The legendary Tony Allen returns with a new group and album with Damon Albarn, Flea and a host of guests including Chicago's own Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.
Check the cut below with Erykah Badu. Hottness!!!!
And some sage words from Mr Allen, recorded live in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2004. "Don't Take My Kindness For Weakness", indeed!
Liam Farrell, or Doctor L as he is known to the world at large, is a Paris based producer/musician/composer/artist from Dublin, Ireland. He began as his career as a drummer before getting into hip hop in the early '90s and appearing alongside Daft Punk and Air on the classic Source Lab I an II compilations. He has produced a diverse array of artists such as Tony Allen, Lenine, Bum Cello and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, to name just a few. Psyco On Da Bus from 2000 and Tony Allen's Black Voices (1999) were crucial in Tony Allen 's career revival, and both were produced by L. He is also sought out as re-mixer as well, re-working the likes of Neneh Cherry, Salif Keita, Gangstar,Ice-T, David Murray & Pharoah Sanders. His music reflects the diverse artists with whom he produces and plays. A current project work pairs him with Martin Perna from Antibalas. He constantly challenges the listener with new sounds, seemingly pulling sounds from in an out of ether. Dub, Hip Hop, Down Tempo, Modal and Spiritual jazz, African/Latin rhythms all swirl together into a deep smoky medicinal melange. He has also ventured in to soundtracks as well as creating stunning visuals for his music.
A few select cuts + clips to drop the balm on your soul.
Tony Allen with his explosive band headlined for the 'Monday Night In The Park/Downtown Sound: New Music Mondays' at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Monday, June 14. Afterwards, Tony and his band visited The Shrine for the Official Afterparty that showcased his latest cd 'Secret Agent' on Nonesuch.
The man who is the beat of Afrobeat, former Fela Kuti drummer and bandleader, will AT at The Shrine tonight Monday, June 14th. Right after his show in Millenium Park, Tony will be our very special guest for the official after-party! DJs Tone B. Nimble, King Scratch and Clark Quente spin the best of Tony and the heaviest in Nigerian sounds. Loads of giveaways, including posters, CDs and more. This is really history in the making. We couldn't be more honored to have Tony Allen bless us with a visit! Doors open at 9pm.
You can't talk about Fela or The Shrine without talking about Fela's original drummer and band leader Tony Allen! Of course we have to go back to the crates and pull out the records... Besides crucial recordings with Fela, Allen has released a grip of his own records dating from the mid-70s to two brand new albums dropping this past year. His beats have been continuously sending ripples through the music world for forty years. Masters of Work, Bobbito, Spinna & Ron Trent are just a few who have offered up re-mixes or edits of Fela/Tony Allen material from the 70s. J Dilla only went back a year when he sampled Allen's 'Asiko' (1999) for Common on the cut 'Heat' on his 2000 album LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE.
His first four records (1975-79) are available as a double CD entitled AFRO DISCO BEAT from Spain's Vampi Soul label. As powerful as any of the Fela records, this is Afro Beat straight, no chaser. Long jams with low end rumble, blazing horns and funky keys all riding atop Tony snaking drums. In the 80s he continued playing and touring and appearing sporadically on albums by various artists from Randy Weston to Grace Jones.
In 1999 Allen re-emerged with the BLACK VOICES album. Produced in Paris, where he now lives, the album saw Allen branching out and embracing new styles, most notably Electronica and Dub. (Well not all new, he'd already recorded with Jamaican saxophone giant Cedric 'IM' Brooks) The album brought him a new generation of listeners, who may have been unaware of his roots with Fela. Re-mixes followed as well as the Allenko Brotherhood Ensemble - a series of a 12" singles based on Allen's drum patterns produced by a host of young beat makers and producers.
He seems to be making up for lost time, releasing a handful of records of his own and appearing on countless records by other artists. After mixing funk & hip hop on 2002's HOME COOKING he has gone back to playing more traditional Afro Beat but continues to push the boundaries collaborating with and recording with divergent groups like Awa Band, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (represent Chicago!), The Good The Bad & The Queen & Charlotte Gainsbourg to name a few.
Tony is bringing more heat this year with his own 'Secret Agent Man' album as well as 'Inspiration Information Vol. 4' with Jimi Tenor. If you have not seen the man play live, check the promo film for his newest album below...
