Hello

I left for Lagos on the 17th of January 2011 and got back to London 2 weeks later, had a great time and the more i go to naija, the more i miss home.Its rough but enjoyable and i am actually looking to move back at some point in the near future.

I enjoyed the food shout out to white house in sabo, yaba that place was introduced to me by 'demi and not forgetting mama peju at alagomeji , designer rice at bank-olemoh street off akerele, in surulere these place are mama put joints. men, if its only for the food.. I LUV NAIJA .Finally got my self my naija pali after about 25 years or so without one.

I also discovered naija radio, not that i dont listen to it each time i come home but this time because i spent a lot of time in the car i had a really good listen to radio.Plenty station to choose from for all tastes and they has really come of age but my one gripe is most of the presenters sound foreign!!Everyone is sounding either yankee or like a britiko but one station i really enjoyed was radio continental 102.5fm and the wetin dey crew show between 3-5pm week days, fantastic ... tatafo, mama, wale and the other person who's name escapes me made me laugh o, they should broadcast on line, its a very very fun show and i can't recommend it highly enough, its simply a funny take of current affairs in nja .

Places i visited

Quintessentially on Ademola Adetokunbo really really nice membership club and where i met Osahon Omoruyi ,who gave me the number for his brother Osaze who prior to that time i had not seen for about 30 years. Osaze and I were classmates in Primary School,Surulere Baptist School. Also Spoke to Odunayo who i also had not spoken to since say 1991 Since i left IFE .

Oceanview @ Eko Hotel really good chinese cuisine

Aris Suites at Osborne Foreshore Estate inIkoyi Nice little hotel in Lagos

Soul Lounge at Shoprite Lekki Nice joint on the Island

SilverBird Victoria Island -okay didn't see what the fuss is all about though we didnt stay too long

Ozone Centre Sabo - same as above

MUSIC i brought back

• Vector-State of Surprise -good album,alejo classic jay-z sound alike but good cd
• MI- MI2 the movie -alejo classic,nuff said
• Ruggedman-Untouchable-not feeling it at the moment
• Mo'cheddah-Franchise Celebrity-havent actually listened to it
• Tha Suspect-I am music-Talented dude really good cd alejo classic
• Kas- aka Fimile-only like one song fimile remix or is me alone not feeling
• Chuddy K-I am me - haven't really listened to it
• Mr Raw Nwanne -End of Discussion-like he says end of discussion Good cd
• Lynxxx-This is Lynxxx-cool what is utunu?
• Bella+Frank Edwards -Higher Place-Gospel
• Jah Bless-Overground-hmmmm not feeling it at moment might change my mind later after a proper listen

MI2 The movie MI

Happy new year and happy valentine day, its the 13th of February 2011 6.o4pm, I am listening to MI's new thing MI2 the movie from start to finish for the 1st time since i got the cd from falomo bridge in lagos on my most recent trip to naija for N150

One word, its actually really really good and probably should be filed under 'alejo classics' (coming soon is my top 20 ALEJO CLASSICS 2010.I hope i get round to actually doing it before the end of 2011

He calls it a movie and boy does it sound like a movie. productions is handled by studio magic mainly (platinum toks and headphones) i hope i am corrrect and featuring the usual suspects Jesse Jagz, Ice prince( i actually like his real name Panshak Zamani ) Brymo, 2f-ace (shout out to vector tha viper),Timaya,Waje,Flavour,Loose Kaynon,Bola,Kauna.

Musically, i think its actually better than 'talk about lt', as it sounds less programmed and more musically and appears that more live instruments were used case in point 'action film' and the use of strings which is a rarity and probably a first in its use in more recent naija music. what can you say about the hook man of the moment 'brymo',like in the words of Ice prince 'oleku'(can someone actually tell me what exactly he is saying on that track 'oleku').His hook on this song plus the strings is what does it for me

Also, the magic of this cd is also the mix and mash of styles, highlife and naija hip hop works and probably one of the best crossover songs of the year.My Ibo people would probably be bumping 'Number 1 featuring Flavour for a long time to come .check it out !! His featured artists shows growth and they all work on their various songs not over shadowing MI but they all hold their own.MI's rapping is on point and allows every one to have their moment to shine, but they all know its an MI joint and every thing comes back to him after they all have their time

Hot Joints in no particular order

• Action filmcheck out the strings
• Number 1 -highlife/hip hop wow
• Nobody- 2face kills it
• Beef- shout out to baba 70
• My belle, my head o - west indian flavour
• One Naira- Naija Love plus Waje kills it !!
• Epic- just like it says on the tin epic y'all
• Imprefect me- one can relate to this ,thanks

Its a great album and ALL songs are really good and all in all for those expecting talk about it 2, you will be highly disappointed but for those that like musically progression this is a slow burner but definitely progression musically and on point from Jude Abaga ...can't wait for the MI3

MALI LATINO

Yet another fusion cd, the music of mali and this time fused with latino music as the name suggests.This cd is the brain child of british born pianist alex wilson and it was a labur of love after his trip to mali and meeting up with madou sidiki diabate who introduced him to multi instrumentalist ahmed fofana.
I had actually read about this cd in the bible of world music 'songlines' and thought why not give it a try and it turned out to be as good as the review in the magazine it was given 4 stars

Alex wilson's latin piano playing, madou's kora and ahmed guitar/balafon playing really really works and like one reviewer said this would certainly be on my top ten world music cds for 2010.There must be something about african music that alot of western musicians wanting to collaborate especially mali musicians.Hopefully one day i will take a trip to bamako mali and dakar senegal to have a feel of their music .

Lets hope western musicians would take a trip and collaborate with nigerian music masters like sunny ade, ebenezer obey, 9ice etc

highly recommended you can't miss with this cd

stand outs
ankaben(sounds so music like an afrobeat song like fela's look and laugh)
sangre mandinga
donkan
Bamako 2000 (reminds me of mory kante's yeke yeke)
joie au village (masterclass)
ankan tolon (happy)
voyage(three masters)
bomba bambara
remercier les trailleurs (where it all started)
enjoy!!

Lokua Kanza's NKOLO.... Congo got soul

I can't believe i slept on this cd!! it was released in the spring of 2010 and i this almost passed me by and i would have been really sad.Lokua's voice is near heavenly, it really hard for me to explain,all i can say is, to really appreciate this cd, you need a really really good pair of headphones like i have on as i write or Bose wave music system and If this guy's voice does not touch your soul, then you are either dead or need a medical check up and real quick.
This is another cd that i will surely file under classique!! You dont need to understand a word of what he's saying but you will feel it... guaranteed.This cd should come with a money back guarantee bacause thats how good i think it is
Outstandings Famille, Nakozonga infact all tracks!!! There is dance, rumba, afrobeat, soul acapella you name it... Congo really got soul. Really up lifting and feel good music
you tube it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfHa7alvSJk&NR=1

Music of Senegal.. Cheikh Lo Jamm

There's no need to review this cd

All i can say is put in this cd and press play sit back,relax and enjoy the ride

Probably, the best cd i have listened too, in a very long while

From the 1st to the last track ...all classics

STIMELA -Music of Hugh

hello world

long time no write no hear

I haven't blogged in a long while and i was just in the mood to write and to start me off is the album of one of africa's finest instrumentalist, freedom fighter Hugh Rampolo Masekela's Greatest hits album released in the year 2000(one of the many in the market).I bought this one because it was cheap £3 to be exact and never had any thing by him in my collection outside grazing in the grass, fela and Don't go

I played it while watching Man United vs Liverpool today 19th September 2010 which we won 3-2 ,thank God ,after giving away a 2 goal Lead.Firstly, I wasn't really feeling it, except for a few songs but after a couple of repeats , it quite a really good collection, the song that stands out is STIMELA, track 14 and what a song to close this collection with, you can actually hear the pain in the song. Its basically about the longing for family and the suffering under apartheid that black miners went through at the hands of their white oppressors after they travelled from mozambique to south africa to look for work.

They are 14 tracks in total with liners with gives you brief history of all the songs(this is what is missing in the new music now), we do not get the historical background and how songs can together, call me old school but nothing makes me happy than buying a cd and it have liners and storys about the songs, which makes me appreciate the songs the more.

Of the 14 Songs,8 were written by Hugh and they are mainly freedom songs and one dedicated to his ex wife called mama and also one dedicated to nelson mandela,all in all a very strong cd which i highly recommend if you want to know about the pre free south africa music.Feel the power of his flugel horn !!!

Hugh Africa salutes you and thanks you for your contribution to music especially african music

Pon Pon Pon

It really sad to hear that Da grin, Barrack O'grin is no more at the age of 24 (i hope i am right about that) or should i say he was really young but that's life.


Like they say 'no one knows the day nor the hour' we will have to cash that one cheque which never bounces or when you get that 'call' you can't say you are not ready!!

When that final call come thru it never goes to voicemail.. you pick up and go !! ......end of!!


What will you be remembered for ? well ... it's whatever you did, didn't do or should have done or could have done but that doesnt matter to you.. as you wouldn't be around to listen to it...... GOOD OR BAD (thanks to j martins)


Enough of the philosophy lesson this should be all about DA GRIN... for me i think i started to take notice of him when he had this collaboraton with kenny st brown 'turn around' then saw his 'pon pon pon video which i feel was really nice !! then my bruv folabi sends me his cd CEO (thanks bruv for keeping in tune with the naija music scene!!) Listening to it, production and beat wise really tight and would probably stand the test of time and also as one of the best cds of the year 2009 but credit should goes to sosick (naija have some really really good beatmakers who can stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best beatmakers worldwide, kanye, pharell, timbaland, wyclef etc watch your backs naija man dey come


After a few listens i liked the stand outs like ghetto stories, everyday and pon pon pon and kondo (though i feel he bite off candy stick by M and M ) but when i heard he passed,i went back (like you do when you heard a musician dies) you tend to go back to their back catalogue and re listen to their music ...case in point michael jackson.. then after that re listen, i rediscovered da grin and said ...wow... if he did this tight an album at 24, then ....one wonder what he would have done on album 3 ,4 or 5 but i guess that what life does to you, we get to the what if... phase !!


Though not the first to rap in yoruba/ pidgin english i think that should go to the king of yoruba rap, the lord of the manor... ajasa!! but DaGrin probably took it to anotha level, took it to the streets and put a bit of sawgga and street talk to it
While ajasa keeps his rap mainly funny, DAgrin was more tupac and he and sosick created a real masterpiece in the cd CEO 'chief executive omoita'

I am sure people would start to compare him to tupac... i just hope we dont start getting dozen of songs featuring post humus DAgrin or people trying to cash in after his sad passing.


ACTUALLY there is no need to review his cd CEO just listen and file under CLazzic!!

RIP akogun !! Barrack O'grin.. Kondo Master... sun re o

ps.. for a good listen to any cd i recommend STRONGLY the bose wave music system

LAGOS

Hello
This is about the second blog for the year 2010
musically for me it more about naija and african music
I have now actually had a good listen to 9ice new joint 'TRADITION' though not as strong as 'GONGO ASO' after a proper 'Alejo' listen, i feel its a wicked album ,production wise i still feel Gongo Aso is better, as it sounds clearer and well balanced sonically, whereas Tradition sounds muffled , unclear in general and not as polished as Gongo Aso. This could be due to the fact that he used varied producers and not mainly Id Cabasa .

But to be fair to 9ice i don't think in a singer's life you can make two classic albums, those days and age have long gone (The days of the chief priest Baba 70, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey Oliver de Coque Chief Osadebe,Bright Chimezie,Orlando owoh ayinde barrister kollington ayinla salawa abeni etc.. (men i am really showing my age ) writing classics after classics over time though they did have a few dud albums but they were consistent over time because they were proper music men/women and had bands and not programmed sounds so they had to sit and not only write the song but write the music to the songs ) but these days it all about 'party music' and i dont think longetivity is part of the game any longer or if it is ...that has probably been pushed to the background .it's all make money,bling bling and the champange lifestyle

His word play and use of idioms and yoruba proverbs is commendable, according to 9ice he grew up with his granny who spoke to him in proverbs and yoruba wise word which put him in good stead.

STAND OUTZ


Energy-for the beats, flow and use of proverbs
Liquor- for the beats and world play
Alapomeji anhem-wow!! seriki's verse is the bomb
Pete Pete with ASA- over time classic
Gbamu gbamu-nice joint/video
Anytime-moving !!
overall really good effort

he will probably win a grammy someday

Ps is 9ice trying to carve a niche for himself?
As i feel there seems to be some chink in the coded tunes/alapomeji camp cos ID didn't have full production and it showed!!

But we all try and grow and move on !!

alapomeji for life

africa's new music

Happy new year through its rather late, i havent blogged for about 6 months now, all sorts been happening but personally and musically

I have been lately listening to a lot of naija(nigerian for the un initiated) music and also music from mali.From nja there's new stuff from one of nija most prolific producers id cabasa (in my opinion ) 'ID entity',(6 stars)- 9ice's nu thing 'tradition',(a slow burner) not as good as gongo aso but grows on you after a few listen- p square 'danger' -ay.com 'pass me yur love' banky w 'the w experience' (a cracker of an album)-Da grin (real good and ghetto)- darey's un.darey'ted (classy) -terry g(hmmm),-wande coal 'mushin to mo hits (okay has a few good tracks but i have to confess i havent really given it a good listen ,so i really cant comment )-j martins 'elevated (cant really comment too )-kel 'the investment' but on the whole nija music has really come of age, not only the music but the videos which are almost comparing to mtv standard videos.

Let me start with id cabasa's ID entity personal i think its a really good album

Ten Shades of Blue.....Bona

hello, music world, richard bona has done it again, this time he has topped himself and he gone 'solo' and by that i mean is his nu cd 'ten shades of blue' does not feature his usual band members but he has basically created new music on his own and 'popped round the world' (that's an ode to patrick oke a radio dj in the 80s naija radio) and explored nu beats, sounds and nuances.Ten shades is basically ten ways of interpreting the BLUES.

Where do i start from, he kicks off at the indian sub continent and experiments with indian sound and cooked up the brilliant 'shiva mantra' and boy does it work while not losing his african sensibility. 'shiva' is complete with sitar,tabla, ganijira and a beautifully work indian vocal percussion and underpinning it all bona's vocals and music. On 'Good Times' we has the vocal excellency of Frank Mc comb (one of the probably most ignored and underated singer /songwriter of this generation) and Gregoire maret(harmonica)also features on this song bringing out the essence of the blues and so giving it the stevie wonder vibe.Mbemba Mama is a tribute to mothers.all other songs are exploring the blues from all musical angles and infusing various musical instruments from fiddles, banjo tablas, organs ,harmonica,fula flutes etc.
This is probably in my humble opinion bona's best cd to date and i can say that because i have all his cds and coincidentally this nu cd marks 10 years of recorded music from him. he has come a long long way from 'scenes from my life' his first cd . musicians featured are Jojo Kuoh (Camerounian drummer from Fela kuti band) for the afrobeat effect on african cowboy and souleymane,Gregoire Maret -harmonica , shankar mahadevan, nandini srikar ,vivek rajgopatan,satyajit talwalkar on vocals and vocal percussion to mention a few
bona would be in concert at the barbican centre london on the 2nd of november 2009 and hopefully i should be there.
I have had this cd on repeat ever since i have had it, the more i listen the move i am loving it. the one song i am loving the most is track 8 esukudu what kills me is the vocal arrangement from 3.40 into this song and boy to describe it in one word .... peace