Various Artists
Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues, 1970-76
Sound Way

            It would have been difficult to find a way to hear this music in the UK back in the early 1970s – nobody was playing contemporary Nigeria music on British radio, and there wasn’t a scene where non-Nigerians might wander into a club run by a Nigerian DJ and share the experience. A few wise birds were aware of Sterns Electrical Supplies near the top of Tottenham Court Road, which had a couple of boxes at the back stacked with albums brought by Nigerian and Ghanaian students at London University. But for every album released in Nigeria by Sir Victor Uwaifo, King Sunny Adé or Chief Ebenezer Obey there were dozens of singles released by less well known artists which never found their way out of the country. Finally, thanks to the enterprise and diligence of Miles Cleret of Soundway Records, 26 previously obscure tracks are brought into the light, most of them first released as 7” 45 rpm singles.

            Having become reasonably well-versed in Nigerian music of this time, I was a bit disconcerted to recognise only three names. Nearly all of them have absurdly elaborate names, such as Collins Oke Elaiho & His Odoligie Nobles Dance Band or Dan Satch & His Atomic 8 Dance Band of Aba. Were some of the tracks chosen simply because the artist names were so exotic? It was impossible to avoid sceptical suspicion: could an album by so many unknown bands be any good? In a word, yes.

            I’ve lost count of how often I’ve listened to CD One, and it reveals a new favourite every time. Right now, top of my list is ‘Koma Mosi’ by The Harbours Band, which includes the phrase ‘easy motion tourist’ that became the song’s title when Sunny Adé revived it about ten years ago. Sometimes sax sections can sound a bit of out-of-tune to European eras when played by West African musicians, but both the solos and the ensemble playing in The Harbours Band are immaculate.

            The Sahara All Stars of Jos are another great discovery, as laid back and atmospheric as their name suggests. The Anambra Beats are rough and ready by comparison, and I sometimes skip their opening track in search of a more soothing background sound. But let their track play and its shuffling rhythm and haunting chant take hold. If there’s a thread that holds the collection together, it’s the sound of biting guitars, sometimes crunchy, other times piercing. Mostly avoiding Afro-Beat and embracing High-Life, this feels like an album that will last for years.

            CD Two is not nearly so enticing, but almost redeems itself with the very last track, ‘Akpaison’ by Elubon Rex Williams and His Nigerian Artists. All-in-all, this will be a contender for reissue compilation of the year.