 Ben Houdijk / Shutterstock.com
Allen said in 2016. While Fela was the
been pouring in since. Flea, the
team leader, Allen was the musical
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, who
director. Their decade-old synergy
worked with Allen in the supergroup
produced over 30 albums, includ-
Rocket Juice and the Moon, which
ing the classics ‘Gentleman’ and
released an album of the same
‘Zombie’.
flyAfricaWorld.com
FLYafricatribute Tony Allen is our very own living legend worthy of celebration. His impact on Afrobeat, jazz and world music is undeniable
Recounting how he and Fela composed music in the 70s, Allen said: “Fela used to write out the parts for all the musicians in the Africa ‘70 Band. I was the only one who originated the music I played.” Though there was mutual musical respect between them, Fela and Allen’s relationship was often fiery. and unnecessarily provocative in his criticism of the ruling military government’s corruption which led to too many arrests and even physical assaults by soldiers. Eventually, disagreements over royalties
facebook.com/TonyAllen
Allen thought Fela was too direct
coupled with the incessant arrests caused Allen to part ways. His last
When it came to music, Tony
performance with the Africa ‘70
Allen didn’t follow the rules, he broke
band was at the Berlin Jazz Festival
them to the absolute admiration
in 1979.
of his audience. From the usual and the expected, the Afrobeat
Experiments
pioneer often transcended to an
Allen became even more experi-
extraordinary realm, mesmerising
mental in his music, adding elements
his audience. No wonder he was
of pop, jazz, folk, soul, makossa,
once described by English musician
hip-hop, highlife, R&B, dub, and rap
and record producer Brian Eno as
to form a hybrid he called Afrofunk.
“perhaps the greatest drummer who
Whatever the genre, Allen’s drum-
has ever lived”.
able. Fela once said that he needed
were regarded as occupying the
four different drummers to fill the
bottom rung on the musical ladder,
ON STAGE At the Tsaritsyno Park XII International Jazz Festival
gap Allen left behind in his band and
but Allen came to the scene and
Anton Gvozdikov / Shutterstock.com
his fluid, hypnotic style can kid the
changed the narrative. He brought
ming style was instantly recognis-
In the African culture, drummers
prestige, dignity and professionalism to drumming. He gave the drum a voice. Despite his achievements, Allen didn’t think he was entitled to
listener that there are more musi-
everyone’s’ respect and reverence.
cians involved.
To those who worked with him he was a warm and down to earth pres-
ment, Allen actually came late to the
ence, always keen to hear their ideas
drums. He taught himself how to play at the age of 18, inspired then by American jazz drummers such as Art Blakey and Max Roach. He brought these complex jazz rhythms to Afrobeat and, in the words of Béninoise singer Angelique Kidjo, who featured him on two of her albums, “Allen changed the history of African music
Tore Setre | Wikimedia Commons | CC-BY-SA-4.0
For all his mastery of the instru-
and to collaborate. Bumi Thomas, a British-Nigerian jazz-folk-soul singer and guitarist, described him as “remarkable with a distinctive cool and timeless temperament”. Allen’s musical style was similarly unassuming. In 2016, he said: “I know I can make my drums bring the house down if I have to. But I know how to make it subtle. You listen to it
TEAM Angelique Kidjo with Tony Allen
Damon Albarn. The multi-instru-
Image: Angelique Kidjo
an Allen aficionado when in the
mentalist first signalled himself as band Blur with single ‘Music Is My Radar’, which includes the line “Tony Allen got me dancing.” It sparked a friendship and a series of musical collaborations – including the Africa Express Project and supergroup The Good, the Bad and the Queen – that
flowing like a river.”
which is dominating the current
continued until Allen’s death. In fact,
global pop scene and led by Nigerian
this month Albarn released a tribute
ential or commercially successful as
artists such as Wizkid, Davido and
single How Far?’ by his hip-hop band
his compatriot Fela, but he remains
Burna Boy. Without a doubt, Tony
alter ego Gorillaz, which features
one of Nigeria’s greatest musical
Allen meant and still means a lot to
some of Allen’s last recorded drum-
exports. With 40 albums as a solo
Nigerians. In 2019, he was honoured
ming work.
artist, including collaborations with
in Lagos with a tribute concert.
hundreds of notable international
According to Ayoola Sadare, the
acts, Allen quietly put Nigeria and
CEO of Inspiro Productions, which
Africa on the global music map.
helped put the concert together:
Allen was not as politically influ-
He was keen to showcase Nigerian
DRUM MASTER Tony Allen facebook.com/ TonyAllen
Charlotte Gainsbourg and French trio The JazzBastards. But with a total of 77 albums to
talent – both established and
legend worthy of celebration. His
his name, Tony Allen can be said to
upcoming – which he did on 2006
impact on Afrobeat, jazz and world
have lived a fulfilled life. However, in
album ‘Lagos No Shaking’ and at
music is undeniable.”
addition to leaving nostalgic memo-
the time of his death he was making
ries behind, he also left big shoes.
plans to record with young musicians
INFLUENTIAL
in Nigeria, Paris, London and the US.
Allen has influenced and inspired
await the emergence of his true
His Afrobeat sound is also hugely
a range of artists across different
replacement, the world will continue
genres, including English musician
to miss him and his ingenuity.
influential on the Afropop genre,
“Tony Allen is our very own living
Other international collaborations included work with Grace Jones,
Indeed, while Africa and Nigeria
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