Nigeria Afrobeat Special is the fourth addition to the Nigeria Special series, a project initiated by Miles Cleret, owner of the Soundway Record label. The ambition is to distinguish the blossoming music scenes of 1970s Nigeria, and documenting the influence of western blues, rock and disco amongst artists and musicians versed in the local musical styles of highlife and juju. It was Fela Kuti and his musical and political ideals that formed the core of afrobeat’s message, and with his blend of Yoruba music, funk and jazz, Fela dominated the musical tapestry of 1970s Nigeria. His influence in Nigeria and West Africa led to a craze where most of the bands of the day incorporated this new sound into their repertoires to satisfy the tastes of the audiences of the time.

This compilation highlights some of those recordings that have, until now, not seen the light of day. It opens with Fela’s highly sought after version of “Who’re You,” originally released on 7″ in 1971, and here is re-issued for the first time ever–but not quite a Fela classic. The gem on this compilation comes from Saxon Lee & The Shadow Internationals with “Mind Your Business.” The rhythm section and the organ gets into a killer groove. It struts along with a walking rhythm related to reggae, and the horns and scratchy guitar are super funky. The singer, Pax Nicholas, was also a background singer and percussionist for Fela’s Africa 70. With a few great jams and tracks where you can clearly hear influences from James Brown to Indian vibes, the compilation shows that Fela wasn’t the only afrobeat master; however, most of the tracks sound like leftovers.

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