AFROFUNK ROOTS: TONY ALLEN

"Nigerian-born drummer Tony Allen was the unofficial musical director for Fela Kuti’s legendary ban Africa 70 from 1968 to 1979. [...] While Fela was radically pan-African, Tony Allen is fundamentally open to mixing cultures. While Fela was behind every note played by his group, Tony Allen leaves those who play with him freedom to be inspired. And while Fela became more and more political in his discourse and general attitude, Tony Allen became more and more musical. As if the two former accomplices (the leader of Afrobeat and his mythical drummer) had shared between them the slogan "Music is the weapon of the Future" : "Music is a weapon" for Fela and "Music is the future" for Tony. Yet during the 60s they had invented this alchemy of traditional African sounds and Black American rhythms together. [...] Tony Allen’s conception is completely open, no doubt influenced by jazz : "I write the backbone, essentially rhythmic, but the project remains open. Improvisation is essential.". At over 60 years of age, Tony Allen is in the process of creating an absolutely experimental form of Afrobeat." (MONDOMIX)

Αυτά είναι τα δυο τελευταία album του μεγάλου Tony Allen: το "Lagos No Shake" του 2005, σε παραγωγή Moritz Von Oswald (!) και το πρόσφατο "Secret Agent" στην World Circuit. Και τα δυο αντιπροσωπευτικά της στροφής που πήρε ο μουσικός στα μέσα της τρέχουσας δεκαετίας προς τις ρίζες του afrofunk, αφήνοντας το crossover με την σύγχρονη pop και το hip-hop των προηούμενων album. Η παραγωγή του Moritz είναι πάντως καθοριστική, απομονώνοντας ύπουλα τα μπάσα, και βουτώντας τα κρουστά σε αυτό το βαθύ, υπνωτικό κανάλι που μόνο οι αυθεντικές αναλογικές κονσόλες των εργαστηρίων των Rhythm & Sound μπορούν να αποδώσουν.