Yesterday afternoon, I received email saying that I had been tagged in a video on Facebook. Anyone familiar with facebook knows that more often than not, you’re not actually in the video, but rather someone wants to spam you wants you to see something.

I was pleasantly surprised to see an awesome video about a yet unknown to me musician, Siji. The video promos Siji’s sophomore album project “Adesiji” that features a sharp cast of musicians and co producers including Rich Medina and King Britt.

The wonderfully chill soul sounds are a refreshing complement to his ideas on music, production and the like. Look forward to more from Siji. New album drops September 2008.

His official website launches soon: http://www.sijimusic.com

In the meantime, check him out on myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/sijimusic

Siji’s debut album is available for purchase here on itunes

Update: Higher quality video courtesy of Siji

Like many of you out there, Lagbaja is one of my favorite Nigerian artists, and has been since I heard his material almost 10 years ago. Since then, his popularity has grown with each release and he’s now at the forefront of Nigerian music, with ever increasing popularity internationally.

He’s leading the way, not only musically, but in his social awareness, use of technology and even from an aesthetics standpoint (for example, his music vidoes.) You’d also be hard pressed to find another artist whose appeal so broadly transcends age, language and culture. In short – Lágbájá is doing it right!

Locally-based Nigerians get regular doses of Lágbájá, wether playing at his club or at one of many concerts. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for those that live abroad. Performances are far & few between, and CDs almost always have to be personally purchased back home. Last week when I got news of the upcoming North American tour, I was absolutely overjoyed! I’ve compiled the dates & provided links to the affiliated organizations and/or venues below. The tour kicks off next week on August 4th in Washington DC! These concerts are not to be missed! Spread the word!

Tickets for many venues are currently on sale, so buy your tickets now as these concerts will sell out!

If you missed the last few updates, check out some of the latest from Lagbaja VCD - Africano Videos, Series 1.

note: We’d love to share any photos you have of these concerts, so any attendees that take pictures, please send them via email – thanks!

http://www.lagbaja.com

(official Lagbaja website)

Lágbájá is at the top of my list when it comes to Nigerian artists. And as much as I’d like to write about him, I just haven’t had the time to properly tackle the topic. This was important to me because he is one of the most misunderstood Nigerian artists… and while I have several half-finished articles on him, I resolved to not post any music until I’d given him the proper introduction. Then I came upon this video today (via youtube) from his latest album, Africano… the mother of groove, and I couldn’t hold back any longer – I had to share this with the rest of you.

I won’t say anything more at this point – look for the proper Lagbaja introduction in the near future. For now, enjoy Skentele Skontolo.

http://www.lagbaja.com/

(official Lagbaja website)

Whenever Kehinde and Taiwo Lijadu felt low down in spirit they indulged themselves in a childhood prank. They climbed the tallest nearest tree and watched the unlimited horizon. That was not the only trait they shared in common. They are identical twins who also share identical callings, habits, hobbies, a joint bank account and four children in between them. They never tell which one of them is the mother to which child. “They are four children,” they always said when asked.

Some twelve years ago (approx: 1967) they climbed a very tall tree and saw in the horizon unlimited, the path of their future.

The elements were orchestrating sweet musical vibrations that hit the core of the very being of the twins. It was the climax of their long-standing yearning to become professional singers. After all, it was all in the family. Daddy played the piano and Granny (on dad’s side) played the guitar. “So what about that?” They asked themselves.

They had enough inspirational heat in their veins to generate and power their interest and enthusiasm.

There was Daddy and Granny. There was Aretha Franklin and I.K. Dairo. There was Miriam Makeba and Victor Olaiya.

There was Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and a host of other musicians both local and international.

All of them together gave them all the heat of their inspiration. At such times when they were inspired it did not matter who conceived the ideas for lyrics or musical compositions.

What mattered was that they laboured together to bring forth the best of their brainchild.

The happiest moment that ever crowned their first attempt at creativity was when they walked into the chambers of Decca Studios with a handful of competent veteran session (musicians) to vax their first LP, “Iya Mi Jowo.” That was 1969. Since then Kehinde and Taiwo, (christened Louisa and Rosaline) have come a long way.

Over the years they have conceived created and recorded four long playing records all on Decca labels.

There was “Sunshine” and “Danger,” “Mother Africa” and “Iya mi Jowo” which have all gone down to their credit in the history books of the Nigerian music scene, amongst them a silver disk winner. This album is another step towards the fulfillment of the vision had of their future, many many years ago.

That vision they had of the “horizon unlimited.”

Ironically with Lijadu Sisters do not always speak about their future.

A reporter once asked them: Now that your horizon is opening up, what plans do you have for your future?

Lijadu Sisters: We don’t always look beyond our noses, because Man proposes but God disposes, but we are optimists.

R: Are you as rich as you are famous?
LS: As rich as rich can be. We are comfortable. We own one Volkswagen beetle and a joint bank account with plenty of money in it. Most of the time we are broke.

R: Are you religious?
LS: Very. We are catholics although not the Church going type. Every time we feel the spirit moving in our hearts we walk into the nearest church or Mosque and pray.

R: Do you have lovers?
LS: We are not dead. Not yet. We are living beings. To live and to love is the essence of our life. If you don’t have someone who loves you, you are dead. If we didn’t have lovers how come we compose love songs?

R: Do you take drugs?
LS: NO. We are permanently high.

R: You said you have four children but you are not married.
LS: We are not baby killers. Just because we had children with men we never got married to does not mean we had to kill them. We love children because children are a gift from God.

R: Would you have the same lover?
LS: If we did, we don’t see the need for it because there are many eligible men around. Even though we are twins, we want to be exclusive.

R: What do you think of yourselves?
LS: We are fantastic.

R: Do you wear the same clothes?
Kehinde: Taiwo is wearing my blouse and I’m wearing her wrapper.

R: What do you do when not singing?
LS: Playing with our kids, cooking, painting or climbing trees.

R: What kind of men would you like as friends?
LS: Simple, intelligent and responsible men.

R: Do you plan to get married?
LS: You talk too much.

Adapted from Lijadu Sisters – Horizon Unlimited LP Jacket notes by Tunde Harrison – 1979

Lijadu Sisters – Orere – Elejigbo

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Seeing a live performance is always special for me, but seeing King Sunny Ade perform live (on the San Francisco stop of his 2005 world tour) truly seemed like a one-in-a-lifetime experience.

A sold out crowd of over 1000 packed into The Fillmore, whose stage was beautifully decorated with ceiling to floor swaths of indigo patterned cloth ( – a nice touch that differed from the typical (generic) black backdrop that these concerts typically have.)

The show started promptly with the Obi Osadebe – son of the Nigerian highlife legend Osita Osadebe. Backed by pre-recorded tracks and a small band (rhythm guitar, drums, bass guitar), Obi sang, grooved and danced to many of his fathers classics and several that were new to me. After each song, he only offered a simple “thank you” in response to the applause while staring into the sheet music for the next track. Overall, his performance was good, but more stage charisma would be nice.

After a short interlude that included some “african music” from the house p.a., short speeches and a raffle, the lights dimmed – and the show was about to begin!

The band danced onto the stage one by one, picking up their instruments & starting the groove. The first five were the drummers… 2 talking drums, 1 hand drum, 1 conga, 1 drum set! They were followed by the rest of the band, keyboards, guitars and singers and finally Sunny Ade for a total of 13 strong.

Their show was everything I could have imagined… great sound, musically strong, lively and playful. They played a broad range of tunes both old & new, fast & slow and had the entire place dancing from start to finish.

At one point around 11:00, some aunties (who must just have arrived) made their way towards the front in full traditional gear, complete with 10 gallon headdresses that cleared a path in front & behind them. These headdresses were so big & strong that I practically left the place w/ a face full of scratches even though they were dancing no closer than 2-3 feet away!

Another great point in the show was when the dancers performed… One dancer came out with her back facing the stage. The music died down & Sunny started into some slow, sultry, blues-styled solo guitar. The dancer wound her bottom to the rhythm which slowly increased in pace, faster & faster until it was a full blown makosa-tempo jam! Each of the three dancers did this one at a time much to the delight of the crowd… and finished up with all three of them going at once! That was a great crowd-pleaser that added to the fun-factor of the show.

Any such show (party) wouldnt be complete without some spraying and indeed there was some – these aunties were the first to start it off when they jumped up from the crowd to get it going.

This show was a real treat… everything about it was practically perfect. I cant wait until Sunny Ade tours again, hopefully next year if not sooner!

Check out one of my favorite Sunny Ade tracks – something my father would describe as Sunnys “psycadelic-sounding” Juju – released on the “Syncro System” LP [1983, Island Records]

p.s. Big thanks to to FJ for the great pictures!

King Sunny Ade and his African Beats, April 22, 2005

(link to photos)

King Sunny Ade and his African Beats – Syncro_System

(media offline)

Several weeks ago while walking around town in my former neighborhood, a flyer posted to a telephone pole caught my eye. It advertised King Sunny Ade, live in concert, two weeks from the date. It was almost hard to believe that the King of Juju music would be in town for a show… let alone see a flyer on the street for it – I was shocked! And if Sunny Ade live wasnt show enough, Obi Osadebe, the son of the famed Osita Osadebe highlife maestro was set to open up the performance. Needless to say, I didnt waste time and promptly bought a pair of tickets.

Stay tuned for a full show rundown complete with pictures, but in the meantime, enjoy King Sunny Ade – Kiti Kiti, a cool, grooving track on the 1998 album, “Odu” [Atlantic – Mesa/Bluemoon] that recalls classic Yoruba proverbs in Sunny Ade’s trademark Juju sound.

King Sunny Ade – Kiti Kiti

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